Biography

Lee Konitz was born in Chicago in 1927. He would lead a long and illustrious career, spanning from 1945 until 2019. He first gained notoriety working with Miles Davis on his Birth of the Cool recording sessions. Lee was one of the few alto players of the time who were thought to innovate alongside Charlie Parker. As a student of Lennie Tristano, Lee’s playing style follows the form of the long line; he improvises in long, unbroken lines that snake through many areas of tonality, and through different subdivisions. Lee Konitz played with an incredible array of 20th and 21st century musicians, some of whom are, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden, Warne Marsh, Miles Davis, Elvin Jones, Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, Lennie Tristano and others.