Wardell Gray

tenor saxophone · 1921–1955 · Oklahoma City

A tenor saxophonist born in Oklahoma City, known for The Chase, a duel recorded with Dexter Gordon in 1947. After stints with Count Basie and Benny Goodman, he wrote Twisted. He was found dead near Las Vegas in May 1955, cause uncertain.

Profile not yet validated. Written by Jazzency, not yet proofread: dates and facts to be confirmed.

Styles

• Bebop (Minton's, Monroe's)
• West Coast

Landmark tracks

• Twisted (Wardell Gray) (1949)

Cited in 2 radio episodes

• May 7, 2024: Le cas Wardell Gray, épisode 2 (Pour qui sonne le jazz, TSF Jazz, in French)
• May 6, 2024: Le cas Wardell Gray, épisode 1 (Pour qui sonne le jazz, TSF Jazz, in French)

Sources

• EN : Wikipedia, Wardell Gray
• EN : Jazz.com, Wardell Gray
• EN : The Jazz Tome, Wardell Gray

Facts checked against these pages (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA). Method and licenses