Jeanne Lee

Jeanne Lee (January 29, 1939 – October 25, 2000) literature and dance. During her time at Bard she created choreography for pieces by various classical and jazz composers, ranging from Johann Sebastian Bach to Arnold Schoenberg. In 1961 she graduated from Bard College with a B.A. degree. At this point, Lee's major influence was Abbey Lincoln.

During the mid-1960s, Lee was exploring sound poetry, happenings, Fluxus-influenced art, and other multidisciplinary approaches to art. She was briefly married to sound poet David Hazelton, and composed music for the sound poetry by poets such as Dick Higgins and Alison Knowles, becoming active in the California art scene of the time. In the late 1960s, she returned to the jazz scene and started performing and recording, quickly establishing herself as one of the most distinctively independent and creative artists in the field.

Lee died of cancer in 2000 in Tijuana, Mexico, aged 61. She was survived by her husband and children.

Discography The Newest Sound Around with Ran Blake (RCA Victor, 1962) – recorded in 1961 Conspiracy (Earthforms, 1975) – recorded in 1974 Don't Freeze Yourself to Death Over There in Those Mountains (1984) African Moods with Archie Shepp (Circle, 1984) You Stepped Out of a Cloud with Ran Blake (Owl, 1989) Natural Affinities (Owl, 1992) Here and Now with David Eyges (Word of Mouth, 1994) The Newest Sound You Never Heard with Ran Blake (A-Side, 2019) – recorded in 1966-67

With Andrew Cyrille Celebration (IPS, 1975) Nuba (Black Saint, 1979)

With Gunter Hampel Gunter Hampel Group + Jeanne Lee (Wergo, 1969) Spirits (Birth, 1971) Waltz for 3 Universes in a Corridor (Birth, 1972) Familie (Birth, 1972) Angel (Birth, 1972) Enfant Terrible (Birth, 1975) Freedom of the Universe (Birth, 1979) Oasis (Horo, 1979) Companion (Birth, 1982)

With Mal Waldron After Hours (Owl, 1994) White Road Black Rain (Tokuma, 1995) Travelin' in Soul Time (BV Haast, 1997)

With others Archie Shepp, Blasé(BYG, 1969) Sunny Murray, Homage to Africa (BYG Actuel, 1970) – recorded in 1969 Carla Bley, Escalator over the Hill (JCOA, 1971) – recorded in 1968-71 Anthony Braxton, Town Hall 1972 (Trio, 1972) – live Grachan Moncur III & Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Echoes of Prayer (JCOA, 1975) Enrico Rava, Quotation Marks (ECM, 1976) Marion Brown, Afternoon of a Georgia Faun (ECM, 1970) Bob Moses, When Elephants Dream of Music (Gramavision, 1983) – recorded in 1982 Reggie Workman, Images (Music & Arts, 1990) – live recorded in 1989 Reggie Workman, Altered Spaces (Leo, 1993) – live recorded in 1992

Selected compositions In These Last Days, poem/composition (1973) Prayer for Our Time, jazz oratorio (1976) La Conference des oiseaux, jazz opera Emergence, five-part suite