Lee Konitz

Leon Konitz

American jazz saxophonist and composer (born October 13, 1927, Chicago, Illinois, USA; died April 15, 2020, Lenox Hill Hospital, Greenwich Village, New York City).
Inspired by Benny Goodman, Konitz began playing the clarinet aged 11 and studied with a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, switching to the tenor saxophone in 1942, then finally the alto. Began performing professionally with Jerry Wald in 1945, with Claude Thornhill from 1947, but his most significant association was with pianist Lennie Tristano, whom he first met and worked with in 1946. He recorded with a nonet in 1949-50 (later collected as the Miles Davis "Birth of the Cool" album). Formed an association with another Tristano acolyte, Warne Marsh, during the 1950s.
Received Denmark's Jazzpar prize in 1992. Died from the the effects of the coronavirus and pneumonia.

In Groups:
Art Farmer/Lee Konitz Quintet, Attila Zoller - Lee Konitz Quartet, Bill Evans-Lee Konitz Quartet, Claude Thornhill And His Orchestra, Gerry Mulligan And The Sax Section, Gerry Mulligan Octet, Gil Evans And His Orchestra, Guido Manusardi Quartet, Jimmy Dale Band, Konitz - Wunsch - Quartet, Konitz / Rava Quartet, Konitz / Solal Duo, Lars Sjösten Octet, Lee Konitz / Kenny Wheeler Quartet, Lee Konitz & His West Coast Friends, Lee Konitz & The Brazilian Band, Lee Konitz Big Band, Lee Konitz Duo, Lee Konitz New Quartet, Lee Konitz Nonet, Lee Konitz Quintet, Lee Konitz Septet, Lee Konitz Sextet, Lee Konitz Terzet, Lee Konitz-Ohad Talmor Big Band, Lee Konitz-Ohad Talmor String Project, Lennie Tristano Quartet, Lennie Tristano Quintet, Lennie Tristano Sextet, Metronome All Stars, Miles Davis & His Tuba Band, Miles Davis + 19, Miles Davis And His Orchestra, Nicolas Simion Group, Phil Woods Lee Konitz 5et, Phil Woods Lee Konitz Enrico Rava 6et, Phil Woods-Lee Konitz Quintet, Shelly Manne Quartet, Stan Kenton And His Orchestra, The Charles Mingus Quintet, The George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, The Great Reunion, The Lee Konitz Quartet, The Lee Konitz Trio, The Miles Davis Nonet, The Miles Davis Quintet, Theatre Of Eternal Music, Warne Marsh Lee Konitz Quintet, Warne Marsh Quintet, Zollsound 4