Ed Summerlin

Ed Summerlin was among the initial composers to route the sensibilities of jazz into liturgical music, later on emerging being a sought-after tenor saxophonist within the brand new York Town avant-garde community. Delivered Sept 1, 1928, in Marianna, FL, Edgar Summerlin gained his master’s level in the Eastman College of Music in 1952, and afterwards studied structure under Gunther Schuller and Hall Overton. Through the last mentioned half from the 10 years Summerlin trained jazz structure, theory, and saxophone on the School of North Tx and in 1959 trim his debut LP, Liturgical Jazz. Its heartbreaking centerpiece, “Requiem for Mary Jo,” was created in response towards the loss of life of his nine-month-old little girl, and the knowledge proved therefore cathartic it resulted in various other religious jazz compositions including “Episcopal Evensong” and “Liturgy from the Holy Heart.” Summerlin relocated to NY on the dawn from the 1960s, executing alongside experimental jazz greats including Eric Dolphy, Don Ellis, and Sheila Jordan. He also composed and organized music for Freddie Hubbard, Ron Carter, and Dave Liebman, and in 1969 teamed with altoist/jazz journalist Don Heckman to co-lead the Improvisational Jazz Workshop, documenting a cult-classic LP for the Ictus label. From 1971 to 1989 Summerlin taught at the town College of NY. After an extended battle with cancers, he died Oct 10, 2006, in Rhinebeck, NY.