Curtis Amy

Born in Houston, Texas, on October 11, 1929 (or 1927, according to some sources), Curtis Amy learned the clarinet before doing his military service, where he took up the tenor saxophone. After working as an educator in Tennessee and playing in clubs, he moved to Los Angeles and signed with Pacific Jazz Records. After sessions with Dizzy Gillespie in 1956, he teamed up with organist Paul Bryant for the 1961 albums The Blues Message (also called This Is the Blues) and Meetin' Here. He also signed Groovin' Blue with drummer Frank Butler, Carmell Jones (trumpet), Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone), Frank Strazzeri (piano) and Jimmy Bond (double bass), then Tippin' on Through (1962), featuring Roy Ayers, also present on Way Down (1962) with Marcus Belgrave (trumpet), George Morrow (double bass), John Houston and Victor Feldman (piano). In 1963, the saxophonist was joined by another team, including trumpeter Dupree Bolton, for Katanga! which has been reissued several times to critical acclaim. Accompanying Ray Charles for three years with his wife, singer Merry Clayton, Curtis Amy takes part in sessions for Lou Rawls, Gerald Wilson, The Doors and Carole King on his bestseller Tapestry (1971), which dedicated the title "Jazzman" to him three years later. Other albums include Mustang (1966) and the comeback album Peace for Love(1994). Curtis Amy died on June 5, 2002 at the age of 74.

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