James Moody

James Moody (March 26, 1925 – December 9, 2010) was an American jazz saxophone and flute player and occasional vocalist, playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles. Moody was an international jazz star since 1949. Quincy Jones called him a national treasure. Moody was known for his virtuosic playing, his ability to seamlessly blend distinctive styles, and his infectious personality. He was a master of the saxophone and the flute, and his music remains an inspiration to musicians and jazz lovers all over the world.

Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1925. He was raised by his single Mother, Ruby Hann Moody Watters in Newark, New Jersey. Moody was born partially deaf. Mrs. Watters enrolled him in Bruce Street School for the Deaf. He first became interested in music as a child, and his Uncle Louis bought him his first saxophone when he was 16 years old. He graduated from Arts High School as did Sarah Vaughn and Wayne Shorter.

In 1997, Moody had the pleasure of playing Mr. Glover in Clint Eastwood’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. In 1998, he received the NEA Jazz Master Award and in 2000 was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from the Berklee College of Music and an Honorary Doctorate from Florida Memorial College. Moody was a 4-time Grammy nominee and a recipient posthumously in 2011.

 In 2005, Moody and his wife, Linda, founded the James Moody Scholarship at Purchase College, New York, and, in early 2011 Linda in memory of her beloved husband, founded the James Moody Scholarship for Newark, NJ which partners with Jazz House Kids. Each scholarship awards a qualified student $10,000 toward college tuition.

Moody continued to perform and record well into his later years, and he remained an active and much beloved figure in the jazz community until his death from pancreatic cancer on December 9, 2010. He was known for his generosity and his willingness to share his knowledge and experience with younger musicians. Linda and Moody were a devoted couple for almost 22 years of marriage, always holding hands and exchanging loving glances. Linda is the keeper of the flame of the Moody Legacy. According to esteemed writer, George Varga, “Mr. Moody leaves behind one of the longest and most distinguished jazz careers in memory.”

Throughout his career, James Moody’s innovative and soulful playing helped to define the sound of jazz. His ability to seamlessly blend distinctive styles and to infuse his playing with his own ebullient personality and humor made him one of the most beloved figures in the history of the genre. His influence can still be heard in the music of countless musicians today, and his legacy as a musician and as a beloved figure in the jazz community continues to live on.