Lee Konitz, an alto saxophonist who was an exemplar of jazz’s so-called “cool school,” died Wednesday in Manhattan of coronavirus complications, according to his niece, Linda Konitz.

Unlike the somewhat frantic and passionate be-bop, Konitz’s style was considered more laid back and cerebral. While some dismissed it as too passive, most recognized it as a unique path for those who wished to blaze a new and unique harmonic style.

While Konitz wasn’t as well-known as a lot of his contemporaries, he was much-admired in the jazz world. He also taught for many years from his Manhattan apartment to a worldwide legion of acolytes.