Background
Rouse was born in Washington, District of Columbia in 1924.
Rouse was born in Washington, District of Columbia in 1924.
His career is marked by his collaboration with Thelonious Monk, which lasted for more than ten years. At first he worked with the clarinet, before turning to the saxophone. Rouse began his career with the Billy Eckstine Orchestra in 1944, followed by the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band in 1945, the Duke Ellington Orchestra from 1949 to 1950, the Count Basie Octet in 1950, Bulletin Moose Jackson And His Buffalo Bearcats in 1953, and the Oscar Pettiford Sextet in 1955.
He made his recording debut with Tadd Dameron in 1947, and in 1957 made a notable album with Paul Quinichette.
Charlie Rouse died from lung cancer at University Hospital in Seattle at the age of 64.
He was a member of Thelonious Monk"s quartet from 1959 to 1970. In the 1980s he was a founding member of the group Sphere, which began as a tribute to Monk.