Hank Crawford

Alto saxophonist Hank Crawford first emerged as a prominent voice in Ray Charles's big band and was appointed the ensemble's musical director in the early '60s. At the same time, Crawford released a series of solo releases for the Atlantic label and enjoyed several chart hits in the style that came to be known as "soul jazz." During the '70s, he continued in the same musical vein on Creed Taylor's commercial R&B Kudu label and scored another hit at the height of the disco era in 1975 with a cover of the Supremes' "I Hear A Symphony." Though Crawford adapted easily to shifting tastes in the instrumental soul market, his keening, bluesy sound remained intact through the decades.