Virgil Gonsalves

Who is Virgil Gonsalves?

Virgil Gonsalves 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 and Tex Beneke. 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, 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.