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Gene Ammons
 
Tenor saxophonist (born April 14 1925; died July 23, 1974) was -- along with his slightly older contemporary Von Freeman -- the founder of the "Chicago School" of tenor players which adapted the work of Lester Young and Ben Webster, and influenced a number of players including Johnny Griffin & Clifford Jordan -- Neil Tesser refers to him as "the soul of Chicago tenor saxophony." He was also the son of one of the major progenitors of boogie-boogie, pianist Albert Ammons.

Known as "Jug" to his friends, Ammons performed with the Billy Eckstine band from 1944-7, was featured in the Woody Herman band during 1949, and co-led a 2-tenor septet with Sonny Stitt in 1952. He recorded with a number of all-star line-ups, and made a number of solo appearances, and performed at the 1973 Montreux festival, but was also also twice imprisoned for drug offenses (1958-60 and 1964-9).

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