Hemphill, Julius Arthur

▪ 1996

      U.S. saxophonist and composer (b. c. 1940, Fort Worth, Texas—d. April 2, 1995, New York, N.Y.), elicited a varied, reedy sound that was punctuated by rhythmic improvisations and produced compositions that drew on such musical forms as gospel and cool jazz but remained firmly rooted in blues. The accomplished alto saxophonist released two influential albums in 1972, Dogon, A.D. and 'Coon Bid'ness. He also cofounded (1976), composed prolifically for, and performed until 1989 with the World Saxophone Quartet, which featured the precision instrumentation of David Murray, Hamiet Bluiett, and Oliver Lake. Other compositions include "The Orientation of Sweet Willie Rollbar," "Obituary: Cosmos for 3 Parts," and "Long Tongues: A Saxophone Opera." In 1991 he founded the Julius Hemphill Sextet, an ensemble that experimented with black musical forms and showcased Hemphill's provocative style.

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