Biography

Cecil Payne (1922-2007) took up the saxophone after hearing a recording of Lester Young playing on Count Basie’s “Honeysuckle Rose.” Payne began his recording career after four years playing with a U.S. Army Band, debuting as a sideman for trombonist J.J. Johnson in 1946. At this time, Payne was playing alto sax, switching to baritone during a stint with trumpeter Roy Eldridge. After leaving Eldridge’s band, Cecil Payne joined forces with Dizzy Gillespie, playing with his band until 1949. During this period, Payne appeared on notable Gillespie recordings like “Cubano-Be/Cubano-Bop.” Though this work cemented Payne as one of the top bebop baritone saxophonists, he remained obscure outside the community of jazz musicians and insiders. In the late 1950s, Payne abandoned jazz to work for his father’s real estate firm, and continued to do so intermittently for several years. However, he never fully left jazz, and collaborated with Woody Herman, Count Basie, and Philly Joe Jones throughout the 1970s and 1980s. After recovering from severe health issues in the 1990s, Cecil Payne continued performing into his 80s, and passed away in 2007.