Hank Mobley
Henry Mobley was born on July 7, 1930, and died on May 30, 1986. He was an American jazz musician who played the tenor saxophone and wrote music. Leonard Feather described him as the “middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone,” meaning his sound was not as intense as John Coltrane’s or as smooth as Lester Young’s.
Tina Brooks
Harold Floyd “Tina” Brooks (June 7, 1932 – August 13, 1974) was an American jazz tenor sax player and composer. He is most known for his music in the hard bop style.
Booker Ervin
Booker T. Ervin II was born on October 31, 1930, and died on August 31, 1970. He was an American tenor saxophone player.
Stanley Turrentine
Stanley William Turrentine (April 5, 1934 – September 12, 2000), known as Mr. T, was an American jazz musician and record producer who received Grammy nominations. He started his career playing R&B music for Earl Bostic and later performed soul jazz for the Blue Note label beginning in 1960.
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was born on April 24, 1937, and passed away on June 30, 2001. He was an American jazz musician who played the tenor saxophone and sometimes played the flute. His career lasted over 40 years, during which he worked with many top American musicians.
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935 – December 5, 1977), also known as Roland Kirk earlier in his career, was an American jazz musician who played the tenor saxophone, flute, and many other instruments. He was well-known for his energetic performances. During his shows, he skillfully improvised music while also engaging in funny conversations, speaking strongly about political issues, and playing multiple instruments at the same time.
Yusef Lateef
Yusef Abdul Lateef (born William Emanuel Huddleston; October 9, 1920 – December 23, 2013) was an American jazz musician who played many instruments, composed music, and was an important figure in the Ahmadiyya Community in the United States. Lateef’s main instruments were the tenor saxophone and flute. He also played the oboe and bassoon, which are uncommon in jazz, as well as instruments from other cultures, such as the bamboo flute, shehnai, shofar, xun, arghul, and koto.
Jimmy Heath
James Edward Heath, who was nicknamed Little Bird, was born on October 25, 1926, and died on January 19, 2020. He was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. He was the brother of Percy Heath, a bassist, and Albert Heath, a drummer.
Jimmy Giuffre
James Peter Giuffre (pronounced “joo-FRE” in English and “dzhuf-FRE” in Italian) was an American musician who played the clarinet and saxophone. He also wrote music and arranged musical pieces. He was born on April 26, 1921, and passed away on April 24, 2008.
Art Pepper
Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician best known as an alto saxophonist. He sometimes played and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument), and bass clarinet.