1. Charles Gayle was an American free jazz musician.
13 Facts About Charles Gayle
1. 2.
Charles Gayle was born on February 28,1939, in Buffalo, New York.
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Charles Gayle was often reluctant to talk about himself during interview, so many details of his life are uncertain.
4.
Charles Gayle briefly taught music at the University at Buffalo before relocating to New York City during the early 1970s.
5.
Charles Gayle was homeless for approximately twenty years, playing saxophone on street corners and subway platforms around New York City.
6.
When Charles Gayle first set out on the streets, he did not imagine he would remain homeless as long as he did, although he estimated that this period lasted closer to fifteen years than twenty.
7.
Charles Gayle's music is spiritual, intended to express his religious beliefs, and heavily inspired by the Old and New Testaments.
8.
Charles Gayle's childhood was influenced by religion, and his musical roots trace to black gospel music.
9.
Charles Gayle had performed and recorded with Cecil Taylor, William Parker, and Rashied Ali.
10.
In 2006, Charles Gayle followed up with a second album of solo piano, this time featuring original material, entitled Time Zones.
11.
Charles Gayle appears in the 1985 Jazz documentary, "Rising Tones Cross", directed by Ebba Jahn.
12.
Charles Gayle is seen playing with Rashied Ali, Marilyn Crispell, and many others, and is interviewed.
13.
Charles Gayle died in Brooklyn, New York on September 7 2023, at the age of 84.