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Pharoah Sanders, the tenor saxophonist who was one of the most important and influential figures in free jazz, died on Friday at a hospital in Valley Stream, N.Y. He was 81.
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His death was announced by his label, Impulse!, which did not specify a cause.
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Sanders was born in Arkansas and raised in Little Rock. He began playing the tenor saxophone as a teenager, inspired by hearing Coleman Hawkins on records.
Image Credit - Google images
Image Credit - Google images
After moving to New York in 1962, he quickly became part of the city’s vibrant jazz scene, playing with such luminaries as John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, McCoy Tyner and Ornette Coleman.
In 1965, Sanders made his recorded debut as a leader with the album “Tauhid,” which featured him playing over a drone.
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The following year, he appeared on Coltrane’s classic album “A Love Supreme,” contributing to the extended suites “Acknowledgment” and “Psalm.”
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In the late 1960s, Sanders began to develop his own distinctive style, which combined the use of overblowing
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And multiphones with a deep understanding of African and Asian music.
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He also began to experiment with electronics, incorporating them into his saxophone playing.
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Sanders reached a wider audience in 1969 with the release of “Karma,” which featured his best-known composition, “The Creator Has a Master Plan.”
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