Frank R. Strozier Jr. (born June 13, 1937) is a jazz alto saxophonist and occasional flutist. Strozier was born in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...

, where he learned to play piano. In 1954, he moved to Chicago, where he performed with

Harold Mabern Harold Mabern Jr. (March 20, 1936 – September 17, 2019) was an American jazz pianist and composer, principally in the hard bop, post-bop, and soul jazz fields.Feather, Leonard; Gitler, Ira (2007) ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz''. p. 425 ...

George Coleman George Edward Coleman (born March 8, 1935) is an American jazz saxophonist known for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s. In 2015, he was named an NEA Jazz Master. Early life Coleman was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He was ...

, and

Booker Little Booker Little Jr. (April 2, 1938 – October 5, 1961)
– accessed June 2010 was an American

(like Strozier, they were from Memphis). He recorded with the MJT + 3 from 1959 to 1960 and led sessions for

Vee-Jay Records Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a ...

. After moving to New York, Strozier was briefly with the

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

Quintet in 1963 (between the tenures of

Hank Mobley Henry Mobley (July 7, 1930 – May 30, 1986) was an American tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone, that was neithe ...

and

) and also gigged with

Roy Haynes Roy Owen Haynes (March 13, 1925 – November 12, 2024) was an American jazz drummer. In the 1950s, he was given the nickname "Snap Crackle" for his distinctive snare drum sound and musical vocabulary. He is among the most recorded drummers in ja ...

. After moving to Los Angeles, he worked with

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

Shelly Manne Sheldon "Shelly" Manne (June 11, 1920 – September 26, 1984) was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, ...

, and the

Don Ellis Donald Johnson Ellis (July 25, 1934 – December 17, 1978) was an American jazz trumpeter, drummer, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for his extensive musical experimentation, particularly in the area of time signatures. Later in his ...

big band. Returning to New York in 1971, he worked with Keno Duke's Jazz Contemporaries, the New York Jazz Repertory Company,

Horace Parlan Horace Parlan (January 19, 1931 – February 23, 2017) was an American pianist and composer known for working in the hard bop and post-bop styles of jazz. In addition to his work as a bandleader Parlan was known for his contributions to the Cha ...

, and

Woody Shaw Woody Herman Shaw Jr. (December 24, 1944 – May 10, 1989) was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer, arranger, band leader, and educator. Shaw is widely known as one of the 20th century's most important and influentia ...

Discography

As leader

* '' Fantastic Frank Strozier'' (Vee-Jay, 1960) * '' Long Night'' ( Jazzland, 1961) * '' March of the Siamese Children'' (Jazzland, 1962) * '' Remember Me'' ( SteepleChase, 1977) * '' What's Goin' On'' (SteepleChase, 1978) * ''Cool, Calm and Collected'' (Vee Jay, 1993)

As sideman

With

* '' Cymbalism'' (New Jazz, 1963) * ''People'' (Pacific Jazz, 1964) With

* ''

Manne–That's Gershwin! ''Manne–That's Gershwin!'' is an album by drummer Shelly Manne featuring music by George Gershwin, recorded in 1965 and released on the Capitol Records, Capitol label.

'' (Capitol, 1965) * '' Boss Sounds!'' (Atlantic, 1966) * '' Daktari'' (Atlantic, 1967) * '' Jazz Gunn'' (Atlantic, 1967) * '' Perk Up'' (Concord Jazz, 1976) With MJT+3 * ''Make Everybody Happy'' (Vee Jay, 1959) * '' MJT + 3'' (Vee Jay, 1961) With

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 signi ...

* ''

Live from Los Angeles ''Live from Los Angeles'' is an album by American jazz composer/arranger Oliver Nelson featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! Records, Impulse! label.

'' (Impulse!, 1967) * '' Black, Brown and Beautiful'' (Flying Dutchman, 1970) With others *

Booker Little Booker Little Jr. (April 2, 1938 – October 5, 1961)
– accessed June 2010 was an American

, '' Booker Little 4 and Max Roach'' (1958) * Walter Perkins, ''Walter Perkins' MJT+3'' (Vee Jay, 1959) *

Johnny Griffin John Arnold Griffin III (April 24, 1928 – July 25, 2008) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Nicknamed "the Little Giant" for his short stature and forceful playing, Griffin's career began in the mid-1940s and continued until the month of ...

, '' The Big Soul-Band'' (Riverside, 1960) * The Young Lions, '' The Young Lions'' (Vee Jay, 1960) * Sam Jones, '' Down Home'' (Riverside, 1962) *

Booker Ervin Booker Telleferro Ervin II (October 31, 1930 – August 31, 1970) was an American tenor saxophone player. His tenor playing was characterised by a strong, tough sound and blues/gospel phrasing. He is remembered for his association with bassi ...

, '' Exultation!'' (Prestige, 1963) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, 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 Masters, NEA J ...

, '' Today and Tomorrow'' (Impulse!, 1964) *

, '' Baby Breeze'' (Limelight, 1965) *

, ''

Autumn Autumn, also known as fall (especially in US & Canada), is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September (Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Southern Hemisphe ...

'' (Columbia, 1968) * The Three Sounds and the

Orchestra, '' Coldwater Flat'' (Blue Note, 1968) *

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television and radio personality, comedian, musician, composer, writer, and actor. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-creator and ...

, '' Soulful Brass'' (Flying Dutchman, 1969) *

Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his era, recording over ...

, '' Dumpy Mama'' (Flying Dutchman, 1975) *

, '' Frank-ly Speaking'' ( SteepleChase, 1977) *

, '' Little Red's Fantasy'' (Muse, 1978) *

Louis Hayes Louis Hayes (born May 31, 1937) is an American jazz drummer and band leader. He was with McCoy Tyner's trio for more than three years. Since 1989 he has led his own band, and together with Vincent Herring formed the Cannonball Legacy Band. He i ...

, '' Variety Is the Spice'' (Gryphon, 1979) * Stafford James, ''Stafford James Ensemble'' (Red, 1979)

References

External links

Comprehensive and regularly updated Frank Strozier Discography

Compositions of Frank Strozier
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strozier, Frank 1937 births American jazz alto saxophonists American jazz flautists Living people Musicians from Memphis, Tennessee African-American jazz musicians American jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists SteepleChase Records artists Vee-Jay Records artists 21st-century American saxophonists Jazz musicians from Tennessee 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians