Sonny Red (born Sylvester Kyner Jr., December 17, 1932, Detroit – March 20, 1981, Detroit) was an American jazz alto saxophonist associated with the hard bop idiom among other styles. He had some success in the 1960s but fell into obscurity by the late 1970s.

Sonny Red played with Art Blakey, Curtis Fuller, Paul Quinichette, Donald Byrd, Grant Green, Blue Mitchell, Wynton Kelly, Billy Higgins, and Cedar Walton. He made two albums as a leader in 1961. Both were released by Jazzland Recordings, a subsidiary of Riverside Records.^{[1] [2]}

Discography

As leader

• 1957: Two Altos (Regent) with Art Pepper
• 1959–60: Out of the Blue (Blue Note)
• 1960: Breezing (Jazzland)
• 1961: A Story Tale (Jazzland) with Clifford Jordan
• 1961: The Mode (Jazzland) with Grant Green and Barry Harris
• 1962: Images (Jazzland) with Grant Green and Barry Harris
• 1971: Sonny Red (Mainstream)

As sideman

With Donald Byrd

• Mustang! (1967)
• Blackjack (1967)
• Slow Drag (1967)
• The Creeper (1967)

With Curtis Fuller

• New Trombone (Prestige, 1957)
• Curtis Fuller with Red Garland (New Jazz, 1957)
• Jazz ...It's Magic! (Regent, 1957)

With Bill Hardman

• Bill Hardman
• Saying Something

With Yusef Lateef

• The Blue Yusef Lateef (Atlantic, 1968)

With Pony Poindexter

• Pony's Express (Epic, 1962)

With Paul Quinichette

• On the Sunny Side (Prestige, 1957)

With Bobby Timmons

• Live at the Connecticut Jazz Party (Early Bird Records, 1964)

With Frank Wess

• Jazz Is Busting Out All Over (1957)

References