Lee Konitz

Lee Konitz's 80th birthday was celebrated a bit early at Carnegie Hall, as Andrew Gilbert reports ( San Jose Mercury News ). His actual birthday on October 13th will be celebrated with a concert in Heidelberg, Germany. The trio with which he tours at the moment comprises bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Akira Tana and is an ideal setting for him, as it leaves enough space to express his point of view more clearly. There are only few musicians like Konitz whose sound one recognizes after only a few bars, says pianist Mike Wofford. Lennie Tristano taught Konitz to take music seriously. He encouraged him to listen to Charlie Parker but not imitate him. Konitz played in Miles Davis Capitol Band, developed his individual sound, performed as an unaccompanied soloist or in duo settings. He lives in Germany, Poland and New York and looks back on a discography of more than 200 albums. 125 of them he just transferred to his iPod, and he is proud of them - "I couldn't have found a more ideal way to spend my life."