Portrait of sonny criss

Sonny Criss: Intermission Riff album review @ All About Jazz.

Sonny Criss

American jazz musician

Sonny Criss

Sonny Criss c.

Sonny Criss: Intermission Riff album review @ All About Jazz

Birth nameWilliam Criss
Born23 October
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died19 November () (aged&#;50)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
GenresJazz, bebop
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
Instrument(s)Alto saxophone, soprano saxophone

Musical artist

William "Sonny" Criss (23 October &#; 19 November ) was an American jazz musician.[1]

An alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker.

Biography

William Mansfield Turner, known to the world as Sonny Criss, was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States,[2] and moved to Los Angeles at the age of He then went on to play in various bands including Howard McGhee's, which also featured Charlie Parker, Sonny's idol.[1]

However, Criss was much more than just a Charlie Parker clone.

He developed his own sound, drenched in the blues, as