Vernon Alley, the most distinguished jazz musician in San Francisco history, died Sunday after a long illness. He was 89.
He played with Duke Ellington and toured with Erroll Garner. Nat King Cole became one of his closest friends. He knew and played with practically every great jazz musician of his time -- Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker. As an accompanist for Ella Fitzgerald, he battled the segregation policies of the Las Vegas casinos.
[SFGate.com]
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