Ronnie Cuber

Ronald Edward Cuber (December 25, 1941 – October 7, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. He also played in Latin, pop, rock, and blues sessions. In addition to his primary instrument, baritone sax, he played tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, and flute, the latter on an album by Eddie Palmieri as well as on his own recordings. As a leader, Cuber was known for hard bop and Latin jazz. As a side man, he had played with B. B. King, Paul Simon, and Eric Clapton. Cuber can be heard on Freeze Frame by the J. Geils Band, and one of his most spirited performances is on Dr. Lonnie Smith's 1970 Blue Note album Drives. He was also a member of the Saturday Night Live Band.

Cuber was in Marshall Brown's Newport Youth Band in 1959, where he switched from tenor to baritone sax. His first notable work was with Slide Hampton (1962) and Maynard Ferguson (1963–1965). Then from 1966 to 1967, Cuber worked with George Benson. He was also a member of the Lee Konitz nonet from 1977 to 1979. Cuber played with Frank Zappa on the live album Zappa in New York, which was recorded in 1976. He was a member of the Mingus Big Band from its inception in the early 1990 until his death. He was an off-screen musician for the movie Across the Universe.

Cuber died on October 7, 2022, at the age of 80.

As leader

 * 1976: Cuber Libre! (Xanadu)
 * 1978: The Eleventh Day of Aquarius (Xanadu)
 * 1981: New York Jazz
 * 1985: Two Brothers (AMG)
 * 1985: Passion Fruit (Electric Bird/PID)
 * 1986: Pin Point (Electric Bird/PID)
 * 1986: Live at the Blue Note (ProJazz)
 * 1992: Cubism (Fresh Sound)
 * 1993: The Scene Is Clean (Milestone)
 * 1994: Airplay (SteepleChase)
 * 1996: In a New York Minute (SteepleChase)
 * 1997: N.Y.C.ats (SteepleChase)
 * 1998: Love for Sale (with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra) (Koch)
 * 2009: Ronnie (SteepleChase)
 * 2011: Boplicity (SteepleChase)
 * 2013: Live at JazzFest Berlin (SteepleChase) recorded 2008
 * 2018 Ronnie's Trio (SteepleChase)
 * 2019 Four (SteepleChase)

As sideman
With Patti Austin With George Benson With Nick Brignola With Maynard Ferguson With David Clayton-Thomas With The Gadd Gang With Grant Green With Billy Joel With Sam Jones With Lee Konitz With Jimmy McGriff With Idris Muhammad With Mark Murphy
 * End of a Rainbow (CTI, 1976)
 * Havana Candy (CTI, 1977)
 * It's Uptown (1966)
 * The George Benson Cookbook (1966)
 * Good King Bad (CTI, 1975)
 * Burn Brigade (Bee Hive, 1979)
 * The New Sounds of Maynard Ferguson (Cameo, 1963)
 * Come Blow Your Horn (Cameo, 1963)
 * Color Him Wild (Mainstream, 1965)
 * David Clayton-Thomas (1972)
 * The Gadd Gang (Columbia, 1986)
 * Here & Now (Columbia, 1988)
 * Live at the Bottom Line (A Touch 1994)
 * The Main Attraction (1976)
 * An Innocent Man (1983)
 * The Bridge (1986)
 * Something New (Interplay, 1979)
 * Lee Konitz Nonet (Chiaroscuro, 1977)
 * Yes, Yes, Nonet (SteepleChase, 1979)
 * Live at Laren (Soul Note, 1979 [1984])
 * Feelin' It (Milestone, 2001)
 * McGriff Avenue (Milestone, 2002)
 * House of the Rising Sun (1976)
 * Turn This Mutha Out (1977)


 * Satisfaction Guaranteed (Muse, 1980)

With Horace Silver With Lonnie Smith With Mickey Tucker With Gerald Wilson With Rare Silk With Randy Brecker With Dr. John With Paul Simon With Tom Scott With Eddie Palmieri
 * The Hardbop Grandpop (1996)
 * Move Your Hand (Blue Note, 1969)
 * Drives (Blue Note, 1970)
 * Live at Club Mozambique (Blue Note, 1970; released 1995)
 * Sojourn (Xanadu, 1977)
 * Detroit (Mack Avenue, 2009)
 * New Weave (1986)
 * 34th N Lex (2003)
 * Trippin' Live (1997)
 * Duke Elegant (1999)
 * Graceland (1986)
 * Bebop United (2006)
 * Harlem River Drive (Roulette, 1971)
 * Vamonos Pa'l Monte (Tico, 1971)
 * Live at Sing Sing Vol. 1 & 2 (Tico, 1972)
 * The Sun of Latin Music (Coco Records, 1975)
 * Unfinished Masterpiece (Coco Records, 1976)
 * Lucumí, Macumba, Voodoo (Epic, 1978)
 * Wisdom/Sabiduria (Ropeadope Records, 2017)