Sonny Fortune: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Videos
• Photos
• Groups/Boards
• Fan Sites

• David Liebman
• Walt Weiskopf
• Oliver Lake
• Wayne Shorter
• Steve Grossman
• John Coltrane
• Steve Lacy

• Mongo Santamaría

• Thelonious Monk
• Larry Willis
• Santi Debriano

• Elvin Jones
• Sammy Figueroa
• McCoy Tyner
• Ron Carter
• Nat Adderley
• George Benson
• The George Benson Quartet

Birth Name:

Cornelius Fortune

Born:

May 19, 1939 in Philadelphia, PA

Genres:

Jazz Music, Bop Jazz Music, Fusion Jazz Music, Free Jazz Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|1980's|1990's|2000's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Medium

Popularity

Medium

Ratings Guide

Sonny Fortune has continued to grow with time and in the mid-'90s, he was in prime form. Fortune started his career playing in RB groups in Philadelphia. He moved to New York in 1967 where he worked with Elvin Jones, Mongo Santamaria (1967-1970), and McCoy Tyner (1971-1973 and occasionally since). After a stint with Buddy Rich, Fortune played quite effectively with Miles Davis (1974-1975). His solo albums during the 1970s for Horizon and Atlantic were generally unsuccessful mixtures of advanced jazz with funk and pop elements. However, he has cut excellent dates for Konnex (1984, 1991, and 1993), including a well-received Monk set and Fortune has toured in recent times with Nat Adderley and (on tenor, an instrument he should play more often) with Elvin Jones' Jazz Machine.

- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide