American jazz bassist, engineer and producer. Born 28 June 1952 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, USA.
Founded Jazz Legacy Productions and Alleycat Studios (2), based in West Orange, NJ.
Lee publishes music as Lauralee Music and John G. Lee, sometimes credited John G. Lee D/B/A Lauralee Music.
Lee gigged around New York in the early 1970s with Joe Henderson, Pharoah Sanders and the Max Roach Quartet before relocating to Europe in 1972, where he met fellow expatriate, Gerry Brown. The two began working together in Dutch flautist Chris Hinze's fusion-oriented group, The Chris Hinze Combination.
In 1973, Lee and Brown recorded their debut album, Infinite Jones. The pair returned to America in 1975 and signed to the Blue Note label.
In 1975, John Lee joined Larry Coryell's Eleventh House, staying until 1977, and was heard on Earl & Carl Grubbs' Motherland, Joachim Kuhn's Hip Elegy, Hubert Eaves' Esoteric Funk, Carlos Garnett's New Love, Jasper Van't Hof's However, Alphonse Mouzon's Poussez! Leave That Boy Alone, and Dizzy Gillespie's Symphony Sessions.
Lee was Dizzy Gillespie’s bassist from 1984 through 1993. He performed and recorded in the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Dizzy’s United Nation Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience.
Lee has also worked in the bands of Gary Bartz, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Gregory Hines, Claudio Roditi, Sonny Rollins and McCoy Tyner.