The Jazz PassengersRemembering Curtis Fowlkes
Sept. 12, 2023
Curtis Fowlkes, a trombonist and vocalist who was best known as a founder of the Jazz Passengers, a playfully eclectic ensemble that emerged from the New York avant-jazz underground of the 1980s to achieve critical acclaim while collaborating with the likes of Elvis Costello, Debbie Harry and Jeff Buckley, died on Aug. 31 in Brooklyn. He was 73.
Roy Nathanson – 82 Days Press Release
Kim Smith public relations  82 DAYS ROY NATHANSON, alto, sop, baritone sax/voice, guitar, voice featuring: NICK HAKIM, vox GABE NATHANSON, trumpet/vox SALEEM MUHAMMAD, tabla BAM RODRIGUEZ, bass AIDAN SCRIMGEOUR, fender rhodes ISAIAH BARR, tenor saxophone JULIAN SOTO, vox CLEO REED, vox SAXOPHONIST AND NEW YORK CITY LEGEND ROY NATHANSON’S COLLECTED “STORIES” FROM 82 DAYS ON HIS ICONIC BROOKLYN PORCH DURING COVID IS RELEASED ON THE YELLOWBIRD/ENJA LABEL (LC9832) OCTOBER 27, 2023 AN INCREDIBLE ALBUM OF HEART WARMING CLASSICS AND ENTHRALLING ORIGINALS FEATURING AN ECLECTIC ALL STAR CAST ADDING THEIR SIGNATURE SOUNDS + “82 DAYS” ALBUM RELEASE CONCERT Friday, October, 20 at 7:30pm NuBlu Classic 62 Loisaida Ave, New York, NY 10009 featuring: Roy Nathanson, alto, sop, baritone sax/voice Isaiah Barr, tenor sax Hugo Dwyer, samples Gabe Nathanson, trumpet/vocals Aidan Scrimgeour, piano Evan Lawrence, bass Alber Baseel, percussion Julian Soto, vox Cleo Reed, vox NEW YORK TIMES Feature on the 82 Days of Porch Sessions New York band leader, saxophonist, and composer, Roy Nathanson is a passionate storyteller. His stories are reminiscent of Woody Allen or Marx Brothers’ wicked humor, and are deeply human, playing with shades of memory as they showcase the ridiculous plots of daily life. This toolbox in hand, Roy Nathanson has been involved in aspects of New York’s music history for the last 40 years. The musical career of the now 72-year-old Nathanson began in the Big Apple Circus where he met his alter-ego, the recently deceased trombonist Curtis Fowlkes. In 1984 Fowlkes and Nathanson joined John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards where they took part in 3 groundbreaking albums before leaving the band in 1989. During this same period, Nathanson and Fowlkes started the Jazz Passengers, adding Lound Lizards’ guitarist Marc Ribot and percussionist EJ Rodriguez (on drums), and brought in vibraphonist Bill Ware, bassist Brad Jones, and manic violinist Jim Nolet to create a truly unique, yet somehow traditional band that aimed at creating serious music tempered by a decidedly non-serious atmosphere of comedic theatricality. Over the last 35 years, guests of the Jazz Passengers have included Blondie Singer Debbie Harry and Punk Icon Elvis Costello, Mavis Staples, Jimmy Scott, Jeff Buckley among many others. In 2000 Nathanson showcased the acclaimed song cycle “Fire at Keaton’s Bar and Grill” (also including Costello and Harry) with members of the Passengers plus other guest musicians. Concurrent with the Jazz Passengers, Nathanson also created a duo with keyboardist Anthony Coleman, then went on to establish a new, smaller, vocal-centered band Sotto Voce, with whom he made 3 albums form 2006-2012. Nathanson has also worked on several recordings with the French group, Papanosh. As if this were not enough, Mr. Nathanson followed another passion in the new millennium. He became a music teacher in the of Public School system of Manhattan. More than just an instructor, he organized a big band for students, provided them with instruments, and developed a platform out of Sotto Voce’s “Subway Moon” project to develop their writing and playing skills and to enable them to travel to overseas to collaborate and perform with students in several European cities. “82 Days” the new album of Roy Nathanson, is a departure from his previous work, drawn both from the drive to keep to creating new outlets for his musical and lyrical expression and the limitations and isolation imposed by the Covid pandemic. One day in March 2020, as the lockdown began, Roy stepped out onto the balcony of his house in Brooklyn, at precisely 5 pm, to play the folk classic “Amazing Grace.” He repeated this ritual 81 more consecutive days at always exactly the same time of day, every time with a different, familiar and soulful song. As word got around, people assembled in front of his house to listen. As the ritual grew, other musicians joined in and played along. On the 83rd day the saxophonist ended the project and together with several of his musician friends, turned the ritual into a kind of free neighborhood music school in his working-class neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn. But this was not the end of the process. Nathanson then retreated into his basement studio and recorded many of those 82 songs anew from memory, adding several original compositions. This experience for him was like a dream. On some of the tracks he was accompanied by his former student, saxophonist Isaiah Barr (now the leader of the Onyx Collective), on others by the singer Nick Hakim. Eventually Nathanson’s close friend and producer Hugo Dwyer got his hands on the material to give the songs their final touch. “82 Days,” the album that came out of this long process, is a suite of heart touching humanity. He started conjuring up traditional songs like “Amazing Grace” (the song it all started with) and “Go Down Moses”, writing new compositions that grew organically out of the pandemic, and reimagining classic tunes like Bill Withers’ hit “Ain’t No Sunshine,” Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and Thelonious Monk’s “Green Chimneys.” On “82 Days” Roy Nathanson shows yet again, that there is no drawer, not even a walk-in-closet, that is big enough contain his panoramic style. Nathanson has long established his own category of music. This collection of songs is an invitation to humans of all generations, social backgrounds, education and musical niches to listen not just to him but also listen to each other. A statement of humanity we need so desperately at this time. Translation by Andreas Scherrer from a German text by Wolf KampmannNEW YORK TIMES FEATURE “That Healing Jazz Thing on a Porch in Brooklyn |
| TRACK LISTING 01. Go Down Moses (trad.) (3:16) Roy Nathanson/baritone sax, guitar 02. All the Bones (Nathanson) (4:31) Roy Nathanson/alto sax, vocals. Nick Hakim, Gabe Nathanson/vocals. Saleem Muhammad/tabla, Bam Rodriguez/bass, Aidan Scrimgeour/Fender Rhodes piano 03. Green Chimneys (Monk) (3:23) Roy Nathanson/alto, baritone sax, Isaiah Barr/tenor sax 04. Bridge Over Troubled Waters (Simon/Garfunkel) (2:49) Roy Nathanson/alto sax. Julian Soto/vocals 05. Smile (Chaplin) (3:33) Roy Nathanson/alto, baritone sax, Isaiah Barr/tenor sax 06. Bend in the Night (Nathanson, Dobbins) (3:22) Julian Soto/vocals, Roy Nathanson/alto sax, Saleem Muhammad/table, Bam Rodriguez/bass, Aidan Scrimgeour/Fender Rhodes, piano 07. Tennessee Waltz (King, Stewart) (3:45) Nick Hakim/vocals. Roy Nathanson/alto, baritone sax 08. Ain’t No Sunshine (Withers) (4:38) Gabe Nathanson/trumpet, vocals. Roy Nathanson/alto sax 09. Amazing Grace (trad.) (1:14) Roy Nathanson/soprano sax 10. Something’s Different (Nathanson, Scrimgeour) (8:19) Cleo Reed/vocals, Aidan Scrimgeour/piano. Roy Nathanson/alto sax [08’19] Total: 36:90ALL MEDIA INQUIRIES, RSVP + REQUESTS FOR MUSIC & INTERVIEWS |
Conversations and Other Songs
Dear Friends,
I’m so happy and proud to say that my second book of poems, “Conversations and Other Songs” has finally come out on MadHat Press.
Next Saturday, Feb 20th at 5pm, I will be part of a live ZOOM reading of new books by MadHat Press, more details at this Facebook Event.
Hope to see you there!
Roy
Stuck On Subway Moon
On Thursday and Friday, May 23 and 24, at 7:00 PM, the sounds and stories of the New York City subway will fill the Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), New York City, with STUCK ON SUBWAY MOON, a live multi- media musical performance that combines professional jazz musicians and filmmakers with original poetry and songs by high-school music students.
Members of the celebrated downtown ensemble THE JAZZ PASSENGERS will be among the featured performers with public school students from the Institute for Collaborative Education in Manhattan, and the High School for Violin and Dance and the Bronx Early College Academy in the Bronx. The SUBWAY MOON project focuses on building community and connection through art. Seating is general admission and tickets are $10.00. Tickets are available at the door or at the Abrons Arts Center website
#StuckOnSubwayMoon presented by #JPMPInc will be performed at the Abrons Arts Center as part of the @Abrons Series Program. #StuckOnSubwayMoon is the story of 30 NYC teenagers and a few crazy musicians, stuck on a subway bridge with only their voices and imaginations to carry them through the moonlit night. The student cast has been writing poetry, composing music, reciting lyrics, creating video and rehearsing for #StuckOnSubwayMoon since November 2018. This innovative work originated when the students – using a shared google doc to contribute their poetry before meeting in person – shared their metaphorical visions of being captive on a subway car stalled on a bridge at night. After twelve weeks of rehearsals with the Subway Moon staff, professional musicians and poets, the students fleshed out the songs and scenes into a theatrical performance. The young people involved—especially those interested in careers in the arts—benefit from having a space to build creative skills as well as by working with professional musicians, poets, and filmmakers.
For the May performances, music, and video images will rattle together–but this trip is more propulsive and will take us a greater distance than any rush hour D-train you are likely to take.