Welcome to the
MIKE CURTIS
JAZZ PROJECT!
Based in Portland, Oregon, Mike Curtis formed The Mike Curtis Jazz Project out of his love for big band jazz. Influences include Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Gordon Goodwin, Woody, Miles, Diz, all of the usual suspects!
We play progressive jazz, bebop, fusion, and a host of other styles in addition to the swing band standards.
Mike Sez...
Yes, We haveDon Ellis charts, now to get the nerve to work them up...!
Monday, January 16th, 2012
Part 2 of that amazing Don Ellis video 'Indian Lady'
Monday, January 16th, 2012
crazy time signature!
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
See if you can tell what the time signature is here......
More Maynard Madness!
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2011
Yes, It is true...We are working up another Maynard Ferguson tune title is "Nice N Juicy"!
Why? Because it is just so darned funky!
No, we aren't a tribute band. We just like Maynard!
Boy, it did NOT sound like this on Sunday! HA! Give us a few more shots at it and we will be so funky we will...hmm. Well, we will just BE funky!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mike
I am Speechless...
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Wycliffe is a monster on the sackbut!I guess it's more playing time, eh?
PS-What is the deal with Bone players size? No skinny guys except Fedchok out there!
Obligatory Musician Joke of The Day
Saturday, November 5th, 2011
C, E-flat and G go into a bar. The bartender says, "sorry, but we don't serve minors," So E-flat leaves, and C and G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished and G is out flat. F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. D comes in and heads for the bathr...oom saying, "Excuse me. I'll just be a second." Then A comes in, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and says, "Get out! You're the seventh minor I've found in this bar tonight." E-Flat comes back the next night in a three-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender says, "You're looking sharp tonight. Come on in, this could be a major development." Sure enough, E-flat soon takes off his suit and everything else, and is au natural. Eventually C sobers up and realizes in horror that he's under a rest. C is brought to trial, found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of D.S. without Coda at an upscale correctional facility.
A Big Thanks
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
Here's to Dennis Wright, our intrepid man of the skins, pounder of the bongos, drummer extraordinaire...thank you for your support when I was putting this group together, and thank you for your input along the way. Best wishes in you new endeavors, I am sure we will play together again in the future!More thank you's to West View High School for the opportunity to play for their fund raiser last Saturday, it was enjoyable for all!
The video is a taste of what we will be working up for our next foray into the public domain....I love this stuff!
LOOK OUT!!! SAXES RUN AMOK!!!
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011
Our sax section has pretty much behaved themselves for the past year or so, and I have to give them credit for putting up with the brass players(especially trumpets) who can be, how should I say it....somewhat out there?
So, as a reward I have lined them up with some of the gnarliest, nastiest, toughest charts I can find that will feature their superb chops as a section, and individually as soloists! Starting with the classic Woody Herman number, 'Four Brothers", and then moving up the food chain with a little 'Anthropology'(at warp speed), 'Straight No Chaser'(again at warp 7, Scotty) and finishing with 'Hunting Wabbits' which is as weird as the title makes it out to be. This is their reward for showing up to rehearsal on time, practicing and learning their individual parts, playing together on the sectional parts with a little coherency and being all around nice peeps. To actually witness this in public, October 15 they will be on display at WestView High School(185th/Sunset Hwy) for a fund raiser dinner crab feed 5PM to 8PM. Come support the school and see how I abuse them in public... this oughtta be good..
MCJP Out In The Wild Again
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
That's right, we have a performance coming up in a few weeks, October 15, to be specific :)
Westview High School is having a fund raiser for their soccer program, and we are the entertainment for the dinner hour! So, stop by and listen- buy some dinner and bid on the silent auction goodies, the band is in good form! 5PM start, festivities go until the auction is over at 8 PM! 4200 NW 185th St
Here's a map
View Larger Map
Gordon Goodwin....One of the Greats!
Wednesday, September 14th, 2011
I am stoked about the new Gordon Goodwin album!
Why I like Stan Kenton
Wednesday, August 31st, 2011
I like Stan Kenton because he was not afraid to push the envelope as far as the status quo of the time was concerned, using such diverse elements as African rhythms, Middle Eastern melodic progressions and symphonic instrumentation. French horns, strings, mellophoniums(!), polyphonic sounds are all part of the Kenton experience from a performer's perspective. Never afraid to toss in an extra few beats just to mess with the band, Stan was always at the cutting edge of creativity, flowering full in the 1950's with his Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra, and his partnership with Gil Evans. Latin flavorings, crazy rhythms, along with incredible players showcased his ability to compose and arrange new and interesting charts.
We play a few of Stan's charts, currently including "Malaguena", best described as Latin Toreador Sizzle meets Drums gone wild...this has been done by so many different groups, including drum and bugle corps that use it as a show stopper. Screaming trumpets, romping saxes and thundering trombones all coming to a waterfalling finale that is truly amazing to perform and to experience from the audience's perspective. We sweat every time we play it, our trumpeters have the chops to pull it off!
He's back, He's bad, He's Jason DuMars, Lead Alto!!
Monday, August 22nd, 2011
That's right folks, after a 6 month hiatus we are happy to announce the return of Jason Dumars to our lead alto sax chair, and are giving our best wishes to the mighty Noah Bernstein, who is going on a 3 month(or more) tour with a rock/jazz band through the East coast and Europe. Our sax section still blows the mighty reeds of doom!!
Back In The Saddle Again
Wednesday, June 29th, 2011
Hey there! Our site was down for a bit, compromised by my lack of talent with the hosting company...have no fear-we are now hosted with the mighty Godaddy.com! Hilarity and fun to follow....
PS-I am now the intrepid reporter and photographer for the Portland Penny News, first assignment is to cover the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival this weekend! Watch for updates :)
Mike
Trombone Humour
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Stupid Trombone Trick
I don't know if this story is real or not, but it is very funny anyway.
August 1998
Montevideo, Uruguay
Paolo Esperanza, bass-trombonist with the Simphonica Mayor de Uruguay, in a misplaced moment of inspiration decided to make his own contribution to the cannon shots fired as part of the orchestra's performance of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture at an outdoor children's concert.
In complete seriousness he placed a large, ignited firecracker, which was equivalent in strength to a quarter stick of dynamite, into his aluminum straight mute and then stuck the mute into the bell of his new Yamaha in-line double-valve bass trombone. Later, from his hospital bed he explained to a reporter through his bandaged mouth, "I thought that the bell of my trombone would shield me from the explosion and, instead, would focus the energy of the blast outward and away from me, propelling the mute high above the orchestra, like a rocket." However, Paolo was not up on his propulsion physics nor qualified to use high-power artillery and in his haste to get the horn up before the firecracker went off, he failed to raise the bell of the horn high enough to give the mute enough arc to clear the orchestra.
What actually happened should serve as a lesson to us all during delirious moments of divine inspiration.
First, because he failed to sufficiently elevate the bell of his horn, the blast propelled the mute between rows of players in the woodwind and viola sections of the orchestra, missing the players but flying straight into the stomach of the conductor, driving him off the podium and directly into the front row of the audience. Fortunately, the audience were sitting in folding chairs and thus they were protected from serious injury, for the chairs collapsed under them passing the energy of the impact of the flying conductor backwards into the row of people sitting behind them, who in turn were driven back into the people in the row behind and so on, like lined up dominos. The sound of collapsing wooden chairs and grunts of people falling on their behinds spread like ripples on a pond, adding to the overall sound of cannons firing and horns playing as constitutes the closing measures of the Overture.
Meanwhile, all of this unplanned choreography notwithstanding, back on stage Paolo's Waterloo was still unfolding. According to Paolo, "Just as I heard the sound of the blast, time seemed to stand still. Everything moved in slow motion. Just before I felt searing pain in my mouth, I could swear I heard Newton's voice say, "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction!"
Well, this should come as no surprise, for Paolo had set himself up for a textbook demonstration of this fundamental law of physics. Having failed to plug the lead pipe of his trombone, he allowed the energy of the blast to send a superheated jet of gas backwards through the plumbing, which exited the mouthpiece, burning his lips and face.
The pyrotechnic ballet wasn't over yet. The force of the blast was so great it split the bell of his shiny Yamaha right down the middle, turning it inside out while at the same time propelling Paolo backwards off the riser. And for the grand finale, as Paolo fell backwards he lost his grip on the slide of the trombone allowing the pressure of the hot gases coursing through the horn to propel the slide like a double golden spear into the head of the 3rd clarinetist, knocking him unconscious.
So, Beware the next time you hear someone in the trombone section yell out, "Hey everyone, watch this!"
Welcome To Our Newest Members Mike and Barbette!!
Monday, May 9th, 2011
That's right, new blood in the band! Mike Kelly is an outstanding reed player with extensive experience in many genres of music performance, instruction and an all around hoot to play with. Mike will be holding down the fort as our lead Alto player, so get to work woodshedding that book, Mike!
Barbette Falk is our new Baritone Sax player, with a large local following of her own group, Quartette Barbette (great name!) that has performed for quite a while in the Pacific Northwest.....we will have an update to our band bio page as soon as they are brave enough to submit a photo:)
Welcome to Our Newest Member!
Sunday, April 17th, 2011
Joel Riddell - Trumpet player extraordinaire- What is that sound coming from the trumpet section? Why, it's the sound of 4 solid horn players, that's what! This is going to be fun, I am going to have to come up with some thing special for these boys now...MacArthur Park, anyone???
Spring Fever
Tuesday, April 12th, 2011
Oh, man do I have a case of Spring Fever! Here is a clip of Buddy Rich doing Love For Sale at a nice relaxed pace...!
Yes, we are working this arrangement up for your public consumption...
video of our last gig???
Monday, April 4th, 2011
Rumor has it that there is video of our last performance at Tony Starlights out there, stay posted for further info...
Rob Scheps Show Report
Friday, April 1st, 2011
Last night we saw the Rob Scheps Big Band at a terrific new venue, the Vie de Boheme (www.viedebohemepdx.com)winery on Se 7th and Clay. What a show! It is truly a treat to be able to walk into a gorgeous tasting room mid week in Portland and hear some of the finest jazz musicians in the area working it to a tee! The oboist/tuba duet was classic...I heartily recommend seeing Rob Schep when he returns with this group, it kicks hard!
Working on more venues for public performance, stay tuned...
Mike
An Update on Jason(with good karma wishes)
Sunday, March 27th, 2011
Ok, Last post was about the gig at Tony Starlight's this past Wednesday, complete with attendant drama about me, my stress at having to find missing music, my band taking up the slack waiting for me, me me me me!
Time for a reality check. The player in my band who was absent, Jason DuMars is very ill with a severe case of pneumonia that has him flat on his back, pumped full of drugs and coughing his lungs out. I went by his house yesterday to pick up the missing music and could hear him coughing from the street. He is going to be out of commission for quite a while and will be taking a hiatus from playing the sax to get healthy lungs back. We are seeing him healthy, breathing freely and without pain, and look forward to future endeavors with him. Jason, be well!
Stepping into the breach is Mike Kelley, long time pro reed player in the Portland area to play the lead alto sax with us. His ability to enter the fray on Wednesday and step up to the spotlight is a sure indicator of pyrotechnics to come! Welcome Mike, we look forward to playing with you!
and so it goes... :)
Oh, What A Gig!
Friday, March 25th, 2011
Wednesday started out like any other typical mid week day, early coffee and off to work. Long about mid morning our lead Alto sax player texts me that he is going to the hospital with pneumonia symptoms and cannot make the gig that night. OK, call for backup and when accomplished everything is copacetic, right?
WRONG!!!!
Long about 5:00 after getting the stage set up, the sound mix right, the stands and the music.......OH CRAP! I forgot that the sick band member had his music with him! Do you think that the hospital allows cell phones to be on for band leaders to text, call, pray, and swear at their patients? Nope. Not a chance. Time to make a speed run home to print out all of the music on my......old laser jet printer that is s....l....o....w....
At about 7 PM when it became apparent that I was not going to be on time for MY OWN BANDS GIG, I called my piano player with the message. " Vamp Baby! Get up there with the rhythm section and a horn player or 2 and jam until I can get there with the music!"
Long story short, I arrived 45 minutes late, the band was carrying on without me(!) and we jumped into the set with both feet and tore the roof off of the place.
Jason, no hard feelings to you buddy, pneumonia is a drag....time to get healthy!
and so it goes...
It's Spring and We Are Playing This Wednesday
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
I feel the sunshine and flowers coming, and we are celebrating with a performance this Wednesday March 23 with a live club performance at Tony Starlights Supper Club and Lounge-a tasty venue if there ever was one! Tony has committed himself to creating the Las Vegas club experience right here in Portland, check it out at www.TonyStarlight.com
Showtime is at 7:30, stop by for a bite of dinner, and adult beverage and some tunes!
Reservations recommended, Call Tony at 503-517-8584 to get a table. Bonus! This is an all ages club until 9:30 PM on week days, so bring that budding musician to see how the band sounds live! $8 cover
waiting in the rain
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
waiting at the airport in the rain listening to herbie hancock on kmhd fm...man is herbie cool!
The show must go on!
Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Today we had a rare afternoon show at the church where we practice. We were short a couple of trumpet players, which took a lot out of the total sound package-but made up for the most part by playing tight and listening to each other. The trombone section sounded solid, and many thanks to Mike Kelly for his work on lead alto with short notice!
The saxes were out front and leading the band, rhythm section was solid throughout. We will have audio posted shortly of a few selections, and remember to come see us LIVE at Tony Starlight's Supper Club on Wednesday March 23rd at 7:30 PM. $8 gets you in the door for a couple of sets with the band in a club setting, also it is all ages until 9:30 so if you want to introduce the kids to big band jazz this will be a great opportunity to do so! www.tonystarlight.com for details and directions.
Good rehearsals mean great shows
Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Just finished up a good rehearsal tonight, Noah sounded especially good on his feature, Bridge Over Troubled Water! Coming up is the family friendly Mardi Gras celebration on Sunday, March 6. The fun begins at 2 PM at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Sellwood, our generous hosts that have allowed us the rehearsal space for our first full year(!). Location is at 7810 SE 15th Ave in Portland. Looking forward to having a blast playing for everyone!
Mike
