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Jazz saxophonist (1941–2022) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronald Edward Cuber (December 25, 1941 – October 7, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. He also played in Latin, pop, rock, and blues sessions. In addition to his primary instrument, baritone sax, he played tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, and flute, the latter on an album by Eddie Palmieri as well as on his own recordings. As a leader, Cuber was known for hard bop and Latin jazz. As a side man, he had played with B. B. King, Paul Simon, and Eric Clapton.[1] Cuber can be heard on Freeze Frame by the J. Geils Band, and one of his most spirited performances is on Dr. Lonnie Smith's 1970 Blue Note album Drives. He was also a member of the Saturday Night Live Band.
Ronnie Cuber | |
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Ronnie Cuber in Aarhus, Denmark (2017) | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ronald Edward Cuber |
| Born | December 25, 1941 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | October 7, 2022 (aged 80) New York, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1959–2022 |
| Labels | Projazz, SteepleChase |
| Formerly of | Mingus Big Band, George Benson, Fuse One, Players Association |
Cuber was in Marshall Brown's Newport Youth Band in 1959, where he switched from tenor to baritone sax. His first notable work was with Slide Hampton (1962) and Maynard Ferguson (1963–1965). Then from 1966 to 1967, Cuber worked with George Benson. He was also a member of the Lee Konitz nonet from 1977 to 1979.[2]
Cuber played with Frank Zappa on the live album Zappa in New York, which was recorded in 1976. He was a member of the Mingus Big Band from its inception in the early 1990s until his death. As a member of the Mingus Big Band, Cuber plays the iconic solo on Moanin' by Charles Mingus, found originally on Mingus' album Blues & Roots, in the Mingus Big Band album Nostalgia in Times Square. He was an off-screen musician for the movie Across the Universe.
Cuber died at the age of 80 [3] in his studio on New York's Upper West Side after suffering from internal injuries related to a fall near his home in the spring of 2020. His back and foot had become seriously injured in the fall, but he could not receive hospital treatment at the time when hospital surgeries were put on hold to deal with the large influx of Covid patients at the start of the pandemic. By the time non-Covid surgeries resumed in late May, an infection had extended into his neck. Though the infection was resolved at the hospital, the internal issues had done significant damage.[4]
With Patti Austin
With George Benson
With Nick Brignola
With Maynard Ferguson
With David Clayton-Thomas
With The Gadd Gang
With Grant Green
With Billy Joel
With Sam Jones
With Lee Konitz
With Jimmy McGriff
With Idris Muhammad
With Mark Murphy
With Horace Silver
With Lonnie Smith
With Mickey Tucker
With Gerald Wilson
With Rare Silk
With Randy Brecker
With Dr. John
With Paul Simon
With Tom Scott
With Eddie Palmieri
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