Virgil Gonsalves

Virgil Gonsalves (5 September 1931 – 20 October 2008) was an American saxophonist and clarinetist, though primarily a baritone saxophonist.

Born in Monterey, California, Gonsalvez was a baritone saxophonist with the orchestras of Alvino Rey (1950) and Tex Beneke (1952). In 1954 he formed an ensemble with Bob Enevoldsen, the tenor saxophonist Buddy Wise, Lou Levy, Harry Babasin, and Larry Bunker, and recorded the album Virgil Gonsalves Sextet in 1954 on Nocturne Records 8. Among the group’s later members were Leo Wright, Junior Mance, Ron Crotty (born 1929), and Eddie Khan. Gonzalves also worked as a freelance, mainly in the San Francisco area. He was a member of the Pacific Gas & Electric rock band from 1971 to 1972. He died in Salinas, California.

Selected discography

As leader

Virgil Gonsalves Sextet

• Los Angeles, September 23, 1954, Nocturne Records

Virgil Gonsalves (baritone sax), Bob Enevoldsen (vocal, trombone), Buddy Wise (tenor sax), Lou Levy (piano), Harry Babasin (bass), Larry Bunker (drums)

Virgil Gonsalves, Jazz – San Francisco Style

• San Francisco, c. 1955, Liberty Records

Bob Bagley (vocal, trombone), Danny Pateris (tenor sax), Virgil Gonsalves (baritone sax), Clyde Pound (piano), Ron Crotty (bass), Max Hartstein (bass), Gus Gustafson (drums)

As sideman

Rudy Salvini Orchestra, Intro to Jazz

• San Francisco 1957

Rudy Salvini, Allen Smith, Al Del Simone, Wayne Allen, Billy Catalano (trumpets), Van Hughes, Archie Lecoque, Chuck Etter, Ron Bertuccelli (trombones), Charles Martin (alto sax), Jerry Coker, Tom Hart, Howard Dudune (tenor sax), Virgil Gonsalves (baritone), John Marabuto (piano), Dean Reilly (bass), John Markham (drums), Jerry Cournoyer, Jerry Mulvihill, Jerry Coker (arrangers)

As leader

Virgil Gonsalves, Jazz At Monterey: Virgil Gonsalves Big Band Plus Six

• San Francisco, c. 1959, 1959
• San Francisco, c. 1959