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Curtis Fuller (December 15, 1932 – May 8, 2021) was an American jazz trombonist best known for being a member of several legendary jazz outfits, his impressive catalog of solo albums and a contributor to many classic jazz recordings.
Fuller was born in Detroit and lost both his parents at a very young age. He spent several years in an orphanage run by Jesuits where he developed a passion for jazz after one of the nuns there took him to see his first live performance. Curtis attended public school in his hometown (together with Donald Byrd and Milt Jackson) where he took up the trombone at the age of sixteen.
Curtis Fuller was a well-respected member of iconic outfits such as Art Blakey & The
Jazz Messengers, Art Farmer’s Tentet, The Benny Golson Quintet and Eastern Rebellion. The list of his collaborations is impressive to say the least, Mr. Fuller recorded and performed with greats such as Quincy Jones, John Coltrane, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Roland Kirk Rashaan, Miles Davis...and many others.
Fuller was granted an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music in
1999 and eight years later he was honored as a NEA Jazz Master. Curtis Fuller’s
performances were included on classic recordings released by prominent labels from
the likes of Blue Note, Savoy, Prestige, Strata-East, Muse, Verve and Impulse!
On the album we are presenting you today: Four On The Outside (Recorded in 1978 at the famous New York CI Recording Studio and released on Timeless Records the same year) the listener is treated to six majestic tracks of the highest caliber and features a remarkable outing of advanced musicianship by jazz-giants in their prime, delivering an inspirational gem of an album.
The all-star line-up includes Pepper Adams (Oliver Nelson, Lalo Schifrin, Herbie Hancock) on saxophone, Dennis Irwin (The Jazz Messengers, Chet Baker) on bass and James Williams (Calvin Keys, Thelonious Monk) on piano.
Four On The Outside shows off Fuller’s mastery of the Trombone and this delightful
set features him in a front line with Pepper Adams delivering a unique trombone-
baritone saxophone combination (few others have followed this intriguing coupling).
Curtis Fuller plays from the heart and is on top of his game. Expect sharp and elegant
original compositions, machine gun-like spurts, angular boppish lines and top rhythm
section work that never gets in the way of the horns spreading their wings. All of the
above makes this record a must have for any self-respecting jazz fan or collector!
Tracklist
Four On The Outside
Suite-Kathy
Hello Young Lovers
Little Dreams
Ballad For Gabe-Wells
Corrida Del Torro