Arthur Blythe was an American jazz alto saxophonist from Los Angeles who began his professional career in the 1960s and became associated with the New York creative jazz scene in the 1970s, working in styles from post-bop to avant-garde jazz. His musical approach combined a bright, robust tone with free-jazz exploration, blues-inflected melodies and distinctive ensemble textures—often featuring tuba and cello—and he evolved through the 1970s and 1980s between experimental and more structured forms within the broader jazz tradition.
