Houston Person (born November 10, 1934) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and record producer. Although he has performed in the hard bop and swing genres, he is most experienced in and best known for his work in soul jazz. He received the "Eubie Blake Jazz Award" in 1982.

Biography

Person grew up in Florence, South Carolina, and first played piano, before switching to tenor saxophone. He studied at South Carolina State College, where he was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1999. In the United States Air Force, he joined a service band stationed in West Germany, and played with Don Ellis, Eddie Harris, Cedar Walton, and Leo Wright. Person later continued his studies at Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. He first became known for a series of albums for Prestige in the 1960s. Contrary to popular belief, he was never married to the vocalist Etta Jones, but did spend many years as her musical partner, recording, performing and touring, and for much of his career this association was what he was best known for. They first met playing in organist Johnny Hammond's band. There are more than 75 albums recorded by Person as a bandleader, on Prestige, Westbound, Mercury, Savoy, and Muse, and he has most recently been recording on HighNote. He has recorded with Charles Brown, Ron Carter, Bill Charlap, Charles Earland, Lena Horne, Etta Jones, Lou Rawls, Janis Siegel, Horace Silver, Dakota Staton, Cedar Walton, plus Billy Butler, Don Patterson, Grant Green, Sonny Phillips, Johnny "Hammond" Smith, Richard "Groove" Holmes and others. Person has been a resident of Newark, New Jersey.

Awards

Person received the Eubie Blake Jazz Award in 1982, and in 2011 the Jazz Legend Award, presented in San Diego.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With The 3B's With Gene Ammons With Charles Brown With Paul (PB) Brown With Billy Butler With Ron Carter With Emmet Cohen With Joey DeFrancesco With Charles Earland With Grant Green With Tiny Grimes With Peter Hand Big Band With Richard "Groove" Holmes With Randy Johnston With Etta Jones With Charles Kynard With Johnny Lytle With Don Patterson With Sonny Phillips With Jimmy Ponder With Bernard Purdie With Shirley Scott With Rhoda Scott With Janis Siegel With Horace Silver With Johnny "Hammond" Smith With Melvin Sparks With Warren Vaché