Gonsalves was born in
Brockton,
Massachusetts, United States, to Portuguese
Cape Verdean parents. His first instrument was the guitar, and as a child he was regularly asked to play Cape Verdean folk songs for his family. He grew up in
New Bedford, Massachusetts, and played as a member of the
Sabby Lewis Orchestra. His first professional engagement in
Boston was with the same group on
tenor saxophone, in which he played before and after his military service during
World War II. He also played with fellow Cape Verdean Americans in
Phil Edmund's band in the 1940s. Before joining Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1950, Gonsalves also played in big bands led by
Count Basie (1947–1949) and
Dizzy Gillespie (1949–1950). The performance is captured on the album
Ellington at Newport. Gonsalves was a featured soloist in numerous Ellingtonian settings. Gonsalves died in
London, England, ten days before Duke Ellington's death, after a lifetime of addiction to alcohol and narcotics.
Mercer Ellington refused to tell Duke of the passing of Gonsalves, fearing the shock might further accelerate his father's decline. Ellington and Gonsalves, along with trombonist
Tyree Glenn, lay side by side in the same New York funeral home for a period of time. Gonsalves is buried at
Long Island National Cemetery in
Farmingdale, New York. == Discography ==