Lee Konitz (1927-2020)

At every moment during the alto-saxophone solos by Lee Konitz (1927-2020) on trumpeter Kenny Wheeler’s 1997 “Angel Song” (with Bill Frisell on electric guitar and Dave Holland on upright bass), his playing is all melody in flight, the tone all breath, the technique sublimated into effortlessly flowing ideas. He so rarely plays fast that when he does it's like he’s discovering velocity. The lines are full of pauses that are what rests should always be: as essential to the music as the notes. On “Onmo”, Wheeler and Konitz improvise counterpoint, with Konitz joyously echoing Wheeler’s staccato with legato lines. Konitz has left us, but every moment in his playing remains alive. (Andrew Shields, #111words, 16 April)

"Onmo", from "Angel Song", Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell, Dave Holland:

https://open.spotify.com/track/7KhMq3jnB7h71JfmKMHi06?si=1w_Ufi4vT02GnD-MpwWTDA