Sonny Simmons
b. Huey Simmons, 4 August 1933, Sicily Island, Louisiana, USA. Simmons's family moved to Oakland, California when he was eight years old. Though he was interested in music, his parents could not afford to pay for lessons for him, and it was not until 1950 that he was able to buy his own alto saxophone. A few years later he met Prince Lasha and worked with him for a decade. In 1960 they appeared on television together in Sacramento, and in 1962 Simmons made his recording debut as part of Lasha's quintet with THE CRY for the west coast label Contemporary. Initially inspired by Charlie Parker, Simmons found that Ornette Coleman's freedom from the chord changes ‘worked out’ for him. He married the trumpeter Barbara Donaldin 1964 and they frequently appeared together. In 1964 he was playing with Eric Dolphy. In 1966 he cut STAYING ON WATCH for ESP, a masterpiece of new jazz. In the late '60s Simmons and Donald moved to Woodstock, New York, where they started the Woodstock Music Festival and in 196, made a movie. In 1970 they returned to California. Despite formidable playing skill and a strong set of compositions— including City Of David, Interplanetary Travellers, Dolphy's Days and Burning Spirits—Simmons dropped out of sight in the '70s. He and Donald split up towards the end of that decade. Still based in San Francisco, Simmons continues to play: his latest recording is the track Ballad For My Friend, included on the 1990 compilation CD BEETS.