The Jazz Passengers
City Winery Hudson Valley presents The Jazz Passengers live on Sunday, September 13th, at 6:30 PM!
The JAZZ PASSENGERS are a fantastical fulive onsion of post-bop and musical comedy, once called a "perverse mainstream … hard-bop group as imagined by Frank Zappa" (Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe, 1989). Their name — a take-off on Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers — reveals the musicians' wild ride along the eccentric currents in modern American music.
The band was founded in 1987 by saxophonist Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes, who discovered a strong affinity in their Brooklyn roots while playing together in the Big Apple Circus band and John Lurie's seminal Lounge Lizards. They first broke out on the New York City avant-garde scene centered around the Knitting Factory (founded by City Winery owner, Michael Dorf), with a hybrid of Mingus-influenced dance rhythms and original tunes complete with lyrics and entertaining stories.
The Jazz Passengers loom large in the creative history of New York's Lower East Side, and in the nearly four decades since their founding, their mission of "cross-cultural exchange" has enlisted everyone from Jeff Buckley and Debbie Harry to Nick Hakim and Onyx Collective. Their signature blend of avant-garde jazz, 80s funk, world music, and 20th-century classical — coupled with lyrical provocations ranging from the wistful and tragic to the vaudevillian and absurd — is a snapshot of the frenetic, syncretic New York of yesteryear: a living memory, and a yearning for something just out of reach. Co-founder Curtis Fowlkes passed away in August 2023.
The original 1987 lineup included Roy Nathanson (sax), Curtis Fowlkes (trombone), Bill Ware (vibraphone), E.J. Rodriguez (percussion), Bradley Jones (bass), Jim Nolet (violin), and Marc Ribot (guitar). Today's roster features Roy Nathanson (sax), Bill Ware (vibes), Bradley Jones (bass), E.J. Rodriguez (drums), Sam Bardfeld (violin), Gabe Nathanson (vocals/trumpet), Lucy Hollier (trombone), and Isaiah Barr (tenor sax), with guest vocalist Teri Roiger and John Menegon sitting in on bass.
🍽️ We provide food and beverage service directly to your table in the venue. Or, for an expanded menu and more relaxed experience, arrive early and enjoy a meal in our restaurant before the show. When dining in the restaurant, reservations are encouraged and can be made via Resy starting one month before the show. View Our Concert Dining Menu.(opens in a new tab)
🎶 While we do not require a two-item food or beverage minimum, we strongly encourage it. Most ticket revenue goes directly to the artist and production costs, so food and drink purchases help support the staff, service, and atmosphere that make these intimate shows possible.
The good news: we think you’ll love the food and wine just as much as the show.
🍷 Members get 48 hour early access to new shows, pay no ticket fees, and earn points to exchange for complimentary tickets. Vinofile Plus members also receive many wine benefits. Add a membership to your cart during checkout to start saving now. Already a member? Make sure you are signed in to access your benefits. Become a Vinofile Member and enjoy the benefits today.(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)(opens in a new tab)
