Biography
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Born
19 May 1939
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Born In
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, United States
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Died
25 October 2018 (aged 79)
Sonny Fortune (Cornelius Fortune, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S, May 19, 1939 – October 25, 2018) was an American jazz saxphonist. Fortune played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute.
After moving to New York City in 1967, Fortune recorded and appeared live with drummer Elvin Jones's group. In 1968 he was a member of Mongo Santamaría's band. He performed with singer Leon Thomas, and with pianist McCoy Tyner (1971–73). In 1974 Fortune replaced Dave Liebman in Miles Davis's ensemble, remaining until spring 1975, when he was succeeded by Sam Morrison. Fortune can be heard on the albums Big Fun, Get Up With It, Agharta and Pangaea, the last two recorded live in Japan.
Fortune joined Nat Adderley after his brief tenure with Davis, then formed his own group in June 1975, recording two albums for the Horizon Records. During the 1990s, he recorded several albums for Blue Note. He has also performed with Roy Brooks, Buddy Rich, George Benson, Rabih Abou Khalil, Roy Ayers, Oliver Nelson, Gary Bartz, Rashied Ali, and Pharoah Sanders, as well as appearing on the live album The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux (1977).
Sonny Fortune died at the age of 79 in October 2018.
Discography
As leader
1966: Trip on the Strip with Stan Hunter (Prestige)
1974: Long Before Our Mothers Cried (Strata-East)
1975: Awakening (Horizon)
1976: Waves of Dreams (Horizon)
1977: Serengeti Minstrel (Atlantic)
1978: Infinity Is (Atlantic)
1979: With Sound Reason (Atlantic)
1992: Laying It Down
1993: Monk's Mood
1994: Four in One
1995: A Better Understanding
1996: From Now On
2000: In the Spirit of John Coltrane
2003: Continuum
2007: You and the Night and the Music
2009: Last Night at Sweet Rhythm
As sideman
With Rabih Abou-Khalil
Bukra (1988)
Al-Jadida (1990)
With Nat Adderley
On the Move (Theresa, 1983)
Blue Autumn (Theresa, 1985)
Autumn Leaves (Sweet Basil, 1990 )
Work Song: Live at Sweet Basil (Sweet Basil, 1990 )
With Kenny Barron
Innocence (Wolf, 1978)
With Gary Bartz
Alto Memories (Verve, 1994)
With George Benson
Tell It Like It Is (A&M/CTI, 1969)
With Miles Davis
Get Up with It (Columbia, 1974)
Big Fun (Columbia, 1975)
Pangaea (Columbia, 1975)
Agharta (Columbia, 1975)
With Dizzy Gillespie
Closer to the Source (Atlantic, 1984)
With Elvin Jones
Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live at Pit Inn (Polydor (Japan), 1985)
When I Was at Aso-Mountain (Enja, 1990)
In Europe (Enja, 1991)
It Don't Mean a Thing (Enja, 1993)
With Charles Mingus
Three or Four Shades of Blues (Atlantic, 1977)
With Alphonse Mouzon
The Essence of Mystery (Blue Note, 1972)
With Pharoah Sanders
Izipho Zam (My Gifts) (Strata-East, 1969 )
With Melvin Sparks
Akilah! (Prestige, 1972)
With Leon Spencer
Bad Walking Woman (Prestige, 1972)
Where I'm Coming From (Prestige, 1973)
With Charles Sullivan
Genesis (Strata-East, 1974)
With McCoy Tyner
Sahara (Milestone, 1972)
Song for My Lady (Milestone, 1973)
With Mal Waldron
Crowd Scene (Soul Note, 1989)
Where Are You? (Soul Note, 1989)
With Mongo Santamaría
Stone Soul (1969)
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