new CURTIS FULLER album

[Vincent, Paris]

It's been a long time since Curtis Fuller had a new album under his own name. I received few days ago an email from Delmark announcing their future releases (February 24, 2004). Among the four up-coming CDs is a Curtis Fuller album :

CURTIS FULLER -- "Up Jumped Spring" (Delmark 550)

Trombonist Curtis Fuller was born and raised in Detroit, a hotbed of new

jazz talent in the '50s. In '57 Fuller went to New York to make his

recorded debut as part of the Yusef Lateef Quintet. He was 22 at the time

and possessed a unique style and sound. After only eight months in New York

he had made six albums as leader and fifteen as sideman including John

Coltrane's "Blue Train." He also recorded with Jimmy Smith, Bud Powell, Art

Blakey, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter and many more. "Up Jumped

Spring" was recorded In August, 2003 while Curtis was in Chicago for the

Chicago Jazz Festival. With Brad Goode, trumpet; Karl Montzka, piano; Larry

Gray and Stewart Millerm, bass; and Tim Davis, drums.

TED SIROTA'S REBEL SOULS -- "Breeding Resistance" (Delmark 551)

Drummer Ted Sirota relocated to Chicago in 1992 after graduating from

Berklee College of Music in Boston. Sirota quickly became very active on

the Chicago jazz scene performing with Von Freeman, Jodie Christian, Fred

Hopkins, Lin Halliday, Rob Mazurek and many others. As a member of the

Sabertooth Jazz Quartet, Sirota has been performing weekly at the Green

Mill for seven years now and counting. Ted Sirota's Rebel Souls was formed

in '96 and have since released three albums. "Breeding Resistance" is the

Delmark debut for the Rebel Souls which features Jeb Bishop, trombone; Geof

Bradfield, tenor sax; Jeff Parker, guitar; Clark Sommers, bass; Ted Sirota,

drums.

DUANE THAMM -- "Tribute To Hamp" (Delmark 552)

Vibraphonist Duane Thamm has appeared on two Delmark albums as sideman -

Barrett Deems Big Band, "How D'You Like It So Far?" (Delmark 472) and Chuck

Hedges, Swingtet "Live At Andy's" (Delmark 465). This is Thamm's debut as

leader though he has been a professional musician for many years working

with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Henry Mancini, Tony Bennett, Bill Russo

and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Buddy DeFranco, Butch Miles and many others.

Tribute To Hamp was recorded in November, 2002 at Chicago's Harold

Washington Library with accompaniment by Chuck Hedges Swingtet - Chuck

Hedges, clarinet; Frank Dawson, guitar; John Bany; bass; Charlie Braugham;

drums.

KALAPARUSH AND THE LIGHT -- "Morning Song" (Delmark 553)

Tenor saxophonist Kalaparush Maurice McIntyre recorded as sideman on the

legendary first AACM recording, Roscoe Mitchell's "Sound" (Delmark 408). He

went on to record "Humility In The Light Of Creator" (Delmark419) and

"Forces And Feelings" (Delmark 425). Though he was continually active on

the New York avant-garde scene, Kalaparush didn't return to the Delmark

roster for 27 years until 1997's "Return Of The Lost Tribe" (Delmark 507)

by the group Bright Moments. Here Kalaparush leads his own trio with Jesse

Dulman on tuba and Ravish Momin on drums. "Morning Song" is an amazing

document presenting Kalaparush's musical beauty, simplicity, power and

spirituality.

[Philip]

Curtis Fuller's last date was the Together in Monaco album from 1996, which AMG dismisses. Any reports on Fuller's recent playing?

[Jazz Groove]

I've read a few years back that Curtis Fuller has only one lung which limits his playing. This most likely the reason for him not putting out much in the past few years.

[jazzkrow]

I picked up Fuller's "Up Jumped Spring" recently and am really impressed with this cd-all standards-with Chicago musicians-including Brad Goode on trumpet.

Very clean, clear recording-and Fuller-at least on this 2003 recording-still really has his chops. If as previously posted, he's blowing on one lung-it's a MF strong lung.

I just wish Curtis would come out to the Northwest-he remains high on my list of BN legends, I'd love to catch while they still are with us-McLean, Byrd, Fuller, Hubbard... I know their best days are long ago, but still....

Guess, us West Coasters will have to make the NYC pilgrimage.

Anyone else out there surprised and pleased with this session?

[Dan Gould]

Anyone else out there surprised and pleased with this session?

It was in my Christmas pile but I still haven't had a chance to listen to any of them yet.

[brownie]

Anyone else out there surprised and pleased with this session?

I was not surprised. I was very pleased!

Go, Curtis, go!

[JSngry]

I enjoyed it, but it seems obvious that there was some "post-production" work done on Curtis to compensate for his sound. Listen to the difference in his sound and everybody else's.

Glad to have him active and recording, but it's kind of depressing to think about why such "surgery" was necesary.

[jazzkrow]

" (I enjoyed it, but it seems obvious that there was some "post-production" work done on Curtis to compensate for his sound. Listen to the difference in his sound and everybody else's.)"

Jim:

Do you think they "pumped" up the volume on Fuller's trombone?

You've got "better" ears than I do-the "blend" of instruments sounded fairly natural and balanced to my ears.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part-but I'll give one of my BN heroes the benefit of the doubt.

I'm curious-any other examples you can point to on other albums out there (by other artists) in which the same thing is done-I'd like to compare.

Jeff

[JSngry]

Yeah, pumped-up, very close-miked, and extra reverbed. On the solos, anyway. No sin, mind you, but if that had to be done to compensate for actual physical weakness, it's a drag from a personal standpoint.

As for other examples, in today's multi-tracked environment, I'd be loathe to make such a claim unless it was really noticeable, and on this album, it was, at least to me.