Frank Wright

Who was Frank Wright?

Frank Wright was a free jazz musician known for his frantic style of tenor saxophone.

Wright was born in Grenada, Mississippi but grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. There he met Bobby Few and Albert Ayler, both of whom became friends and musical influences on Wright who was originally a bass player: before taking up the saxophone, he played in numerous local R&B bands and also toured with B. B. King and Bobby "Blue" Bland. However it was Ayler's musical influence that caused him to switch to saxophone; his style is often associated with Ayler's. In addition to tenor saxophone, he also played the soprano saxophone and bass clarinet. A pioneer of experimental music, he is a widely acclaimed artist among his colleagues in the free jazz movement.