Biography
William "Sonny" Criss was born on October 23, 1927, in Memphis, Tennessee, and emerged as one of jazz's most tragically overlooked alto saxophonists. At age 15, he moved to Los Angeles, where he would spend most of his career developing a distinctive sound that served as a lyrical bridge between the sensuous tone of Johnny Hodges and the revolutionary bebop innovations of Charlie Parker. After finishing school in 1946, Criss quickly established himself in the West Coast jazz scene, performing with notable artists including Johnny Otis, Howard McGhee, and Billy Eckstine.
Criss's career gained momentum in 1948 when he joined Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic tour package, leading to recordings and performances alongside jazz luminaries like Stan Getz, Wardell Gray, and Howard McGhee. Despite his exceptional talent, his Los Angeles base often left him isolated from the mainstream jazz world. In the mid-1950s, he worked with Buddy Rich's quintet and recorded the acclaimed live album "At the Crossroads" with Rich and pianist Wynton Kelly. Seeking greater recognition, Criss moved to Paris where he received the acclaim he deserved and made several outstanding recordings for European labels.
Returning to the United States, Criss experienced a creative renaissance in the mid-1960s with a series of critically acclaimed albums for Prestige Records, earning him the DownBeat award for "Talent Deserving Of Wider Recognition" in 1968. His musical style combined the bluesy feeling of traditional jazz with bebop sophistication, maintaining clarity and emotional depth throughout his evolution as an artist. Tragically, on November 19, 1977, at age 50, Criss took his own life while battling stomach cancer, a condition he kept private. His death marked the loss of an artist whose playing was at its peak and who was finally receiving the recognition he had long deserved.
Fun Facts
- Jackie Kelso once heard a live broadcast and assumed it was Charlie Parker playing, only to discover it was actually Sonny Criss - a testament to his mastery of the bebop style
- Despite recording only four single sides as a leader by 1956, Criss suddenly recorded three full LPs for Imperial Records that same year
- He kept his battle with stomach cancer completely private, continuing to perform at peak level until his death, with the truth only revealed by his mother Lucy Criss in 1988
- Criss won the DownBeat award for 'Talent Deserving Of Wider Recognition' in 1968, an accolade that perfectly captured his career-long struggle for mainstream recognition
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Charlie Parker - Primary bebop influence and inspiration (Performed together with Howard McGhee's band) [1940s-1950s]
- Johnny Hodges - Tonal influence from Duke Ellington's altoist (Stylistic influence on Criss's sensuous tone) [Career-long influence]
Key Collaborators
- Buddy Rich - Quintet member and recording partner (At the Crossroads (live in Chicago)) [Mid-1950s]
- Wynton Kelly - Piano accompanist and recording partner (At the Crossroads album) [1950s]
- Howard McGhee - Trumpeter and bandleader collaboration (Gene Norman's Just Jazz concerts) [1940s-1950s]
- Johnny Otis - R&B pioneer and early collaborator (Various recordings and performances) [1940s]
- Billy_Eckstine - Jazz crooner collaboration (Band performances) [1940s]
- Sonny Clark - Piano collaboration (Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter album) [1950s]
- Horace Tapscott - Arranger collaboration (Sonny's Dream album arrangements) [1960s]
Artists Influenced
- Jackie Kelso - Fellow saxophonist who initially mistook Criss for Charlie Parker (Live broadcast performance) [Post-WWII]
Source: Wikipedia
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jazz - U.S.A. | 1956-08-22 | Album |
| Mr Blues Pour Flirter | 2010-01-01 | Album |
| Go Man | 1956-11-28 | Album |
| Out Of Nowhere | 1976-01-01 | Album |
| This Is Criss! | 1966-01-01 | Album |
| Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter | 1956-01-01 | Album |
| The Complete Imperial Sessions | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Mighty Low - Mostly Ballads | 2021-06-18 | Album |
| California Boppin' 1947 (Live) | 2019-12-20 | Album |
| Criss Craft | 1975-01-01 | Album |
| Mr Blues Pour Flirter | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| I'll Catch The Sun! | 1969-01-01 | Album |
| This Is Criss! | 1990-01-01 | Album |
| Warm & Sonny | 1976-01-01 | Album |
| Portrait Of Sonny Criss (Remastered 1991) | 1967-01-01 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Willow Weep For Me (Jazz - U.S.A.)
- We'll Be Together Again (Mr Blues Pour Flirter)
- My Ideal (Out Of Nowhere)
- Summertime (Go Man)
- Black Coffee (Mr Blues Pour Flirter)
- Don't Blame Me (Mr Blues Pour Flirter)
- Sunrise Sunset - Remastered 2008/Rudy Van Gelder Edition (This Is Criss!)
- How High The Moon (Go Man)
- Anything Goes (Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter)
- Brother, Can You Spare A Dime? (Out Of Nowhere)
External Links
Heard on WWOZ
Sonny Criss has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 22, 2025 | 02:33 | The Man I Lovefrom The Complete Imperial Sessions | The Dean's Listw/ Dean Ellis |