Legendary Jazz Saxophonist Lee Konitz Dies of Coronavirus Aged 92

Lee Konitz, a promited jazz saxophonist has died at the age of 92 after contracting coronavirus.

 His son, Josh Konitz, confirmed to NPR that the cause was pneumonia related to Covid-19.

 It has been reported the iconic musician – who was a collaborator of famous trumpeter Miles Davis – passed away at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York after battling the condition.

Konitz’s 75-year career stretched back to the big band era, but he is most famous for his work with Davis on the 1949 and 1950 sessions that would eventually become the album Birth of the Cool – hailed as a landmark in post-bebop jazz.

He played with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra and Stan Kenton’s Orchestra, and also worked with pianist Lennie Tristano, Stan Kenton, Warne Marsh, Charles Mingus, Bud Powell, and Bill Evans.

In 2010 he was named Alto Saxophonist of the Year by Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll, and in 2013 he was awarded the German Jazz Prize.

 Tributes have poured in for the legend, who is the second of Davis’s collaborators to die from the respiratory condition, after Wallace Rooney passed recently.

Late musician Louis Armstrong’s Twitter account wrote, alongside an image of Konitz alongside his grave: ‘RIP to legendary saxophonist and composer Lee Konitz, pictured here visiting Louis Armstrong’s grave in 2000.’

The musician had heart issues later in life and previously said in an interview he almost died but following two operations he recovered.

He continued playing into his 90s, even going on a European tour in 2018 and putting on a private performance on his 92nd birthday in October last year.

In his 80s Konitz released a record with pianist Dan Tepfer of duets improvised completely on the fly as they played, with no planned melodies before recording.

At the age of 82 the musician admitted he never made ‘big money’ from his career as a jazz musician. He said:

‘Well, it’s as modest as it could be. I never got into the big money, or the big record sales area. So I can move around as an old-timer, so to speak. ‘And have that kind of respect and opportunity to play. It’s great.’

Konitz is survived by sons, Josh and Paul, and daughters, Rebecca, Stephanie and Karen.

FROM metro.co.uk/2020/04/16/legendary-jazz-saxophonist-lee-konitz-dies-coronavirus-aged