A fantastic fusion of post-bop and musical comedy

The Jazz Passengers build on the legacy of the Brooklyn Big Apple Circus Band and, above all, the pioneering group The Lounge Lizards of John Lurie, where the band’s founders – saxophonist Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes – first met.

“Since jazz can easily slip into excessive seriousness, the return of The Jazz Passengers with their wacky spirit and slightly eccentric melodies is a reason to celebrate.” — David Kunian, Offbeat

The Jazz Passengers were founded in 1987 by saxophonist Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, who discovered a strong creative bond during their previous work with the Big Apple Circus Band and especially with John Lurie’s groundbreaking group The Lounge Lizards. The name of the band, a play on Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, suggests a wild ride through the eccentric currents of modern American music. The original lineup included, alongside Nathanson and Fowlkes, Marc Ribot (guitar). Bill Ware (vibraphone), E. J. Rodriguez (percussion), Bradley Jones (bass), and Jim Nolet (violin).

On their legendary album Reunited – described by critics as the equivalent of a cubist painting – guest appearances include Elvis Costello and Blondie’s singer Debbie Harry. They have collaborated on orchestral arrangements of their repertoire with the Buffalo Philharmonic, the BBC Concert Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia Chamber Orchestra.

Current lineup:
Roy Nathanson – sax, bandleader, poet
Curtis Fowlkes – trombone
Bill Ware – vibraphone
Sam Bardfeld – violin
Bradley Jones – bass
E. J. Rodriguez – drums

These are excellent and highly sought-after musicians who have collaborated with such names as The Lounge Lizards, Bill Frisell, Sheryl Crow, John Zorn, Calexico, Anthony Braxton, Groove Collective, John Cale, Elvin Jones, Steven Bernstein (Sexmob), Bruce Springsteen, Ornette Coleman, David Byrne, Vernon Reid, Nancy Sinatra, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Cibo Matto, Marc Ribot, and others.

Drummer E. J. Rodriguez, who is not only a sought-after percussionist but also an occasional actor, could be seen in Jim Jarmusch’s film Coffee and Cigarettes.

An interesting fact is that the then-young and up-and-coming Jazz Passengers performed in Prague on October 4, 1990, as part of the Knitting Factory European Tour together with acts such as the Sonny Sharrock Band, becoming one of the first representatives of the downtown scene to perform in post-revolution Czechoslovakia.