Arthur Jones

Arthur Jones (1940 – 1998) was an American Free Jazz alto saxophonist known for his highly energetic but warm tones.

Jones was born in Cleveland, USA, and played for several years in a Rock and Roll band. After discovering music by Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy, he started appearing on the New York scene, playing in Frank Wright's group, where he took part in the recording of Your Prayer (1967). He then also worked with Jacques Coursil. In 1968, he was a member of Sunny Murray's Acoustical Swing Unit, with which he went to Paris in 1969 and where he recorded two volumes of an album called Africanasia (part 1 and part 2) as the band leader with most of the musicians from the Art Ensemble of Chicago. He also made numerous other recordings for BYG Actuel with Coursil, Archie Shepp, Sunny Murray, or Burton Greene. He died in New York City, USA.

• 1969: Africanasia (BYG Actuel) with Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchell, Clifford Thornton, Malachi Favors, et al. (recorded during August 1969)
• 1971: Scorpio (BYG Actuel) with bassist Beb Guérin and drummer Claude Delcloo (recorded during August 1969)

• 1967: Your Prayer – Frank Wright (ESP-Disk)
• 1969: Echo – Dave Burrell (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Homage to Africa – Sunny Murray (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Ketchaoua – Clifford Thornton (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Sunshine – Sunny Murray (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Way Ahead – Jacques Coursil (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Yasmina, a Black Woman – Archie Shepp (BYG Actuel)
• 1969: Aquariana – Burton Greene (BYG Actuel)
• 1971: Black Suite – Jacques Coursil (BYG Actuel)
• 1975: Bijou – Archie Shepp (Musica Records)
• 2005: The Complete ESP-Disk Recordings – Frank Wright (ESP-Disk)