Lee Konitz was a jazz alto saxophonist and composer born on October 13th 1927. Some of his greatest moments came in the 1940s and 50s including sessions with Miles Davis (on Birth of the Cool) and regular work with Lenny Tristano. His style was distinct from that of Charlie Parker and influenced younger players like Art Pepper and Paul Desmond.
Born to a Jewish family in Chicago, Konitz took up the clarinet in at age 11. His professional career started in 1945 with the Teddy Powell band. He later worked with Jerry Wald’s band and Claude Thornhill. The Miles Davis sessions in 1949 and 1950 propelled him into the public spotlight. In the 1950s Lee Konitz recorded with the Stan Kenton Orchestra as well as sessions with Gerry Mulligan and Warne Marsh. By the 1960s he began to play internationally, recording with artists from various countries while touring Scandinavia, Britain and mainland Europe. He worked on film scores and played jazz festivals. He worked with Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Attila Zoller, Gerry Mulligan and Elvin Jones. As he got older, he became more experimental, working with avant-garde jazz musicians and a number of younger players. He died in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic.
