Curtis Amy
Curtis Amy | |
---|---|
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | October 11, 1929
Died | June 5, 2002 Los Angeles, California | (aged 72)
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument | Saxophone |
Years active | 1960s |
Labels | Pacific Jazz |
Curtis Amy (October 11, 1929 – June 5, 2002) was a jazz saxophonist.[1]
Biography
Amy was born in Houston, Texas. He learned how to play clarinet before joining the Army, and during his time in service, picked up the tenor saxophone. After his discharge, he attended and graduated from Kentucky State College. He worked as an educator in Tennessee while playing in midwestern jazz clubs. In the mid-1950s, he relocated to Los Angeles and signed with Pacific Jazz Records, often playing with organist Paul Bryant. In the mid-60s, he spent three years as musical director of Ray Charles' orchestra, together with his wife, Merry Clayton, and Steve Huffsteter.[2]
As well as leading his own bands and recording albums under his own name, Amy also did session work and played the solos on several recordings, including The Doors song "Touch Me", Carole King's Tapestry, and Lou Rawls' first albums, Black and Blue and Tobacco Road, coinciding with Dexter Gordon in the Onzy Matthews big band,[2] as well as working with Marvin Gaye, Tammy Terrell and Smokey Robinson.[2]
Up until his death, he was married to singer and recording artist Merry Clayton.[2]
Discography
As leader
- The Blues Message (Pacific Jazz, 1960)
- Meetin' Here (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- Groovin' Blue (Pacific Jazz, 1961)
- Tippin' On Through (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
- Way Down (Pacific Jazz, 1962)
- Katanga! (Pacific Jazz, 1963)[2]
- The Sounds of Broadway/The Sounds of Hollywood (Palomar, 1965)
- Mustang (Verve, 1966)
- Jungle Adventure in Music and Sound (Coliseum, 1966)
- Peace For Love (Fresh Sounds 1994)
As sideman
With Dizzy Gillespie
- Jazz Recital (Norgran, 1956)
With Carole King
With Lou Rawls
- Black and Blue (Capitol, 1963)
- Tobacco Road (Capitol, 1963)
With Gerald Wilson
- On Stage (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
- Feelin' Kinda Blues (Pacific Jazz, 1965)
References
- ^ Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. p. 13. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
- ^ a b c d e Obituary at The Last Post
External links
- 1929 births
- 2002 deaths
- 20th-century American male musicians
- 20th-century American musicians
- 20th-century saxophonists
- African-American jazz musicians
- American jazz clarinetists
- American jazz flautists
- American jazz tenor saxophonists
- American male saxophonists
- Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery
- Cool jazz saxophonists
- Hard bop saxophonists
- American male jazz musicians
- Soul-jazz saxophonists
- Verve Records artists
- West Coast jazz saxophonists