Paul Gonsalves

The greatest moment of Paul Gonsalves' musical career occurred at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival when, to bridge the gap between "Diminuendo in Blue" and "Crescendo in Blue," Duke Ellington urged him to take a long solo, egging him on through 27 exciting choruses that almost caused a riot. That well-publicized episode resulted in Ellington having a major "comeback," and Gonsalves forever earning Ellington's gratitude. Gonsalves had already earned a strong reputation during his stints with Count Basie (1946-1949) and the Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra (1949-1950). Joining Ellington...