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Sonny Criss | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Criss 23 October 1927 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | 19 November 1977(1977-11-19) (aged 50) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz,bebop |
| Occupations | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Alto saxophone,soprano saxophone |
William "Sonny"Criss (23 October 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an Americanjazz musician.[1]
Analto saxophonist of prominence during thebebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced byCharlie Parker.
William Mansfield Turner, known to the world as Sonny Criss, was born inMemphis, Tennessee, United States,[2] and moved toLos Angeles at the age of 15. He then went on to play in various bands includingHoward McGhee's, which also featuredCharlie Parker, Sonny's idol.[1]
However, Criss was much more than just a Charlie Parker clone. He developed his own sound, drenched in the blues, as his ability on the instrument continued to develop. Nevertheless, he continued to drift from band to band, and played on some records withJohnny Otis andBilly Eckstine.[1]
His first major break came in 1947, on a number of jam sessions arranged by jazz impresarioNorman Granz. In 1956 he signed toImperial Records, based in New York, and recorded a series of albums includingJazz U.S.A,Go Man! andSonny Criss Plays Cole Porter featuring pianistSonny Clark.Capitol, which owned themaster recordings, reissued them as a double-CD set on theirBlue Note imprint in 2000. Criss also recordedAt the Crossroads with pianistWynton Kelly.
Prestige signed Criss in 1965, and he continued to record well-acclaimed albums which were mainly rooted inhard bop traditions and a superlative mastery of the blues.[2]Sonny's Dream featured arrangements byHorace Tapscott.[2] Later sessions in 1975 were recorded forMuse andImpulse.
In 1977, Criss was preparing to tour Japan but developed stomach cancer. As a consequence of this painful condition, Criss committed suicide (self-inflicted gunshot) in 1977,[2] in his adopted city of Los Angeles.[1] He never married, but had one son, Steven Criss.
WithDexter Gordon
WithWardell Gray All Stars
WithCharlie Parker andChet Baker
WithBuddy Rich
WithLou Rawls and Onzy Matthews Big Band
With Onzy Matthews
WithEsther Phillips and Onzy Matthews Orchestra
WithHampton Hawes All Stars
