Results for "saxophone, alto"

Ed Curran

Born: October 23, 1940

Ed Curran was born in New York City and spent his youth singing in the church choir and later the Diosisen Choir. After his time in the military he returned to NYC and began studying alto saxophone, under the tutorage of Joe Napolean. In 1967, Ed Curran and his quartet recorded, Elysa with Savoy Records. On this album the Ed Curran quartet was made up of himslef and the fellow musicians, Bob Pozar (Cleve Pozar), Marc Levin, and Kyoshi Tokunaga.

Sonny Criss

Born: October 23, 1927

Alto saxophonist {{m: Sonny Criss = 5984}} is a rather tragically overlooked figure in Jazz. Born in Memphis in 1927, he moved to Los Angeles at the age of 15 where he remained much of his playing career. When he became a professional player after finishing school, he joined various bands visiting the West Coast and performed with such artists as Billy Eckstine and Johnny Otis. He also featured in Gene Norman's "Just Jazz" concerts alongside stars such as Howard McGhee, Stan Getz and Wardell Gray. In 1948 Criss was a part of Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic tour package. In the mid-1950s Criss played with Buddy Rich's quintet and recorded a fine session with Rich and Wynton Kelly live in Chicago "Sonny Criss at the Crossroads", but his base in LA generally left him isolated

Hank Crawford

Born: December 21, 1934

Hank Crawford was an alto sax sensation since he stepped out of the Ray Charles band back in 1963. A signature piercing, full bodied, blues, soul, and gospel drenched tone, sets him apart from the alto pack. He has an instantly recognizable voice, and his excellent choice of material suits his style perfectly. He is a bluesman turned preacher on the sax, and the sermon is always on time. Bennie Ross Crawford Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee on December 21, 1934, began formal piano studies at age nine and was soon playing for his church choir. His father had brought an alto saxophone home from the service and when Hank entered high school, he took it up in order to join the band

Ornette Coleman

Born: March 9, 1930

Early on in his career, alto saxophonist Ornette Coleman, recorded an album entitled, The Shape of Jazz To Come. It might have seemed like an expression of youthful arrogance - Coleman was 29 at the time - but actually, the title was prophetic. Coleman is the creator of a concept of music called "harmolodic," a musical form which is equally applicable as a life philosophy. The richness of harmolodics derives from the unique interaction between the players. Breaking out of the prison bars of rigid meters and conventional harmonic or structural expectations, harmolodic musicians improvise equally together in what Coleman calls compositional improvisation, while always keeping deeply in tune with the flow, direction and needs of their fellow players. In this process, harmony becomes melody becomes harmony. Ornette describes it as "Removing the caste system from sound." On a broader level, harmolodics equates with the freedom to be as you please, as long as you listen to others and work with them to develop your own individual harmony.

Steve Coleman

Born: September 20, 1956

Steve began playing music just days before his 14th birthday as a freshman at South Shore High School on the south side of Chicago. His first instrument was violin but later that year he switched to the alto saxophone. For three years Steve studied the basics of music and saxophone technique, then he decided that he wanted to learn how to improvise. Looking for the best improvising musicians to listen to is what brought Steve to the music of Charlie Parker, although it helped that his father listened to Parker all the time. After spending two years at Illinois Wesleyan University Steve transferred to Roosevelt University (Chicago Music College) in downtown Chicago in order to concentrate on Chicago's musical nightlife

Benny Carter

Born: August 8, 1907

Benny Carter's long career was consistently characterized by high musical achievement, and he developed a unique and readily identifiable style as both an alto saxophonist and an arranger. He was able to double on trumpet and was also proficient on clarinet, piano, and trombone. His saxophone playing was pure-toned, fluid, and flawlessly phrased. One of the trademark sounds of his arrangements was four saxophones harmonizing one of his swooping melodies as if they were one instrument improvising. He also created the big-band model of contending brass and reed sections, anticipated harmonic trends that would later appear in bebop, and transformed a clunky Western notion of musical time into something more buoyant and fresh. Benjamin Lester Carter was born on August 8, 1907, in New York City and grew up in tManhattan (near Lincoln Center). He took piano lessons from his mother as a young boy, but his musical heroes were trumpeters like his cousin, Theodore Bennett, and Bubber Miley, who played with Duke Ellington

Abraham Burton

Born: March 17, 1971

Abraham Burton - of Belizean descent, is a native of New York. His interest in music began its development at the High School of Music & Art, during which time he was awarded by Downbeat and McDonalds in their Combo Competitions. He later studied under the tutelage of the jazz great, Jackie McLean at the Hartt School of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Arts in Music, graduating with honors. Abraham's professional career as a musician was initiated with the legendary drummer Arthur Taylor. During his five years with "Taylor's Wailers" he recorded on "Mr. A.T." and "Live at the Village Vanguard" on Enja Records, touring throughout Europe and performing at notable New York clubs such as: The Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil, and Birdland. Since his time, Abraham has developed a reputation as a veritable professional performing and/or recording with the most prestigious of musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Milt Jackson, Roy Hargrove, Louis Hayes, James Carter, Kenny Barron, and Jimmy Smith to name just a few. He went on to form a band in '94 entitled "The Abraham Burton Quartet" which recorded "Closest to the Sun" and "The Magician" with Enja Records

Marion Brown

Born: September 8, 1931

Marion Brown made his name as an alto saxophonist aftermastering clarinet and oboe, and established himself in theforefront of the free jazz movement.

Born in Atlanta, on Sept. 8, 1931, he moved to Harlem as ateenager. In the 50s he studied music at Clark College,Atlanta and law at Howard University, Washington, DC. Hespent 18 months playing the clarinet in an army band on theJapanese island of Hokkaido. In 1962 he moved back toNewYork to play jazz full time, and was mentored by OrnetteColeman. His first musical exposure came with ArchieShepp,and he quickly gained a reputation after playing on JohnColtrane's historic “Ascension.”

Earl Bostic

Born: April 25, 1913

Bostic's distinctive style, strong on the sax and heavy on the beat, was quite successful in the rhythm and blues market in the 1950s. One of the few jazz musicians of his generation with formal training, Bostic studied composition at Xavier University in New Orleans in the early 1930s, and then spent several years performing with territory bands in the Midwest as well as with Fate Marable, who led one of the last Mississippi riverboat bands. His reputation as a superb instrumentalist earned him an invitation to come to New York City, where he played with Hot Lips Page and Lionel Hampton

Arthur Blythe

Born: July 5, 1940

A singularly distinctive and uniquely distinguishable stylist, Arthur Blythe is considered one of the greatest alto saxophonist's of his generation. Blythe's beautiful, passionate and expressive sound validates his reputation as one of the most significant jazz musicians of our times. Blythe's work is notable for its exploration of harmony, group counterpoint, and unusual instrumentation. These features, coupled with his rapid, wide vibrato, his swinging style, and his interest in the standard jazz repertory, have won him praise from a wide audience. Arthur Blythe was born 1940 in Los Angeles and grew up in San Diego where his parents moved 1944