Virgil Gonsalves

Background

Gonsalves played baritone saxophone with Alvino Rey's orchestra in 1950 and with Tex Beneke's orchestra in 1952. In 1954, he formed an ensemble with Bob Enevoldsen (vocal, trombone), tenor saxophonist Buddy Wise, Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (double bass), and Larry Bunker (drums), and recorded the album Virgil Gonsalves Sextet on Nocturne Records. Among the group's later members were Leo Wright, Junior Mance, Ron Crotty (born 1929), and Eddie Khan. Gonsalves also worked as a freelance musician, mainly in the San Francisco area.

Career

In 1955, the Virgil Gonsalves sextet was a resident act at the Blackhawk club in San Francisco. This club was reputedly the only club operating on a full-time basis. The club's strategy was to bring in names to play with the sextet rather than bringing in groups from out of town. It was reported in the 6 June 1963 issue of Down Beat that baritone saxophonist Virgil Gonsalves and his quartet consisting of Webster Young on trumpet, Jerry Coker on piano and tenor saxophone, Terry Hilliard on bass, and Keny Shirlan on drums were appearing on weekends at the Colony Club in Monterey.

By the late 1960s, Virgil Gonsalves was in San Francisco and eventually joined The Electric Flag. He played on the group's An American Music Band album. At the time the ensemble consisted of Harvey Brooks on bass, guitar and vocals; Terry Clements on tenor saxophone; Marcus Doubleday on trumpet; Gonsalves on baritone saxophone, soprano saxophone and flute; Nick Gravenites on vocals, guitar, percussion; Stemsy Hunter on alto saxophone and vocals; Buddy Miles on vocals and drums; and Hoshal Wright on guitar.

In 1968, the Electric Flag broke up and the remainder would become the Buddy Miles Express. Besides Miles, the group also contained four other former Electric Flag members who came on board with the Express: Terry Clements, Marcus Doubleday, Virgil Gonsalves, and Herbie Rich. He was a member of the Pacific Gas & Electric band from 1971 to 1972.