Fred Anderson Dead: Saxophone Legend, Velvet Lounge Owner Dies In Chicago

CHICAGO — A saxophonist whose Chicago club is known as one of the cradles of contemporary jazz has died. Fred Anderson was 81.

His sons, Eugene and Michael Anderson, said their father died Thursday but declined to offer additional details.

The Louisiana-born Anderson performed in relative obscurity until the tenor saxophonist's rise to prominence came in the 1990s. Music companies began to release recordings of his work to favorable reviews and he became a regular on the jazz-festival circuit in the United States and Europe.

Anderson opened the Velvet Lounge in Chicago in 1982. At times, he did everything from collecting the $10 cover charge to jamming on stage to taking out the garbage.

Comments

[Yulia Dyulicheva]

04:45 AM on 08/05/2010

It's a terrible tragedy that Fred Anderson has passed away. You can help remember him by contributing to his memorial website at http://fredanderson.people2remember.com/

[BushBites]

11:19 PM on 06/25/2010

Sad week for free/improvised jazz legends, by the way.

Bill Dixon died earlier this week also.

[BushBites]

11:18 PM on 06/25/2010

I was looking forward to a series of shows he was going to play at MCA this summer.

[Ferrante Photo]

11:39 AM on 06/25/2010

Music never dies. R.I.P.

[MISTERUNCONVENTIONAL]

11:20 AM on 06/25/2010

In high school band I hated the saxophone, and the dorks who played them. They squeeked, squawked, honked, and made all sorts of nasty noises.

Then I heard "Yakkity Sax." Then "Red River Rock."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OaHsDlsS3w&feature=related

Holy cow, what a gift from God, this instrument, and the people who know how to honk it!