Peter King (saxophonist) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter King
Background information
Birth name	Peter John King
Born	11 August 1940 Kingston upon Thames, England
Died	23 August 2020(2020-08-23) (aged 80) London, England
Genres	Jazz, modern jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Saxophone
Years active	1959–2009
Associated acts	Charlie Watts

Peter John King (born August 11, 1940 – died August 23, 2020) was a famous English jazz musician. He was known for playing the saxophone and clarinet, and he also wrote music. Peter King became a professional musician when he was young. He played with many well-known jazz artists throughout his long career.

Early Life and Musical Start

Peter King was born in Kingston upon Thames, England. As a teenager, he taught himself to play the clarinet and saxophone. His first public performances were in 1957. He played the alto saxophone in a traditional jazz group. After these early shows, Peter decided to become a full-time musician. He was greatly inspired by the famous jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker. This led him to develop a "bebop" style of playing. Bebop is a fast and complex style of jazz music.

A Career in Jazz

A Yanagisawa A9932J alto saxophone. This type of saxophone is similar to the one Peter King played. It has a solid silver bell and neck.

In 1959, when Peter King was just 19 years old, he was asked to play at the opening of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London. This club became very famous. In the same year, he won the Melody Maker New Star award. From 1960 to 1961, he worked with Johnny Dankworth's orchestra. He also played with other big bands, including those led by Maynard Ferguson, Tubby Hayes, and Stan Tracey. He even toured Europe with the Ray Charles band.

Peter King also performed in smaller groups. He played with many famous musicians like Philly Joe Jones, Zoot Sims, and Nat Adderley. He also worked with singers such as Jimmy Witherspoon and Joe Williams. His powerful and energetic bebop style was often compared to his friend, American alto saxophonist Phil Woods. Peter King's playing became very unique over time. He even appeared on the soundtrack for the 1969 film The Italian Job. He was also a member of Charlie Watts' Tentet.

From the 1990s, Peter King's music grew even more original. He started to combine jazz with ideas from classical music, especially from his favorite composer, Béla Bartók. He became a great improviser and composer. His albums Tamburello (1994) and Lush Life (1998) showed this new style. His album Janus (2006) included a special music piece influenced by Bartok. In 2005, Peter King won the BBC 'Musician of the Year' award.

Peter King also played on albums for the pop group Everything But The Girl. He appeared in the documentary film No One But Me (2012), where he talked about jazz singer Annie Ross. He also had roles in the movies Blue Ice and The Talented Mr. Ripley. In 2011, his autobiography, Flying High, was published. It shared details about his musical journey and his life.

Besides music, Peter King had other hobbies. He was a leading figure in the world of aero-modelling, which is building and flying model airplanes. He won many competitions and wrote about it. He also loved Formula One motor racing. His 1994 album Tamburello included a four-part song that honored the racing driver Ayrton Senna. For many years, Peter King played regular shows at the Bulls Head in Barnes and the 606 Jazz Club in Chelsea.

Death

Peter King passed away in Putney, London, on August 23, 2020. He was 80 years old.

Discography

As leader

• New Beginning (Spotlite, 1982)
• Bebop Live (Spotlite, 1983)
• East 34th Street (Spotlite, 1983)
• Focus (KPM Music, 1983)
• 90% of 1 Per Cent (Spotlite, 1985)
• In Paris (Blue Silver, 1986)
• Hi Fly (Spotlite, 1988)
• Brother Bernard (Miles Music, 1988)
• Live at the Bull (Bull's Head, 1988)
• Crusade (Blanco y Negro, 1989)
• Tamburello (Miles Music, 1995)
• Speed Trap (Jazz House, 1996)
• Lush Life (Miles Music, 1999)
• Footprints (Miles Music, 2003)
• Janus (Miles Music, 2006)

As sideman

With Everything but the Girl

• Eden (Blanco y Negro, 1984)
• Love Not Money (Blanco y Negro, 1985)
• Baby the Stars Shine Bright (Blanco y Negro/WEA 1986)
• Idlewild (Blanco y Negro,/WEA 1988)
• Amplified Heart (Blanco y Negro, 1994)

With Georgie Fame

• The Two Faces of Fame (CBS, 1967)
• The Blues and Me (Go Jazz, 1995)
• Name Droppin': Live at Ronnie Scott's (Go Jazz, 1997)
• Walking Wounded: Live at Ronnie Scott's (Go Jazz, 1998)
• Relationships (Three Line Whip, 2001)

With Maynard Ferguson

• M.F. Horn (Columbia, 1970)
• M.F. Horn Two (Columbia, 1972)
• The Lost Tapes Vol. One (Sleepy Night, 2007)
• The Lost Tapes Vol. Two (Sleepy Night, 2008)

With Tubby Hayes

• Tubbs' Tours (Fontana, 1964)
• England's Late Jazz Great (IAJRC, 1987)
• 200% Proof (Master Mix, 1992)
• Rumpus (Savage Solweig, 2015)

With Tony Kinsey

• How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Decca, 1963)
• Jazz Scenes (Chappell, 1993)
• Blue Circles (Jazz House, 2003)

With Colin Towns

• Mask Orchestra (Jazz Label, 1993)
• Nowhere & Heaven (Provocateur, 1996)
• Bolt from the Blue (Provocateur, 1997)
• Dreaming Man with Blue Suede Shoes (Provocateur, 1999)
• Another Think Coming (Provocateur, 2001)
• The Orpheus Suite (Provocateur, 2004)

With Stan Tracey

• Free an' One (Columbia, 1970)
• The Bracknell Connection (Steam, 1976)
• Stan Tracey Now (Steam, 1983)
• Genesis (Steam, 1987)
• We Still Love You Madly (Mole Jazz, 1989)
• Portraits Plus (Blue Note, 1992)
• Live at the QEH (Blue Note, 1994)
• The Durham Connection (33 Jazz, 1999)

With Charlie Watts

• Live at Fulham Town Hall (CBS, 1986)
• From One Charlie (UFO, 1991)
• Warm & Tender (Continuum, 1993)
• Long Ago & Far Away (Pointblank/Virgin, 1996)
• Watts at Scott's (Black Box/Sanctuary, 2004)
• A tribute to Charlie Parker with strings (The Continuum Group, Inc, 1992)

With others

• Guy Barker, Guy Barker's Extravaganza Isn't It (Spotlite, 1993)
• David Bedford, Rigel 9 (Charisma, 1985)
• John Burch, Jazzbeat (Rhythm & Blues, 2019)
• Buzzcocks, Running Free (United Artists, 1980)
• CCS, C.C.S. (RAK, 1970)
• Hoagy Carmichael, Georgie Fame, Annie Ross, In Hoagland (Bald Eagle, 1981)
• Caravan, For Girls Who Grow Plump in the Night (Deram, 1973)
• Al Cohn & Zoot Sims, Al & Zoot in London (World Record Club, 1967)
• George Coleman, Blues Inside Out (Jazz House, 1996)
• John Dankworth, What the Dickens! (Fontana, 1963)
• Delme Quartet, Journeys (New Southern Library, 1984)
• Keith Emerson, Honky (Castle Music, 1983)
• Esther Galil, Z. Land (Barclay, 1976)
• John Harle, The Shadow of the Duke (EMI, 1992)
• Jon Hendricks, Jon Hendricks Live (Fontana, 1970)
• Philly Joe Jones, Trailways Express (Black Lion, 1971)
• Quincy Jones, The Italian Job (Paramount, 1969)
• Salena Jones, Platinum (CBS, 1971)
• Julian Joseph, Reality (EastWest, 1993)
• Roger Kellaway, Lenny by Julian Barry (1999)
• Stan Kenton, Horns of Plenty Vol. 3 (Tantara, 2014)
• Kiri Te Kanawa & Nelson Riddle, Blue Skies (Decca, 1985)
• Alexis Korner, Bootleg Him! (Warner Bros., 1972)
• Jackie Leven, Forbidden Songs of the Dying West (Cooking Vinyl, 1995)
• Vic Lewis, Tea Break (Concept, 1985)
• Vic Lewis, Vic Lewis Big Bands (Concept, 1988)
• The Nice, Five Bridges (Virgin,)
• RAH Band, The Crunch & Beyond (Ebony, 1978)
• RAH Band, Mystery (RCA, 1985)
• Red Rodney, With the Bebop Preservation Society (Spotlite, 1981)
• Annie Ross, Loguerhythms (Transatlantic, 1963)
• Annie Ross] Live in London (Harkit, 2003)
• Doug Sides, Sumbio (Laika, 1997)
• Hal Singer, Swing On It (JSP, 1981)
• John Stevens, Freebop (Affinity, 1982)
• Louis Stewart, Angel Eyes (Blau, 2006)
• Joe Temperley, Concerto for Joe (Hep, 1995)
• Eliana Tomkins, Rapture (Jazz7, 2005)
• Derek Wadsworth, Space: 1999 Year 2 (Silva Screen, 2009)
• Clifford T. Ward, Escalator (Charisma, 1975)
• Clifford T. Ward, Waves (Philips, 1976)
• Ben Watt, North Marine Drive (Cherry Red, 1983)
• Don Weller, Live (33 Jazz, 1997)
• Kate Westbrook, Cuff Clout (Voiceprint, 2004)
• Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Blues (JSP, 1981)