Cornelius "Sonny" Fortune (May 19, 1939 – October 25, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist. Fortune played soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophones, clarinet, and flute.

Biography

He was born in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. After moving to New York City in 1967, Fortune recorded and appeared live with drummer

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

's group. In 1968, he was a member of

Mongo Santamaría Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría Rodríguez (April 7, 1917 – February 1, 2003) was a Cuban percussionist and bandleader who spent most of his career in the United States. Primarily a conga drummer, Santamaría was a leading figure in the pachanga an ...

's band. He performed with singer

Leon Thomas Amos Leon Thomas Jr. (October 4, 1937 – May 8, 1999), known professionally as Leon Thomas, was an American jazz and blues vocalist, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, and known for his bellowing glottal-stop style of free jazz singing in the ...

, and with pianist

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Master and five-time Gram ...

(1971–73). In 1974, Fortune replaced

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received ...

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ...

'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 ''Get Up with It'' is a compilation album by American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. Released by Columbia Records on November 22, 1974, it compiled songs Davis had recorded in sessions between 1970 and 1974, including those f ...

'', '' Agharta'', and ''

Pangaea Pangaea or Pangea () was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It assembled from the earlier continental units of Gondwana, Euramerica and Siberia during the Carboniferous approximately 335 million y ...

'', the last two recorded live in Japan. Fortune joined

Nat Adderley Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years. Adderley's composition " ...

after his brief tenure with Davis, then formed his own group in June 1975, recording two albums for the

Horizon Records Horizon Records was an American independent record label founded in 1960 by Dave Hubert. Horizon was originally a folk and blues label distributed by World Pacific Records. When Liberty Records acquired World Pacific in 1965, it also took over ...

. During the 1990s, he recorded several albums for

Blue Note In jazz and blues, a blue note is a note that—for expressive purposes—is sung or played at a slightly different pitch from standard. Typically the alteration is between a quartertone and a semitone, but this varies depending on the musical c ...

. He has also performed with

Roy Brooks Roy Brooks (March 9, 1938 – November 15, 2005) was an American jazz drummer. Biography Early life Brooks was born in Detroit and drummed since childhood, his earliest experiences of music coming through his mother, who sang in church. He was a ...

Buddy Rich Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer, songwriter, conductor, and bandleader. He is considered one of the most influential drummers of all time. Rich was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York ...

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

Rabih Abou Khalil Rabih Abou-Khalil ( ar, ربيع أبو خليل, born August 17, 1957) is an oud player and composer born in Lebanon, who combines elements of Arab music, Arabic music with jazz, classical music, and other styles. He grew up in Beirut and moved t ...

Roy Ayers Roy Ayers (born September 10, 1940) is an American funk, soul, and jazz composer, vibraphone player, and music producer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure at Pol ...

Oliver Nelson Oliver Edward Nelson (June 4, 1932 – October 28, 1975) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, arranger, composer, and bandleader. His 1961 Impulse! album ''The Blues and the Abstract Truth'' (1961) is regarded as one of the most signifi ...

Gary Bartz Gary Bartz (born September 26, 1940) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has won two Grammy Awards. Biography Bartz studied at the Juilliard School. In the early 1960s, he performed with Eric Dolphy and McCoy Tyner in Charles Mingus' Jazz Wor ...

Rashied Ali Rashied Ali, born Robert Patterson (July 1, 1933 – August 12, 2009) was an American free jazz and avant-garde drummer best known for playing with John Coltrane in the last years of Coltrane's life. Biography Early life Patterson was born and ...

, and

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

, as well as appearing on the live album '' The Atlantic Family Live at Montreux'' (1977). Fortune died of a stroke at the age of 79 in October 2018.

Discography

As leader

* 1966: ''Trip on the Strip'' with Stan Hunter (

Prestige Prestige refers to a good reputation or high esteem; in earlier usage, ''prestige'' meant "showiness". (19th c.) Prestige may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Films * ''Prestige'' (film), a 1932 American film directed by Tay Garnet ...

) * 1974: ''

Long Before Our Mothers Cried ''Long Before Our Mothers Cried'' is an album by American saxophonist Sonny Fortune recorded in 1974 and released on the Strata-East label. Reception In ''The Village Voice'', Robert Christgau gave ''Long Before Our Mothers Cried'' a "B+" and ad ...

'' ( Strata-East) * 1975: '' Awakening'' (

Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...

) * 1976: '' Waves of Dreams'' (Horizon) * 1977: ''

Serengeti Minstrel The Serengeti ( ) ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning northern Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serenget ...

'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

) * 1978: ''Infinity Is'' (Atlantic) * 1979: ''With Sound Reason'' (Atlantic) * 1984: ''Laying It Down'' (Konnex) * 1987: '' Invitation'' (WhyNot) * 1991: '' It Ain't What It Was '' (Konnex) * 1993: ''Monk's Mood'' (Konnex) * 1994: ''

Four in One ''Four in One'' is the umbrella title for a wheel series broadcast in the United States on the NBC television network as part of its 1970-71 schedule in the Wednesday 10 PM Eastern time slot. ''Four in One'' consisted of six episodes of each of ...

'' (Blue Note) * 1995: ''

A Better Understanding ''A Better Understanding'' is an album by saxophonist Sonny Fortune which was recorded in 1995 and released on the Blue Note label.From Now On From Now On may refer to: Film * ''From Now On'' (1920 film), an American film of 1920 * ''From Now On'' (film), a 2007 Portuguese film directed by Catarina Ruivo Music Albums * ''From Now On'' (Jaki Graham album) or the title song, 1989 * ''Fro ...

'' (Blue Note) * 2000: '' In the Spirit of John Coltrane'' (Shanachie) * 2003: ''Continuum'' (Sound Reason) * 2007: ''You and the Night and the Music'' (18th & Vine) * 2009: ''Last Night at Sweet Rhythm'' (Sound Reason)

As sideman

With Rabih Abou-Khalil * ''Bukra'' (MMP, 1988) * '' Al-Jadida'' (Enja, 1990) With

* '' On the Move'' (Theresa, 1983) * '' Blue Autumn'' (Theresa, 1985) * '' Autumn Leaves'' (Sweet Basil, 1990 991 * '' Work Song: Live at Sweet Basil'' (Sweet Basil, 1990

993 Year 993 ( CMXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – The 12-year-old King Otto III gives the Sword of Saints Cosmas and Damian ...

With

Kenny Barron Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist, who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Biography Born in Philadel ...

* ''

Innocence Innocence is a lack of guilt, with respect to any kind of crime, or wrongdoing. In a legal context, innocence is to the lack of legal guilt of an individual, with respect to a crime. In other contexts, it is a lack of experience. In relation ...

'' (Wolf, 1978) With

* ''Alto Memories'' (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * ''The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee ho ...

, 1994) With

* '' Tell It Like It Is'' (A&M/CTI, 1969) With

* '' Big Fun'' (Columbia, 1974) * ''

Get Up with It ''Get Up with It'' is a compilation album by American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Miles Davis. Released by Columbia Records on November 22, 1974, it compiled songs Davis had recorded in sessions between 1970 and 1974, including those f ...

'' (Columbia, 1974) * '' Agharta'' (Columbia, 1975) * ''

'' (Columbia, 1976) With

Dizzy Gillespie John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (; October 21, 1917 – January 6, 1993) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and singer. He was a trumpet virtuoso and improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy Eldridge but addi ...

* '' Closer to the Source'' (Atlantic, 1984) With

* '' Elvin Jones Jazz Machine Live at Pit Inn'' (Polydor (Japan), 1985) * ''

When I Was at Aso-Mountain ''When I Was at Aso-Mountain'' is an album by jazz drummer Elvin Jones introducing Japanese pianist Takehisa Tanaka recorded in 1990 and released on the Enja label in 1993.

'' (Enja, 1990) * '' In Europe'' (Enja, 1991) * ''

It Don't Mean a Thing "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" is a 1931 composition by Duke Ellington with lyrics by Irving Mills. It is now accepted as a jazz standard, and jazz historian Gunther Schuller characterized it as "now legendary" and "a prophe ...

'' (Enja, 1993) With

Charles Mingus Charles Mingus Jr. (April 22, 1922 – January 5, 1979) was an American jazz upright bassist, pianist, composer, bandleader, and author. A major proponent of collective improvisation, he is considered to be one of the greatest jazz musicians and ...

* ''

Three or Four Shades of Blues ''Three or Four Shades of Blues'' is a studio album by the American jazz bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus. It was recorded in sessions held on March 9 and 11, 1977, at New York City's Atlantic Studios, and on March 29 at the Record Plant in ...

'' (Atlantic, 1977) With

Alphonse Mouzon Alphonse Lee Mouzon (November 21, 1948 – December 25, 2016) was an American jazz fusion drummer and the owner of Tenacious Records, a label that primarily released Mouzon's recordings. He was a composer, arranger, producer, and actor. He ga ...

* '' The Essence of Mystery'' (Blue Note, 1972) With

* ''

Izipho Zam (My Gifts) ''Izipho Zam (My Gifts)'' is the third album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1969 but not released on the Strata-East label until 1973. It features Sanders with a large ensemble. Reception In his review for AllMusic, Thom Jure ...

'' (Strata-East, 1969

973 Year 973 ( CMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Spring – The Byzantine army, led by General Melias (Domestic of the S ...

With

Melvin Sparks Melvin Sparks (March 22, 1946 – March 15, 2011) was an American soul jazz, hard bop and jazz blues guitarist. He recorded a number of albums for Prestige Records, later recording for Savant Records. He appeared on several recordings with musici ...

* ''

Akilah! ''Akilah!'' is the third album by soul jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks recorded for the Prestige Records, Prestige label in 1972.Leon Spencer Leon Spencer (November 1, 1945 – March 11, 2012) was an American jazz organist from Houston, Texas. He played piano with David Newman and organ with Melvin Sparks. Spencer recorded for Prestige in the early 1970s with Buddy Caldwell, Idris Muha ...

* '' Bad Walking Woman'' (Prestige, 1972) * ''

Where I'm Coming From ''Where I'm Coming From'' is the 13th album by Stevie Wonder. The album was released by Motown Records on April 9, 1971 and peaked on the Billboard Pop Albums at #62, and on the '' Billboard'' R&B Albums Chart at #7. All nine songs were writ ...

'' (Prestige, 1973) With Charles Sullivan * ''

Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...

'' (Strata-East, 1974) With

* ''

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'' (Milestone, 1972) * '' Song for My Lady'' (Milestone, 1973) With

Mal Waldron Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Wa ...

* ''

Crowd Scene A crowd scene is the representation of a crowd in art, literature or other media. There are many examples of crowd scenes in American literature. One classic is Poe's short story, " The Man of the Crowd", in which a mysterious old man is follo ...

'' (Soul Note, 1989) * '' Where Are You?'' (Soul Note, 1989) With

* ''Stone Soul'' (1969)

Filmography

* ''Elvin Jones: Jazz Machine'' (2008) with

Ravi Coltrane Ravi Coltrane (born August 6, 1965) is an American jazz saxophonist. Co-owner of the record label RKM Music, he has produced pianist Luis Perdomo, guitarist David Gilmore, and trumpeter Ralph Alessi. Biography Ravi Coltrane is the son of sa ...

Willie Pickens Willie Pickens (April 18, 1931 – December 12, 2017) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator. Early life Pickens was born in Milwaukee on April 18, 1931. He studied piano formally from the age of 14. He attended Lincoln H ...

and Chip Jackson * ''Europafest: Jazz Highlights'' (2008) with

Mike Stern Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, ...

Bob Berg Robert Berg (April 7, 1951 – December 5, 2002) was an American jazz saxophonist. Biography Berg was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States. Berg started his musical education at the age of six when he began studying classical piano. He beg ...

Sun Ra Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

, John Zorn,

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist, composer and arranger. Frisell first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts ...

References

External links

*
Sonny Fortune's Page at Wide Hive Records

Entry at discogs.com
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fortune, Sonny 1939 births 2018 deaths Musicians from Philadelphia American jazz alto saxophonists American jazz baritone saxophonists American jazz soprano saxophonists American jazz tenor saxophonists American male saxophonists American jazz clarinetists American jazz flautists African-American jazz musicians Miles Davis Strata-East Records artists Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania American male jazz musicians