David Lee Jr. (January 4, 1941 – August 4, 2021) was an American
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
drummer and composer.
Early life
Lee was born in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
on January 4, 1941. He played professionally from his early teens, and was a member of bands in the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
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 improvisation, improviser, building on the virtuosic style of Roy El ...
brought Lee into his band in 1969; soon after he worked with
Roy Ayers
Roy Edward Ayers Jr. (September 10, 1940 – March 4, 2025) was an American vibraphonist, record producer, and composer. Ayers began his career as a post-bop jazz artist, releasing several studio albums with Atlantic Records, before his tenure ...
(1971) and
Sonny Rollins
Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians.
In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...
(1972–1975). Lee then formed a quartet and continued to work as a sideman.
Ethan Iverson
Ethan Iverson (born February 11, 1973) is a pianist, composer, and critic best known for his work in the avant-garde jazz trio The Bad Plus with bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King.
Biography
Iverson was born in Menomonie, Wisconsin. ...
wrote that Lee in recordings by Rollins in the 1970s was "swinging hard in a traditional manner but also perfect for all the varied grooves embraced by '70's jazz".
Personal life
He died on August 4, 2021.
Discography
As sideman
With Yoshiaki Masuo
*''111 Sullivan St.'' (1975)
With
Sonny Rollins
Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American retired jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians.
In a seven-decade career, Rollins recorded over sixt ...
Milestone
A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...
, 1972)
*''
Horn Culture
''Horn Culture'' is an album by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins, his second to be released on the Milestone label, featuring performances by Rollins with Walter Davis Jr., Yoshiaki Masuo, Bob Cranshaw, David Lee and Mtume.
*''Sonny Rollins in Japan'' (Victor, 1973)
*''
The Cutting Edge
''The Cutting Edge'' is a 1992 American sports-romantic comedy film directed by Paul Michael Glaser and written by Tony Gilroy. The plot is about a wealthy, temperamental figure skater (played by Moira Kelly) who is paired with an injury-sidel ...
'' (Milestone, 1974)
*''First Moves'' (Jazz Door, 1974)
With
Charlie Rouse
Charlie Rouse (April 6, 1924 – November 30, 1988) was an American hard bop tenor saxophonist and flautist. His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, which lasted for more than ten years.
Biography
Rouse was born in Wash ...
*''
Two Is One
''Two Is One'' is an album by American saxophonist Charles Rouse recorded in 1974 and released on the Strata-East label.
Reception
The editors of AllMusic awarded the album 4 stars, and reviewer Brandon Burke stated: "Given his discography, ...
'' (1974)
With
Lonnie Liston Smith
Lonnie Liston Smith Jr. (born December 28, 1940) is an American jazz, soul, and funk musician who played with such jazz artists as Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis before forming Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes, recording a number of ...
Flying Dutchman
The ''Flying Dutchman'' () is a legendary ghost ship, allegedly never able to make port, but doomed to sail the sea forever. The myths and ghost stories are likely to have originated from the 17th-century Golden Age of the Dutch East India C ...
, 1973)
With
Richard Wyands
Richard Francis Wyands (July 2, 1928 – September 25, 2019) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, best known for his work as a side-man.
Early life
Wyands was born in Oakland, California, on July 2, 1928 and grew up in Berkeley. ...