Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

April 26, 1921 in Dallas, TX

Death

:

April 24, 2008 in Pittsfield, MA

 

Jimmy Giuffre was an American jazz composer, arranger, and saxophonist who was born on April 26, 1921, in Dallas, Texas. He was raised in a musical family, and his father was a clarinetist and saxophonist who played in local bands. Giuffre began playing the clarinet at a young age and later switched to the tenor saxophone. Giuffre's early musical influences included Benny Goodman, Lester Young, and Coleman Hawkins. He attended North Texas State Teachers College (now the University of North Texas) and studied music theory and composition. After college, he played in various big bands, including those led by Woody Herman and Buddy Rich. In the 1950s, Giuffre began to focus on small group jazz and became known for his innovative approach to improvisation and composition. He formed the Jimmy Giuffre Three, a trio consisting of Giuffre on clarinet and saxophone, Jim Hall on guitar, and Ralph Peña on bass. The group's music was characterized by its use of counterpoint and unconventional time signatures. One of Giuffre's most famous compositions is "Four Brothers," which he wrote for Woody Herman's band in 1947. The tune features a saxophone section playing in unison, with each player taking a solo. The piece became a jazz standard and has been recorded by many other musicians. In the 1960s, Giuffre began to experiment with free jazz and electronic music. He formed a new trio with Paul Bley on piano and Steve Swallow on bass, and they recorded several albums together. Giuffre also collaborated with electronic music pioneer Robert Moog and created a piece called "The Giuffre-Moog Session," which featured Giuffre's saxophone playing alongside Moog's synthesizer. Giuffre continued to perform and record throughout the 1970s and 1980s, but his music became less well-known as jazz moved in new directions. However, in the 1990s, there was a renewed interest in his work, and he began to receive more recognition for his contributions to jazz. Giuffre passed away on April 24, 2008, at the age of 86. He left behind a legacy of innovative and influential music that continues to inspire musicians today.

More....