Fred Wei-han Houn, known professionally as Fred Ho, was born on August 10, 1957 in Palo Alto, California. He moved to Massachusetts at age six and later changed his surname to "Ho" in 1988. Ho was a saxophonist, composer, bandleader, playwright, writer, and activist. He began his music career by founding the Monkey Orchestra in 1980 and the Afro Asian Music Ensemble in 1982. He recorded for labels such as Soul Note and Koch Jazz, releasing albums including Tomorrow is Now (1985), We Refuse to be Used and Abused (1987), and Monkey Part I (1996). Ho's notable works include Deadly She-Wolf Assassin at Armageddon, which premiered in Philadelphia in June 2006. He received numerous awards, including the Duke Ellington Distinguished Artist Lifetime Achievement Award and the Harvard Arts Medal. Ho passed away on April 12, 2014, at his home in Brooklyn, New York.
