John Tchicai, Danish saxophonist and co-founder of The New York Contemporary Five, dies
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Danish saxophonist and pioneer of free jazz in Europe, John Tchicai, has died. He was 76.
Tchicai moved to New York in 1963 and co-founded The New York Contemporary Five with Archie Shepp. He later became a leading figure of the jazz avant-garde movement in Europe. He also played with John Coltrane, Milford Graves, Carla Bley and Steve Swallow.
Tchicai was born to a Danish mother and a Congolese father in Denmark. He returned to Europe in 2001 and eventually settled in southern France.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}His former wife, Margriet Naber, said Monday that he had died in the hospital earlier that day. No cause of death was given but Tchicai has been in a coma since suffering a brain hemorrhage in June.
No funeral arrangements were immediately available.