The Jazz Passengers
Encyclopedia
The Jazz Passengers are an American jazz
group founded in 1987 by saxophonist Roy Nathanson
and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes
.
The band grew out of a partnership between Nathanson and Fowlkes in 1987, after the two had played with John Lurie
's band The Lounge Lizards
. Other regular members include vibraphonist Bill Ware
, bassist Brad Jones and drummer E. J. Rodriguez; the group has often featured a violinist (Rob Thomas, Jim Nolet
or, more recently, Sam Bardfeld). Guitarists Marc Ribot
and David Fiuczynski
played in earlier formations of the group. The album that is perhaps their masterpiece, the Hal Willner
-produced In Love (High Street Records, 1994), features vocal contributions from Deborah Harry
, Jeff Buckley
, Jimmy Scott
, Bob Dorough
and Mavis Staples
. Harry later became a regular member of the band, appearing on a number of follow-up albums, including Individually Twisted (which includes two duets with Elvis Costello
). Recently the Passengers have recorded infrequently as a full ensemble, though the individual bandmembers' recent side projects tend to feature many fellow Passengers, as well as a similarly skewed musical sensibility.
In 2005, Nathanson composed a work commemorating the world's oldest object, a 4.404 billion year old zircon
found in Australia. The work was performed by The Jazz Passengers at a "Rock Concert" held in Madison, Wisconsin
in April of that year.http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/symposium/home.html
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
group founded in 1987 by saxophonist Roy Nathanson
Roy Nathanson
Roy Nathanson has a varied career as a saxophonist, composer, bandleader, actor and teacher. He is leader and principal composer of the Jazz Passengers, a six piece group that he founded with Curtis Fowlkes in 1987. They have toured Europe many times and played at major festivals in Finland,...
and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes
Curtis Fowlkes
Curtis Fowlkes is an American jazz trombonist. In 1987 he founded, together with saxophonist Roy Nathanson, The Jazz Passengers, an eclectic group dedicated to putting entertainment and humor back into jazz. The two had met performing in John Lurie's The Lounge Lizards, a group that shares a...
.
The band grew out of a partnership between Nathanson and Fowlkes in 1987, after the two had played with John Lurie
John Lurie
John Lurie is an American actor, musician, painter and producer. He is co-founder of The Lounge Lizards, a jazz ensemble. Lurie has acted in 19 films including Stranger than Paradise and Down by Law, composed and performed music for 20 television and film works, and he produced and starred in...
's band The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards
The Lounge Lizards are a jazz group formed in 1978 by saxophone player John Lurie.Initially a tongue in cheek "fake jazz" combo, drawing on punk rock and no wave as much as jazz, The Lounge Lizards have since become respected for their creative and distinctive sound.-History:Lounge Lizards were...
. Other regular members include vibraphonist Bill Ware
Bill Ware
Bill Ware III born William Anthony Ware III is an American jazz vibraphonist.Ware played bass and piano early in his career, playing at the Harlem Jazzmobile. After spending several years playing Latin jazz, he formed his own Latin Jazz group, AM Sleep...
, bassist Brad Jones and drummer E. J. Rodriguez; the group has often featured a violinist (Rob Thomas, Jim Nolet
Jim Nolet
Jim Nolet is an American jazz violinist and educator. He has a particular interest in the music of Brazil. He has performed in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, and Latin America....
or, more recently, Sam Bardfeld). Guitarists Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot
Marc Ribot born May 21, 1954) is an American guitarist and composer.His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn.-Biography:Ribot was...
and David Fiuczynski
David Fiuczynski
David "Fuze" Fiuczynski is an American guitarist, best known as the leader of the Screaming Headless Torsos and David Fiuczynski's KiF, and as a member of Hasidic New Wave...
played in earlier formations of the group. The album that is perhaps their masterpiece, the Hal Willner
Hal Willner
Hal Willner is an American music producer working in recording, films, TV and live events. He is best known for assembling tribute albums and events featuring a wide variety of artists and musical styles...
-produced In Love (High Street Records, 1994), features vocal contributions from Deborah Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley
Jeffrey Scott "Jeff" Buckley , raised as Scotty Moorhead, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He was the son of Tim Buckley, also a musician...
, Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott
Jimmy Scott , aka "Little" Jimmy Scott, is an American jazz vocalist famous for his unusually high contralto voice which is due to Kallmann's syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. The condition stunted his growth at four feet eleven inches until, at age 37, he grew another 8 inches to the...
, Bob Dorough
Bob Dorough
Bob Dorough is an American bebop and cool jazz pianist, composer and vocalese singer.He worked with Miles Davis and Allen Ginsberg, and his adventurous style was an influence on Mose Allison, among other singers...
and Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
. Harry later became a regular member of the band, appearing on a number of follow-up albums, including Individually Twisted (which includes two duets with Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello
Elvis Costello , born Declan Patrick MacManus, is an English singer-songwriter. He came to prominence as an early participant in London's pub rock scene in the mid-1970s and later became associated with the punk/New Wave genre. Steeped in word play, the vocabulary of Costello's lyrics is broader...
). Recently the Passengers have recorded infrequently as a full ensemble, though the individual bandmembers' recent side projects tend to feature many fellow Passengers, as well as a similarly skewed musical sensibility.
In 2005, Nathanson composed a work commemorating the world's oldest object, a 4.404 billion year old zircon
Zircon
Zircon is a mineral belonging to the group of nesosilicates. Its chemical name is zirconium silicate and its corresponding chemical formula is ZrSiO4. A common empirical formula showing some of the range of substitution in zircon is 1–x4x–y...
found in Australia. The work was performed by The Jazz Passengers at a "Rock Concert" held in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
in April of that year.http://www.geology.wisc.edu/~museum/symposium/home.html
External links
- The Jazz Passengers
- "Jazz Passengers, A Modernist Septet", by Jon ParelesJon ParelesJon Pareles is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of the New York Times. He played jazz flute and piano, and graduated from Yale University with a degree in music. In the 1970s he was an associate editor of Crawdaddy!, and in the 1980s an associate...
- "Jazz and Theater Add Up To a New Form of Vaudeville", by Peter Watrous