Gigi Gryce (also known as Basheer Qusim or Lee Sears; born George General Grice, Jr. November 28, 1925 in Pensacola, Florida — March 14, 1983 in Pensacola, Florida) was an American saxophonist, flautist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, educator, and big band bandleader.
His performing career was relatively short and, in comparison to other musicians of his generation, Gryce's work is little known. However, several of his compositions have been covered extensively ("Minority," "Social Call," "Nica's Tempo") and have become minor jazz standards. Gryce's compositional bent includes harmonic choices similar to those of Benny Golson, Tadd Dameron and Horace Silver in the contemporaneous period. Gryce's playing, arranging, composing is most associated with the classic hard bop era (roughly 1953–1965).
He retired from music in the early 1960s, due primarily to frustration with the financial side of his career.
Read more about Gigi Gryce: Biography