Frank Wright (jazz musician)

Frank Wright ( born July 9, 1935 in Grenada, Mississippi, † 17 May 1990 in Wuppertal ) was an American jazz musician (soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet).

Wright started out as a bass player in Rhythm & Blues groups in Cleveland, where he also Albert Ayler heard. He moved to New York City to play with Ayler, Sunny Murray and other musicians of the first free-jazz generation. In November 1965, for ESP-Disk, he recorded his first album under his own name ( Frank Wright Trio ) on which Henry Grimes and drummer Tom Price participated. In May 1967, in a quintet with trumpeter Jacques Coursil and alto saxophonist Arthur Jones was still a second album for ESP, Your Prayer. Wright then moved in 1969 to Paris, where he lived for many years and with Bobby Few, Alan Silva and Muhammad Ali worked. Occasionally, he also played with Cecil Taylor's Orchestra of Two Continents ( heard on the Soul Note albums Winged Serpent, Olu Iwa in 1984 and 1986), Noah Howard, Peter Brötzmann, Hans Dulfer, Hannibal Marvin Peterson and with musicians around AR Penck.

Wright's anthemic style of play on the tenor saxophone was heavily influenced by Albert Ayler. His style of play led to the nickname "The Reverend ".

Selection Discography

• Frank Wright Trio ( ESP-Disk )
• The Frank Wright Quintet - Your Prayer ( ESP-Disk )
• One For John ( BYG Actuel )
• The Frank Wright Quartet - Uhuru Na Umoja (America Records)
• Church Number Nine ( Calumet )
• Center of the World ( Center of the World)
• The Frank Wright Quartet - Last Polka in Nancy? ( Center of the World)
• Kevin, My Dear Son (Sun)
• Stove Man, Love Is The Word ( Sandra)
• Eddie's Back In Town ( Krona)
• Blues for Albert Ayler ( ESP-Disk, 1974)