Black Music Sunday: Happy birthday to jazz legend Cannonball Adderley

Known to jazz and music fans the world over as “Cannonball” Adderley, alto saxophonist Julian Edwin Adderley was born on Sept. 15, 1928, in Tampa, Florida. Though he joined the ancestors in 1975 at the young age of 46, he left behind a legacy of exposing new audiences to the more rarified world of be-bop, which would later be dubbed “soul jazz.”

While music fans celebrate his virtuosity, one aspect of his life and work is often overlooked: Cannonball was also an educator. He dedicated much of his career to not only playing, but teaching.

”Black Music Sunday” is a weekly series highlighting all things Black music, with over 225 stories covering performers, genres, history, and more, each featuring its own vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll find some familiar tunes and perhaps an introduction to something new.