Lee Konitz, the last from the “Birth of the Cool”, dies from coronavirus at age 92

Lee Konitz, the celebrated jazz saxophonist and last surviving performer in Miles Davis’ 'Birth of the Cool' sessions, died Wednesday (April 15) due to complications with COVID-19, NPR reports. He was 92. He was mentored by the esteemed blind pianist Lennie Tristano, befriended his fellow saxophonist Charlie Parker, and worked under bandleaders such as Stan Kenton and Claude Thornhill. Most famously, he played with Davis’ nonet on their “Birth of the Cool” Capitol recordings, a landmark in post-bebop jazz.