Charlie Rouse; Tenor Saxophonist Played With Monk in ‘60s

Charles (Charlie) Rouse, best known for his playing with Thelonious Monk in the 1960s, has died of cancer in a Seattle hospital.

The imaginative tenor saxophone soloist was 64. He died Wednesday.

Born in Washington, Rouse studied at Howard University and started his professional career with Billy Eckstine in 1944. Over the years he performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Green, Buddy Rich and briefly with Duke Ellington.

Most recently he had lived in Oregon and free-lanced.