Paul Jeffrey born 8 April 1933

Paul Jeffrey (April 8, 1933 – March 20, 2015) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and educator. He was a member of Thelonious Monk's regular group from 1970–1975, and also worked extensively with other musicians such as Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Lionel Hampton and B.B. King. He toured extensively in the U.S.A, Europe and Japan, and recorded constantly as a sideman.

Paul Henry Jeffrey was born in New York City, Jeffrey attended Kingston High School. After graduating in 1951, he completed a Bachelor of Science degree in music education at Ithaca College in 1955. He spent the late 1950s touring with bands led by Illinois Jacquet, Elmo Hope, Big Maybelle, and Wynonie Harris. From 1960 to 1961, Jeffrey toured the US with B.B. King, after which he worked as a freelance musician in the New York City area and toured with bands led by Howard McGhee, Clark Terry, and Dizzy Gillespie.

                        Here's "Love Letters" from above album

                                    

Jeffrey's first studio work as a leader was in 1968, when he recorded the album Electrifying Sounds for Savoy Records. It was one of the first jazz records to feature an electronically amplified saxophone. He toured with the Count Basie Orchestra before beginning his associations with Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus. He recorded with Charles Moffett (1969), then joined Count Basie briefly (1970).

Jeffrey and Monk

He first joined Monk's quartet for a multi-day run at the Frog & Nightgown club in Raleigh, North Carolina, in May 1970, then performed as a regular member of Monk's band throughout the remainder of Monk's public career, appearing with Monk throughout the US and Japan at the Village Vanguard, Lincoln Center’s Philharmonic Hall, the Jazz Workshop, Shelly's Manne-Hole, and The Cellar Door, among other venues. 

In 1972, Jeffrey recorded “Watershed” on Mainstream Records. The band members were Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Thelonious Monk Jr. on drums, Richard Davis on acoustic bass, and Jack Wilkins on electric guitar. It was released in 1973. He was hired by George Wein to organize a 15-piece band for a tribute concert to Monk at Carnegie Hall in 1974; a concert at which Monk made a surprise appearance, replacing Barry Harris on the piano just as the concert was starting. In 1978 he played, conducted and wrote arrangements for Charles Mingus. He recorded with Lionel Hampton 1979, 1982).

Also in the 1970s, Jeffrey served on the music faculties at the University of Hartford, Rutgers University, Jersey City State College along with leading his own Octet consisting of Paul (Tenor Saxophone), Alex Foster (Alto Saxophone), Sam Burtis (Trombone), Artie Simmons (Trombone), Oliver Beaner (Trumpet), Jim Roberts (Piano), Mattifias Pierson (Bass) and Chuck Zeuren (Drums).

In 1983, Jeffrey joined Duke University as Artist in Residence and Director of Jazz Studies, positions he held until he retired and became Professor Emeritus in 2003. He also worked to promote jazz within the local community.  In 1985, he was appointed to the North Carolina Arts Council by Gov. Jim Martin. In addition to directing the Duke Jazz Ensemble, Jeffrey donated his time working with local high school jazz bands. 

Jeffrey’s influence as an educator extended far beyond campus. He was artistic director of the Aspen Jazz Festival, as well as for jazz clinics at the Riveria Jazz Festival in Dolo/Venice and Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. In 2000, a school of jazz music was created in his name in Cairo Montenotte near Genoa. In 2008, Jeffrey recorded a tribute to Thelonious Monk with the French label Imago records distributed by Orkhestra International, with Alessandro Collina on piano, Sebastien Adnot on bass and Laurent Sarrien on drums.

He died March 20, 2015, at his home in North Carolina after a lengthy illness, aged 81.

(Edited from Wikipedia & New Grove Dictionary of Jazz)