Lee Konitz (born the October 13rd 1927 with Chicago, Illinois) is a Saxophoniste of American jazz.

He was the first saxophonist viola of this period to be released from the model Bebop and the influence of Charlie Parker (his/her friend in addition).

He took his first steps in the Cool jazz in 1946, with the pianist Lennie Tristano whom he regarded as the inventor of the movement. In 1947, it integrated the orchestra of Claude Thornill, where it met Gerry Mulligan, saxophonist and type-setter, and Gil Evans, then arranger. This last enabled him to integrate the nonet Miles Davis, with which it recorded celebrates it off album Birth the cool (1949 -1950). Birth off the Cool marked a turning in its career. He was consequently regarded as one of the leaders of the Cool jazz.

From 1952 to 1954, Lee Konitz played in the orchestra of Stan Kenton, before becoming leader of its own group.

In 1961, it recorded the album " Motion" with Elvin Jones with the battery and Sony Dallas with low. These standards of the jazz reinterpreted on the " mode; Cool" , constitute today still a reference of the kind.

Since, Lee Konitz recorded tens of albums (it recorded some more than 50 in 60 years of career) as a " band leader" or in collaboration with artists such Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones, etc

Its last albums are marked “Cool jazz”. It indeed was interested these last years in the Free jazz, (from where the choice of specialized labels such " hatART" or " Omnitone").

Source: www.planete-jazz.com -->

External bond

• Presentation of Lee Konitz by the Media library of the City of the Music