This saxophonist was renowned for his distinctive sound and improvisations on the alto saxophone, embodying the essence of West Coast jazz in the 1950s. His style, influenced by both swing and bop musicians, was characterized by a brilliant tone, unconventional phrasing, and melodies with a compelling tension that conveyed deep emotion at all tempos. He was a sensitive interpreter of standards and later incorporated modal elements and dissonant harmonies into his playing. His recordings continue to captivate listeners with their intensity and technical brilliance.
Straight Life, originally narrated on tape to his wife Laurie, is an explosive work chronicling his work amidst a life dealing with alcoholism, heroin addiction, armed robberies and imprisonment. The result is an autobiography like no other, a masterpiece of the spoken word, shaped into a genuine work of literature.