Alto saxophone player Piet Noordijk died on Sunday at the age of 79.

Noordijk was considered the best saxophonist in Europe and was noted for his versatility. He was a Charlie Parker fan and an advocate of the jagged rhythms of bebop, but he was also master of a smooth and lyrical style of playing.
He began in the 1950s as a member of a quintet playing in nightclubs and went on to play lead saxophone on radio and tv with orchestras such as The Ramblers and the Metropole Orchestra.
He also played with a wide range of artists ranging from Rita Reys and Nina Simone to Dexter Gordon and Toots Thielemans.