Lee Konitz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lee Konitz
|
|
|---|---|
Konitz performing in 2007
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | October 13, 1927 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 2020 (aged 92) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, cool jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Alto saxophone |
| Years active | 1945–2019 |
| Labels | RCA, Atlantic, Verve, Prestige, Palmetto, Whirlwind |
Leon Konitz (born October 13, 1927 – died April 15, 2020) was an American musician and composer. He was famous for playing the alto saxophone.
Lee Konitz played many different kinds of jazz music. These included bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. He was a big part of the "cool jazz" movement in the 1940s and 1950s. He even played on Miles Davis's famous album, Birth of the Cool.
What made Konitz special was his unique style. Many alto saxophonists at the time sounded like Charlie Parker. But Konitz kept his own sound. He learned from pianist Lennie Tristano. Konitz would play long, flowing melodies. He added interesting rhythms by using unusual accents. Other saxophonists, like Paul Desmond and Art Pepper, were greatly inspired by him.
Lee Konitz passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. He died from problems caused by the virus.
About Lee Konitz
Growing Up
Lee Konitz was born in Chicago on October 13, 1927. He was the youngest of three brothers. His parents were immigrants from Austria and Russia. They spoke Yiddish at home. Even though his parents weren't musicians, they supported his love for music.
When he was eleven, Konitz was inspired by Benny Goodman. He got his first clarinet. He took classical music lessons. A year later, he switched to the tenor saxophone because he admired Lester Young. Eventually, he moved to the alto saxophone. He learned from Santy Runyon. Early on, he was influenced by big band players like Johnny Hodges and Louis Armstrong.
His Amazing Career
Konitz started his music career in 1945. He played with the Teddy Powell band. After that, he worked with Jerry Wald for a while. In 1946, he met Lennie Tristano, a pianist. They played together in a small bar. Later, in 1947, he joined Claude Thornhill's band.
He played with Miles Davis's group in 1948 and 1949. They recorded songs that later became the album Birth of the Cool. Some people wondered why there were white musicians like Konitz in the group. This was because many black jazz players were out of work. But Miles Davis didn't let these criticisms bother him.
Konitz felt that the "Birth of the Cool" group really belonged to Gerry Mulligan. In 1949, Konitz released his first album as a band leader, called Subconscious-Lee. He even turned down a chance to work with Benny Goodman, which he later regretted. Konitz and Charlie Parker were good friends, not rivals as some critics thought.
In the early 1950s, Konitz recorded and toured with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He also kept making his own albums. In 1961, he recorded Motion. He played with Elvin Jones on drums and Sonny Dallas on bass. This album was recorded without much planning and featured his unique style.
In 1967, Konitz made an album called The Lee Konitz Duets. He played with other musicians in unusual pairs, like saxophone and trombone. He explored different jazz styles, from older songs to free improvisation.
Konitz also helped with the music for the movie Desperate Characters (1971). In 1981, he performed at the Woodstock Jazz Festival.
He worked with many famous jazz artists. These included Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, and Charles Mingus. He recorded albums with Brad Mehldau and Charlie Haden. In 2003, he played a solo on a song by Elvis Costello. His album with saxophonist Grace Kelly received high praise.
As he got older, Konitz became more experimental. He released several free jazz albums. He often played with younger musicians.
In 2012, Konitz played at the Blue Note club in New York City. He was part of a group called Enfants Terribles. In 2014, after his 87th birthday, he played in San Jose, California. In 2018, his album Decade celebrated his 90th birthday and ten years of playing with pianist Dan Tepfer.
Lee Konitz passed away on April 15, 2020, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He died from pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
Discography
Television appearances
- SOLOS: The Jazz Sessions (2004)
- Weightless – a recording session with Jakob Bro (2009)
- Public television series in the late 1950s with Warne Marsh, Billy Taylor, Bill Evans, Mundell Lowe and others.
See also
In Spanish: Lee Konitz para niños
