Jemeel Moondoc | |
|---|---|
 Moondoc performing at Studio Rivbea July, 1976 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | August 5, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Died | August 29, 2021 (aged 75) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Alto saxophone, clarinet, piano |
| Website | https://www.jemeelmoondoc.com/ |
Jemeel Moondoc (August 5, 1946 – August 29, 2021)[1][2] was a jazz saxophonist who played alto saxophone.[3] He was a proponent of a highly improvisational style.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States,[2] and studied clarinet and piano before settling on saxophone at sixteen. He became interested in jazz largely due to Cecil Taylor and at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he was a student of Taylor's. After that he moved to New York City, where he founded "Ensemble Muntu" with William Parker, Roy Campbell, Jr., and Rashid Bakr.[2] The group also had its own Muntu record label, but eventually faced financial difficulties. In 1984, he formed the Jus Grew Orchestra, which secured a residency at the Neither/Nor club in the Lower East Side.[2] He worked with Parker again in 1998's album, New World Pygmies.[4]
He died in August 2021, at the age of 75 from the effects of sickle cell anemia.[1]
- ^ a b "Jemeel Moondoc, Intrepid Saxophonist and Composer Who Carved a Path Through the Avant-Garde, Is Dead at 76". Wbgo.org. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 291–2. ISBN 0-85112-580-8.
- ^ Such, David Glen (1993). Avant-garde jazz musicians: performing "out there". University of Iowa Press. pp. 67–70. ISBN 978-0-87745-435-9.
- ^ "New World Pygmies - Jemeel Moondoc | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 30, 2021.