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Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...

Lee Konitz, 1927-2020

April 15, 2020 by Doug Ramsey

Lee Konitz died today in a New York City hospital. He was 92. Known primarily for the individualism of his  alto saxophone work, Konitz in his later years also played soprano saxophone. Using aspects of phrasing, rhythm and tonal quality adapted from the great tenor saxophonist Lester Young, Konitz in the 1940s developed into one of the most distinctive soloists in jazz. His mid-forties recordings with pianist and composer Lennie Tristano influenced dozens of musicians who wanted to develop apart from the pervasive bebop influence of another giant alto saxophonist, Charlie Parker. Among them was Paul Desmond, who himself became one of the music’s great individualists. Here is Konitz with Tristano and tenor saxophonist Warne Marsh in one of their most celebrated recordings.

Lee Konitz, RIP

 

 

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Comments

  1. Orsolya S. says

    April 16, 2020 at 7:31 am

    My condolences to Mr. Konitz’s family.

    This virus is taking a heavy toll on the elder statesmen of the jazz community.

  2. Richard L Sigberman says

    April 16, 2020 at 7:55 am

    Lee Konitz remained active nearly to the end of his life, always adventurous, always his own man musically speaking. He has an enormous body of recordings for listeners to explore. I have the greatest respect for him, Warne Marsh, Lennie Tristano, Ted Brown, and Billy Bauer.

  3. Charlton Price says

    April 16, 2020 at 9:01 am

    Lee’s early work with Lenny Tristano and guitar of Billy Bauer, or (who?) was memorable and distinctive. Then very late Lee’s music was celebrated by the Mark Masters Orchestra in a recording in California. Great Big Band charts! Lee couldn’t make that recordng date; he he was ill. So, Conte Candoli was recruited as featured soloist for this fine big band CD. That was the last recording and last gig of any kind for Conte. Gary Foster, lead alto in the Mark Masters Orchestra, gave me that studio recording. I mention this is to remind us that Lee was a noteworthy composer as well as player.

    I would be happy if a knowledgeable reader answered the (who?) question in the first line of Mr. Price’s comment–DR
    DR

    • Charlton Price says

      April 17, 2020 at 7:23 am

      My guess that Billy Bauer was the guitarist in the Lennie Tristano Trio was correct!

  4. Anthony J. Agostinelli says

    April 16, 2020 at 2:04 pm

    Many moons ago, Lee came to Berklee to be given an honorary doctorate. He said, “I finally can tell my mother that I am a doctor, not just a musician.” I obtained a booking for him in Providence at the Biltmore Hotel and sat with him after he had tutored a young alto player. Later, I heard him play with a local rhythm section. He was smoking!

    Freddie Gruber, the great drummer and fixer, tells the story that when he was in Chicago in the late 1940s, Lee was to play a gig with Lennie Tristano. Lennie asked permission to bring Freddie to play the gig. Lennie was not yet into that Lennie-and-Lee style of playing the newer, cooler jazz. After the first set, Freddie took a smoke break in the men’s room and stayed there, not wanting to return to the stand. He thought he was in over his heard. Lee came looking for him. Freddie said, “I’m not going back.” Lee assured him that Lennie liked his playing. Freddie did go back and played out the gig.

    I saw Lee at the Stan Kenton Rendezvous along with our mutual friend Bill Russo. I have always listened to Lee on recordings. Godspeed, Lee.

  5. Ivan Sundberg says

    April 18, 2020 at 7:09 am

    After a tour in Sweden in 1951 Lee Konitz left a bewildered audience as inspired, and troubled as well. My meeting with Lee Konitz and his music took place in a bitterly cold New York in February 1977. I saw an ad in the paper that Konitz would open with a newly founded band at the club Half Note located at 54th Street. A walk just a few blocks from my hotel–long enough with a cold biting northern wind hard nipping on my ears and nose, worse than in Stockholm. Luckily, there was no crowd at the door. Indeed, no crowd inside either. I saw just one person hanging at the bar doing what it takes to get rid of the cold. An idea that I followed. I am not sure that my fellow bar partner was there for the music. The first musician who appeared at the empty stage was the pianist Ben Aronov. He was joined one by one to complete to Nonet. Still, at that moment I was the audience. The other fellow at the bar had left the premises. The men on the stage I recognized were Jimmy Knepper, Ronnie Cuber, Kenny Washington they were all occupied in organizing their sheet music. Konitz stomped off his Nonet, playing the program with a few stops now and then. Audience and no audience, the program was running as planned. Konitz, besides being a prolific master of his instrument, turned to be a tough taskmaster as well. When I left the club after the second set the room was filled with 10 or 15 people.The music performed would be later recorded and released on Chiaroscuro label. An evening with Lee Konitz, and plenty of jazz that never left my memory.

  6. Donna Shore says

    April 18, 2020 at 11:52 am

    Another Giant downed by Covid19. They were all elderly and would probably have lived well past their 90s in into 100s, were it not for this dreadful virus that is killing thousands.

  7. Jim Brown says

    April 18, 2020 at 8:38 pm

    An extensive obit on wbgo.org included a link to a wonderful 2009 interview by pianist Ethan Iverson for his blog “Do The Math.” E. I. knew that Lee was a huge Pres fan, and brought along 18 tracks of Pres solos. It quickly turns into a Lester Young feast, with audio clips and scores (E.I. transcriptions) for more than a dozen of Iverson’s favorite Pres solos. I don’t read music, but I sure enjoyed listening to these jewels.

    https://ethaniverson.com/rhythm-and-blues/18-with-lee-k/

    Which led into another interesting sound study, minus Lee.

    https://ethaniverson.com/rhythm-and-blues/oh-lady/

    Throughout my life, I took every opportunity to hear Lee when he came around, and was never disappointed. The last was 2-3 years ago at Kuumbwa, with a take no prisoners European rhythm section that seemed to to propel him. He was playing as exciting as ever, and he clearly seemed to be enjoying himself. It was an evening I won’t forget. RIP, Mr. Konitz. You have given us much joy.

  8. Rob D says

    April 20, 2020 at 1:59 pm

    Very sad news. We’ve lost too many elder masters of this music in the Covid-19 crisis.I loved Lee’s music from the first time I heard it and he seems to have many fans amongst both past and current musicians. RIP ..a true unique voice.

  9. Michael Robinson says

    April 21, 2020 at 4:55 am

    Having dinner with Lee at a fine French place near his Manhattan apartment last June, he charmed the waitresses, and one of them sang Autumn Leaves for us in French quite beautifully during desert. Then, out of the blue, Lee suggested we go hear some jazz, so we walked to my car, driving through the heart of Times Square on a Saturday night with Wagner playing on the jazz station. Undeterred, Lee speared a phrase he liked, and proceeded to sing jazz variations on it along with the opera music. Actually, I think he improved the music we were listening to! But that’s what he did; he improved all the great jazz standards he played, finding infinite variations truly unmatched in jazz history in terms of not repeating himself. Cool jazz? He had enough soul to build a stairway to the stars. And he’s among those stars at night shining down on us now.
    http://www.azuremilesrecords.com/hewasamusictitan.html

  10. Anonymous says

    April 27, 2020 at 1:24 pm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI0CKxa19ok

    Sorry to post this so late. I loved Konitz’s originality. There are not really many like him, IMVHO. This clip delights me because he is still surprised/moved by a Lester Young solo. The power of art to move you forever!

  11. Don Conner says

    April 28, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Lee was not not my favorite altoist but he was one of the most interesting. RIP, Lee.

Doug Ramsey

Doug is a recipient of the lifetime achievement award of the Jazz Journalists Association. He lives in the Pacific Northwest, where he settled following a career in print and broadcast journalism in cities including New York, New Orleans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Antonio, Cleveland and Washington, DC. His writing about jazz has paralleled his life in journalism... [Read More]

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Doug's most recent book is a novel, Poodie James. Previously, he published Take Five: The Public and Private Lives of Paul Desmond. He is also the author of Jazz Matters: Reflections on the Music and Some of its Makers. He contributed to The Oxford Companion To Jazz and co-edited Journalism Ethics: Why Change? He is at work on another novel in which, as in Poodie James, music is incidental.

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