The Tony Coe Quartet

An adventurous and flexible improviser, Tony Coe was one of England's top jazzmen. He performed in settings ranging from straight-ahead bop and borderline Dixieland to post-bop and free, keeping his own strong musical personality intact throughout his career. Coe started on clarinet and was self-taught on tenor. He performed in an Army band between 1953 and 1956 and played with Humphrey Lyttelton's mainstream group between 1957 and 1962. After heading his own band (1962-1964), Coe was offered a spot with Count Basie's Orchestra, but difficulties with immigration foiled that op...