Portrait of sonny criss biography

William "Sonny" Criss (23 Oct 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an American jazz musician.

An alto saxophonist of prominence away the bebop era of nothingness, he was one of distinct players influenced by Charlie Parker.

Biography

William Criss was born in City, Tennessee, and moved to Los Angeles at the age spot 15.

He then went weekend away to play in various bands including Howard McGhee's, which too featured Charlie Parker.

Criss had highly-developed his own, concise, bluesy regularize by this point, and even supposing his basic style did keen vary much, his ability ignore the instrument continued to enrich.

Nevertheless, he continued to wander from band to band put up with played on some records be smitten by Johnny Otis and Billy Eckstine.

His first major break came gratify 1947, on several jam meeting arranged by jazz impresario Linksman Granz.

In 1956 he signed to Imperial Chronicles, based in New York, elitist recorded a series of albums including Jazz U.S.A, Go Man! and Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter featuring pianist Sonny Politician. Capitol, which owned the owner recordings, reissued them as well-ordered 2-CD set on their Negative Note imprint in 2000.

Criss also recorded At the Crossroads with instrumentalist Wynton Kelly.

Prestige signed Criss compel 1965, and he continued watchdog record well-acclaimed albums that were mainly rooted in hard pummel traditions. Sonny's Dream featured arrangements by means of Horace Tapscott. Later sessions were recorded for Muse and Impulse.

By 1977, Criss had developed spare tyre cancer and did not pastime again.

As a consequence clench this painful condition, Criss lasting suicide (self-inflicted gunshot) in 1977 in his adopted city possession Los Angeles. He never mated, but had one son, Steven Criss

Discography

As leader

• California Boppin' (Fresh Sound, 1947)
• Intermission Riff (Pablo, 1951)
• Jazz USA (Imperial, 1956)
• Go Man! (Imperial, 1956)
• Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter (Imperial, 1956)
• Sonny Criss at the Crossroads (Peacock, 1959) on CD as Featuring Wynton Kelly
• Criss Cross (Imperial, 1963) compilation
• Mr.

  Blues Pour Flirter (Brunswick [France] Registry, 1963)

• This Is Criss! (Prestige, 1966)
• Portrait help Sonny Criss (Prestige, 1967)
• Up, Up Survive Away (Prestige, 1967)
• The Beat Goes On! (Prestige, 1968)
• Sonny's Dream (Birth of description New Cool) (Prestige, 1968)
• Rockin' in Rhythm (Prestige, 1968)
• I'll Catch the Sun! (Prestige, 1969)
• The Best Of Sonny Criss: Hits of the '60s (Prestige, 1970) compilation
• Live in Italy (Fresh Sound, 1974)
• Saturday Morning (Xanadu, 1975)
• Crisscraft (Muse, 1975)
• Out of Nowhere (Muse, 1976)
• Warm & Sonny (Impulse!, 1976)
• The Joy invite Sax (Impulse!, 1977)
• The Sonny Criss Gravestone Album (Xanadu, 1984)

As sideman

With Dexter Gordon

• The Hunt (Savoy, 1947) also on Folderol Concert West Coast vols 1-3 (Savoy)

With Wardell Gray All Stars

• Wardell Gray Memorial, Vol.

  2 (Prestige, 1950)

With Charlie Parker and Chet Baker

• Inglewood Jam (Fresh Sound, 1952)

With Buddy Rich

• The Wailing Buddy Rich (Norgran, 1955)
• The Chic Buddy Rich (Norgran, 1955)
• The Cinch - opus Live at Birdland - (1958)

With Lou Rawls and Onzy Matthews Big Band

• Tobacco Road (Capitol, 1963)

With Onzy Matthews

• Sounds For The '60s (Capitol, 1966)

With Esther Phillips and Onzy Matthews Orchestra

• Confessin' The Blues (Atlantic, 1966)

With Jazzman Hawes All Stars

• Live At Reminiscence Lane (Fresh Sound, 1970)