By LadyMystique (216.37.228.72) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:25 pm:

Could any one tell me more about King Curtis?

By Eli (68.163.60.242) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:31 pm:

King Curtis(Ousley) was a reknown saxophonist who gaied notoriety as a house musician with Atlantic records.

he came into prominence in the late fifties when he played all of the "yakkety sax" solos on the Coasters records.

he had some giant hits including Soul serenade and Memphis Soul Stew.
he was gunned down while sitting on the front steps of his NYC townhouse on w. 71st st, which was also right next door to Ashford and Simpson's brownstone.

By LadyMystique (216.37.228.72) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:34 pm:

My mum has his records. I didn't know he was gunned down...that's messed up.

By Eli (68.163.60.242) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:38 pm:

I believe that it was because some stupid spat between Curtis and a neighbor(not A&S)

By Zeke (152.163.253.70) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:42 pm:

Bobby, I heard he was stabbed to death uptown... Ok, there's no doubt that he was tragically murdered, that's for sure... Lady Mystique, he was a helluva talented session musician, as well as being a good performer... No doubt about it...

Peace!
Isaiah

By Eli (68.163.60.242) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:46 pm:

Yeah, I could be wrong.
When it first happened, there was a story going around via peeps in the biz who said that he was murdered on his front stoop.
Could just be heresay though.
Is 71st street considered to be uptown?

By CORNBREAD (66.185.84.74) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:47 pm:

From what my sievelike brain recalls, the perpetrator was a vagrant wino.

By Eli (68.163.60.242) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 08:58 pm:

Oh migosh..I do believe you are correct, Corn.

By LadyMystique (216.37.228.72) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 09:02 pm:

I don't know that area too well as I am from Brooklyn...it's in Manhattan, though. And yes I do agree about his talent...he reminds me of Jr. Walker in a way.

By Isaiah (152.163.253.70) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 09:08 pm:

Well, for most New Yorkers Uptown mean Harlem/Spanish Harlem - even though Inwood/Washington Heights is actually upper Manhattan, or the Bronx borderline... Last stop on A train, all off!!!(smile!)

71st street has the designation of being mid-town - for socio-political reasons... Mid-town Manhattan begins at 14th ST and ends at 96th street... How they came to that conclusion has to be based on the real estate values(smile!)

Peace!
Isaiah

By Eli (68.163.60.242) on Wednesday, March 31, 2004 - 09:13 pm:

Thanks Zeke!

By Keith Herschell - London (213.122.112.94) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 07:51 am:

King Curtis was superb; whether "Soul serenade", or those lovely little bits on the wonderful,"Shopping for Clothes" by the Coasters, and so many others. I recently acquired a CD with the live version of "Memphis Soul Stew". Does that cook or what (pun itentional). And what an array of talent - off the top of my head:
Bernard Purdie.Cornell Duprie.Billy Preston. Gerald Dumott (not sure about the spelling). Memphis Horns, and others I can't remember
This was recorded at the Fillmore West. Who else was on the bill to justify a backing like that. Wish I had been there.
Keith

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 08:00 am:

He was murdered in front of his own property, but he was stabbed, not shot

By Eli (68.163.58.19) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 10:00 am:

Thanks Mike!!
Now, for my Ginko.

By Davie Gordon (195.173.16.65) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 11:40 am:

The story, as I recall, was that he came home
from a recording session to find a drunken bum
sitting on the stoop, Curtis told the guy to move on and was then stabbed.

I can't remember hearing if the case ever coming to court.


Davie

By Reese (12.15.168.69) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 12:10 pm:

Keith,

I believe his LIVE AT FILLMORE WEST album was recorded at the same time as Aretha's live album from the same venue. At the time, Curtis was Aretha's musical director on the road.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 12:14 pm:

King Curtis was THE go-to man on the tenor sax from the 1950s until his death in 1971.

He played on so many records during his career and co-wrote the classic "Soul Serenade" with colleague Luther Dixon - Curtis recorded it for Capitol Records in 1964. Curtis' work ranged from jazz-soul recordings for Prestige Records to "Soul Twist" for Bobby Robinson's Enjoy label.

Not only did he play on the Coasters' "Yakety Yak", Curtis can be heard on Buddy Holly's "Reminiscing" and "True Love Ways", Aretha's "Respect" & did a mean version of "Ode To Billy Joe".

His "Memphis Soul Stew" featured the cream of NYC's studio players - drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarists Eric Gale & Cornell Dupree, bassist Chuck Rainey, keyboardist Richard Tee...damn!

King Curtis was also Atlantic Records' unofficial A&R man - it was Curtis who brought the acetate of Donny Hathaway's "Everything Is Everything" album to label vice president Jerry Wexler after meeting Donny at a record convention. Wexler signed Donny immediately after hearing the disc.

King Curtis wisely invested his money in property in NYC. According to sources (including Jerry Wexler), on August 14, 1971 (one week after Atlantic released his "Live At The Fillmore West" album), Curtis arrived at his apartment building (which was on West 86th Street) with an air conditioner when he saw a vagrant hanging out outside his property and ordered this person to leave. An argument ensued and Curtis was stabbed to death (the culprit was later caught and charged with murder).

Duane Allman acknowledged King Curtis at an Allman Brothers concert and dedicated a song for his fallen colleague (Duane and Curtis were session musicians for Atlantic Records). Weeks later, in September 1971, Duane died in a tragic motorcycle accident.

Recommended listening - "Instant Soul - The Legendary King Curtis" (Razor & Tie). This CD gives the best overview of Curtis' career - over 25 tunes from the mid-late 1950s until 1971.
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=UIDMISS70311061755232183&sql=A53rc284t052a
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 12:17 pm:

Reese:
King Curtis' Fillmore West album was recorded the same night as Aretha's live disc. He opened for Aretha at the venue.
Kevin Goins - KevGo

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 01:31 pm:

Curtis also played on Nat King Cole's "Send For Me."

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 02:03 pm:

I have the above mentioned Razor and Tie King Curtis collection......and agree with Kev Go....It's the best King Curtis CD out there. Great liner notes....and the sound quality is excellent....and it really has a ton of material for a single disc....

BTW....didn't Al Jackson of Booker T. and the MGs suffer a similar fate??

As did jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan??

What was the deal in the early 70s with these musician killings??

By Phil (212.129.37.114) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 02:20 pm:

King Curtis played on Sam Cooke's "Live at Harlem Square Club" LP, and I love his LP on Capitol, where he plays Sam's songs. He did so much for the music !

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 03:04 pm:

Galactus:
Al Jackson Jr. was shot to death near his home in Memphis around 1975.

Phil:
THAT'S RIGHT!!! King Curtis & his band were all over that Sam Cooke performance!! I have the album and it is a smoker!

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Galactus (207.144.253.114) on Thursday, April 01, 2004 - 03:58 pm:

Right Kev.....I was fuzzy on that one...Jackson was killed by gunfire in Memphis.....Morgan was the other guy in the early 70s who was killed in New York I was thinking of.....Just weird how several guys had these violent deaths in this period......New York must have been pretty rough back then, eh? Seemed OK (relatively speaking) when I was up there a few years ago....this is from AllMusic.com:

"On February 19, 1972, Morgan was performing at the New York club Slug's when he was shot and killed by his common-law wife, Helen More. Accounts of exactly what happened vary; whether they argued over drugs or Morgan's fidelity, whether she shot him outside the club or up on the bandstand in front of the audience, jazz lost a major talent."