Moore, Ralph

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Moore, Ralph

Moore, Ralph, English saxophonist; b. Brixton, England, Dec. 24, 1956. He is a top-notch player who constructs cogent, highly nuanced solos. His warm but forceful style has made him one of the busiest tenor players of his generation. He attended Boston’s Berklee School of Music (1975–78) where he developed strong musical relationships with guitarist Kevin Eubanks and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith. Moore moved to N.Y. in late 1980 and put in long stints with Horace Silver (1981–85) and J. J. Johnson. He worked and recorded with veterans such as Ray Brown, Roy Haynes, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Barron, Bobby Hutcherson, Jimmy Knepper, and toured with the Mingus Dynasty band. In the late 1980s, Moore, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Billy Drummond formed the quartet Native Colours. Since 1995, he has been in Los Angeles, where he plays in the Tonight Show band and works regularly around Southern Calif. He has recorded a number of albums for Criss Cross, Landmark, Savoy, and Reservoir.

Discography

623 C Street (1988); Round Trip (1988); Rejuvenate! (1989); Images (1989); Furthermore (1990); Who It Is You Are (1994).

—Andrew Gilbert