Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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MOORE, Ralph

(b 24 Dec. '56, Brixton, London, England) Tenor saxist. Joined his American father in USA '72, went to Berklee in Boston '75 and before long had an impressive list of associates under his belt incl. Horace Silver and Dizzy Gillespie. His orthodox straightahead post-bop tenor sax is a confident delight; the nearest thing to a postmodern commentary is Kevin Eubanks's guitar on the first album. He chooses first- class jazz standards and his own writing has grown with each outing. CDs all with fine sidemen began with sextet Round Trip '85 on Reservoir, then quartet 623 C Street (plays soprano on two tracks, with less confidence) and quintets Rejuvenate! '87- -8 on Criss Cross, Images '88 and Furthermore '90 on Landmark, and quartet Who It Is You Are '93 on Savoy Jazz, the last three with Benny Green on piano. He has also been playing, touring and recording with Cedar Walton's quartet Eastern Rebellion, but replaced Branford Marsalis in the NBC Tonight Show band '95 for a year. West Coast Jazz Summit '95 on Mons is a quartet with Moore.