Ronnie Cuber
Ronnie Cuber in Aarhus, Denmark (2017)
Ronnie Cuber in Aarhus, Denmark (2017)
Background information
Birth nameRonald Edward Cuber
Born(1941-12-25)December 25, 1941
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 7, 2022(2022-10-07) (aged 80)
New York, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Saxophone
Years active1959–2022
LabelsProjazz, SteepleChase

Ronald Edward Cuber (December 25, 1941 – October 7, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. He also played in Latin, pop, rock, and blues sessions. In addition to his primary instrument, baritone sax, he played tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, and flute, the latter on an album by Eddie Palmieri as well as on his own recordings. As a leader, Cuber was known for hard bop and Latin jazz. As a side man, he had played with B. B. King, Paul Simon, and Eric Clapton.[1] Cuber can be heard on Freeze Frame by the J. Geils Band, and one of his most spirited performances is on Dr. Lonnie Smith's 1970 Blue Note album Drives. He was also a member of the Saturday Night Live Band.

Cuber was in Marshall Brown's Newport Youth Band in 1959, where he switched from tenor to baritone sax. His first notable work was with Slide Hampton (1962) and Maynard Ferguson (1963–1965). Then from 1966 to 1967, Cuber worked with George Benson. He was also a member of the Lee Konitz nonet from 1977 to 1979.[2]

Ronnie Cuber (left) and Chuck Rainey at the Porretta Soul Festival, 2005

Cuber played with Frank Zappa on the live album Zappa in New York, which was recorded in 1976. He was a member of the Mingus Big Band from its inception in the early 1990 until his death. He was an off-screen musician for the movie Across the Universe.

Cuber died on October 7, 2022, at the age of 80.[3]

Discography

As leader

  • 1976: Cuber Libre! (Xanadu)
  • 1978: The Eleventh Day of Aquarius (Xanadu)
  • 1981: New York Jazz
  • 1985: Two Brothers (AMG)
  • 1985: Passion Fruit (Electric Bird/PID)
  • 1986: Pin Point (Electric Bird/PID)
  • 1986: Live at the Blue Note (ProJazz)
  • 1992: Cubism (Fresh Sound)
  • 1993: The Scene Is Clean (Milestone)
  • 1994: Airplay (SteepleChase)
  • 1996: In a New York Minute (SteepleChase)
  • 1997: N.Y.C.ats (SteepleChase)
  • 1998: Love for Sale (with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra) (Koch)
  • 2009: Ronnie (SteepleChase)
  • 2011: Boplicity (SteepleChase)
  • 2013: Live at JazzFest Berlin (SteepleChase) recorded 2008
  • 2018 Ronnie's Trio (SteepleChase)
  • 2019 Four (SteepleChase)

As sideman

With Patti Austin

With George Benson

With Nick Brignola

With Maynard Ferguson

With David Clayton-Thomas

  • David Clayton-Thomas (1972)

With The Gadd Gang

  • The Gadd Gang (Columbia, 1986)
  • Here & Now (Columbia, 1988)
  • Live at the Bottom Line (A Touch 1994)

With Grant Green

With Billy Joel

With Sam Jones

With Lee Konitz

With Jimmy McGriff

With Idris Muhammad

With Horace Silver

With Lonnie Smith

With Mickey Tucker

With Gerald Wilson

With Rare Silk

  • New Weave (1986)

With Randy Brecker

  • 34th N Lex (2003)

With Dr. John

With Paul Simon

With Tom Scott

  • Bebop United (2006)

With Eddie Palmieri

  • Harlem River Drive (Roulette, 1971)
  • Vamonos Pa'l Monte (Tico, 1971)
  • Live at Sing Sing Vol. 1 & 2 (Tico, 1972)
  • The Sun of Latin Music (Coco Records, 1975)
  • Unfinished Masterpiece (Coco Records, 1976)
  • Lucumí, Macumba, Voodoo (Epic, 1978)
  • Wisdom/Sabiduria (Ropeadope Records, 2017)

References

  1. ↑ Down Beat Profile
  2. ↑ Yanow, Scott. "Ronnie Cuber". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  3. ↑ "Addio a Ronnie Cuber (1941/2022)". Tracce di Jazz. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
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