Frank Wright (jazz musician)

Frank Wright
Born July 9, 1935
Grenada, Mississippi
Origin Cleveland, Ohio
Died May 17, 1990
Genres Jazz
Instruments Tenor Saxophone, vocals
Associated acts Albert Ayler, Bobby Few

Frank Wright (9 July 1935 – 17 May 1990) was a free jazz musician known for his frantic style of tenor saxophone.

Wright was born in Grenada, Mississippi but grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. There he met Bobby Few and Albert Ayler, both of whom became friends and musical influences on Wright who was originally a bass player: before taking up the saxophone, he played in numerous local R&B bands and also toured with B. B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland.[1] However it was Ayler's musical influence that caused him to switch to saxophone; his style is often associated with Ayler's. In addition to tenor saxophone, he also played the soprano saxophone and bass clarinet. A pioneer of experimental music, he is a widely acclaimed artist among his colleagues in the free jazz movement.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

with Cecil Taylor

with Albert Ayler

with Sunny Murray

with Noah Howard

with Hans Dulfer

with Muhammad Ali

with Alan Silva and Bobby Few

with Georges Arvanitas

with Marvin Peterson

with Saheb Sarbib

with Peter Brötzmann

with Raphe Malik

with A. R. Penck

References

  1. ↑ Wilmer, Val (1977). As Serious As Your Life: The Story of the New Jazz. Quartet. p. 282. ISBN 0-7043-3164-0.

External links