Benny Golson

Golson may be the most underrated figure of the hard bop era, perhaps because he's so good at so many things. This wonderful collection of recordings that Golson cut for Arkadia Records shows off his many talents. Want Golson the songwriter? Go directly to "Killer Joe" and "Along Came Betty." Of course, he plays sax as beautifully on his originals as he does on standards such as "Work Song" and the exquisite "Mood Indigo." He's always been a whip-smart bandleader too -- check out the crackling version of "Mack the Knife." As a bonus, Golson duets with Branford Marsalis on "Body and Soul."