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Curtis Fowlkes

US American jazz trombonist and vocalist. Born 19 March 1951 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Died 31 August 2023 ibid. Curtis Fowlkes was a trombonist and vocalist who played with various jazz and rock musicians. After starting playing trombone in elementary school, he later performed with local bands in different genres before devoting himself to music full time. He met Roy Nathanson, a saxophonist, in 1981 while working for the Big Apple Circus. They joined John Lurie’s band the Lounge Lizards, which was part of the New York avant-jazz scene in the 1980s. In 1987, they formed their own band, the Jazz Passengers, which blended jazz, performance art and comedy. The Jazz Passengers collaborated with famous artists like Elvis Costello, Debbie Harry and Jeff Buckley, and released 11 albums. Mr. Fowlkes also worked as a sideman for jazz legends like Henry Threadgill, Charlie Haden and Bill Frisell, as well as rock stars like Lou Reed and Levon Helm.