Saxophonist and composer Paul Jeffrey, who served as the director of jazz studies at North Carolina’s Duke University, died March 20 after a lengthy illness. He was 81, and his death was reported by local North Carolina news outlets.
Jeffrey was reportedly the last saxophonist to work with Thelonious Monk and was also known for working with Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus and others. He began his directorship at Duke in 1983. He also served as artistic director of the Aspen Jazz Festival. A jazz school in Italy was created in his name in 2000.
