Curtis Fuller 70th Birthday Band

[HWright]

Did anyone else catch the Curtis Fuller 70th Birthday Band at Blues Alley in Washington, DC? They were in town Friday and Saturday nights and I caught the 8:00 show on Friday.

I don't know if this is part of a tour or not, but the group included Curtis on trombone, Wallace Rooney on trumpet, Javon Jackson on tenor, John Hicks on piano, a young bassist named Michael Bowie and Carl Allen on drums.

They played "The Clan" (tune by Curtis from "Soul Trombone," on Impulse), "Good Bait," "Caravan," "Arabia" (from "Mosaic" on BN) and Hicks played a piano solo which I think was "Passion Flower," but I'm not positive.

This was the first time I'd heard any of these musicians except Hicks, who often plays the same club with his own groups (the time I saw him he was with Bobby Watson). I enjoyed the choice of tunes, many of them associated in one way or another with Curtis' days with the Jazz Messengers... In fact, I believe that everyone in the band except the bassist and drummer played with Art Blakey at one time or another.

I suppose one could say that Curtis didn't play a lot and that it was really just a pick-up band, but I thought it was great hearing such old style hard bop live, something I'd never really had a chance to do before.

Anyone else check this group out?

Edited January 26, 2004 by HWright

[sheldonm]

I think he is scheduled to perform in Cincinatti this coming weekend. I'm thinking about making the trip if possible.