 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (April 2015) |
Lee Konitz | |
|---|---|
 Konitz performing in 2007 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Leon Konitz |
| Born | October 13, 1927 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 2020 (aged 92) New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, cool jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instrument | Alto saxophone |
| Years active | 1945–2019 |
| Labels | RCA, Atlantic, Verve, Prestige, Palmetto, Whirlwind |
Leon "Lee" Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer.
He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz movement of the 1940s and 1950s includes participation in Miles Davis's Birth of the Cool sessions and his work with pianist Lennie Tristano. He was one of relatively few alto saxophonists of this era to retain a distinctive style, when Charlie Parker exerted a massive influence. Like other students of Tristano, Konitz improvised long, melodic lines with the rhythmic interest coming from odd accents, or odd note groupings suggestive of the imposition of one time signature over another. Other saxophonists were strongly influenced by Konitz, such as Paul Desmond and Art Pepper.
He died during the COVID-19 pandemic from complications brought on by the disease.