William "Sonny" Criss (October 23, 1927 - November 19, 1977) was an American jazz musician. An alto saxophonist of modest prominence during the bebop era of jazz. Like his partial namesake, Sonny Stitt, Criss was never considered a true innovator (see Charlie Parker), but was a stylist and exceptional player in his own right, and furthered the bebop vocabulary.