His record label Luaka Bop announced the news<\/a>, saying he had died \u201cpeacefully\u201d, surrounded by family and friends in Los Angeles.<\/p>\nSanders was a leading figure in what is often called spiritual jazz, which took influences from Asian and African traditions.<\/p>\n
His expressive style made him a sought-after musical collaborator.<\/p>\n
Born as Farrell Sanders in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1940, the saxophonist began his career in Oakland, California before moving to New York in the early 1960s.<\/p>\n
There he collaborated with Sun Ra, who is believed to have encouraged Sanders to take the name Pharoah.<\/p>\n
He joined John Coltrane\u2019s band and performed with him on stage and in the studio.<\/p>\n
Another free jazz great, Ornette Coleman, said Sanders was \u201cprobably the best tenor player in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sanders released several albums, with his debut, Pharoah\u2019s First, landing in 1965.<\/p>\n
In an interview he said: \u201cI want my sound to be like a fragrance that people will like \u2013 something fresh, like the smell of your grandmother\u2019s cake cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2021 he collaborated with British electronic musician Sam Shepherd, who records under the name Floating Points.<\/p>\n
Their work, Promises, was recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra and\u00a0nominated for the Mercury Prize.<\/p>\n
Paying\u00a0tribute to Sanders on Twitter<\/a>, Shepherd said: \u201cI am so lucky to have known this man, and we are all blessed to have his art stay with us forever. Thank you Pharoah.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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