Curtis Fuller in The Jazz Club Forum

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Curtis Fuller

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Tom 1960

Curtis Fuller

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Deepest Blue

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Sep 14 08 11:55 AM

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One of my favorite trombonists right from the get go when I was first exposed to jazz music over 20 years ago was Curtis Fuller. I guess my first exposure to Fuller came with his work with Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Also his work on the John Coltrane led Blue Note session Blue Train in which he helps open the track Blue Train. I realise he played on quite a number of Blue Note sessions, yeah Lee Morgan's Tom Cat which I'm listening to right now. So many I hope you might mention a few others? I recently had the good fortune to see Curtis perform with a number of other big named musicians at an area jazz show which proved to be very enjoyable. More later. So how about taking a few moments and share your love for Curtis? At the same time, I presently don't own any Curtis led dates and I would like to hear some thoughts on possible recommendations? I see The Opener has been reissued, a 1957 session recorded for Blue Note. I'd like some input on that particular session as well. Thanks.

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jostber

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Sep 14 08 12:51 PM

I have not heard any Curtis Fuller, but I love great trombone, and your post inspired me to buy this!

user posted image

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7844473

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Sep 14 08 1:05 PM

Just like you Tom, I first heard Curtis Fuller when he was one of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, I think it was on the Caravan album. One of my favorite JM incarnations, and Curtis is one of the reasons.
I think he was the very first trombone player who made me realize this particular horn could actually deliver fantastic music as a soloist's instrument, and not just a different color in a horn section.
A couple of years ago, I attended a Sarah Morrow live show the day I first met Sean Carney. It was a great jazz concert (Hal Singer was in the band, mind you !) that finished on a more bluesy note when Sean was asked to sit in.

Rene
Paris, France.

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Blue Trane

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Sep 14 08 6:58 PM

My first exposure was to Curtis' work on Blue Train. He is a part of my favorite Jazz Messengers Lineup and always swings. His compositions, such as "Arabia" are enjoyable, too. I know his presence on a session makes it more likely I'll pick it up, despite my relative disappointment with a couple of his releases as a leader.

Peace,

Blue Trane

St Louis, MO
" Jazz is the music of the freedom of collective improvisation."- Duke Ellington in Music Is My Mistress.

“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.”
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It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character.-James Weldon Johnson

"And what gift of America to the rest of the world is actually most appreciated by the rest of the world? It is African-American jazz and its offshoots. What is my definition of jazz? 'Safe sex of the highest order.'"-Kurt Vonnegut

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RJ Blues

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Sep 14 08 9:21 PM

Yeah, probely "Blue Train" for me as well. He is from Detroit, like myself. His first teacher was aman named Carlos Reviera, who also taught my pal James O'Donnell, whom I co-lead a band with. On his latest CD, I believ on Savant, he does a nice version of "Girl Talk" which gets some airplay around here. I saw him live at last years Detroit Jazz fest for the first time in an all-star group with Randy Brecker and others.

www.myspace.com/rjspangler
http://eastlawnrecords.com/

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rdavenport

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Sep 16 08 6:56 PM

Tom - do you have the Benny Golson OJCs "Groovin' With Golson" and "Gone With Golson"? Some nice Curtis on those. There's also a Jazztet album "Here And Now" on Mercury on which he features.

Don't get me wrong, I like Curtis, but I don't like him as much as I do J J Johnson, or (albeit based on very limited listening) Slide Hampton. Rather like Hank Mobley, I find his tone a bit woolly. This is just personal preference, as I like my horns with a bit of bite.

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Tom 1960

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Deepest Blue

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Sep 16 08 8:44 PM

Richard, I own both of those Golson albums. Curtis is also featured on the excellent Mosaic Farmer/Golson/Jazztet collection although only the "Meet The Jazztet" session is included.

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kh1958

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Sep 21 08 3:08 PM

QUOTE (jostber @ September 14, 2008 12:51 pm)

I have not heard any Curtis Fuller, but I love great trombone, and your post inspired me to buy this!

user posted image

Blues-Ette is the best Curtis Fuller led date I've heard. It is one of those sessions that sounds close to perfect. Highly recommended.

Curtis Fuller, by the way, is still alive and sounds good. He just played at a club in Fort Worth a month or so ago. This was the second time I've seen him live, the other being with the Timeless All Stars at the New Orleans Jazz Fest back in the early 1990s.