Craig Handy

Saxophonist Craig Handy has been described as "a musician's musician" - All About Jazz

Most Americans over 30 know Craig Handy-not by name, but by sound. His was the tenor saxophone that, riding a Junior Walker groove, blew the opening theme of NBC’s The Cosby Show in its sixth and seventh seasons (1989-’91). More than two decades later, he still remembers the thrill of seeing his name on network TV. “That was before they were doing these micro-credits,” Handy says. “My name was on there for a full second; I think that was the biggest gas for me.” His playing, not so much: “I always thought that my playing there wasn’t really representative of what I could do, and I felt like it wasn’t really as good a performance as I could have, and should have, given.”

His distinctive sound and authentic instrumental prowess were redoubtable traits immediately noticed by artists of stature, especially those committed to nurturing new talent on the bandstand and road. Handy moved to New York in 1986 and began several associations with formidable artists including master drummers Art Blakey and Roy Haynes, South African melodist Abdullah Ibrahim, and the Mingus Dynasty Band.