The Jazz Passengers

In 1987 Roy Nathanson and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes established the Jazz Passengers with the goal of restoring energetic humor and showmanship to contemporary jazz. The ensemble’s title, derived from Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, implies that its players are simply passengers on an unpredictable excursion. Its lineup features percussionist E.J. Rodriguez, bassist Brad Jones—a musician who has worked with both Elvin Jones and Muhal Richard Abrams—Steely Dan touring vibist Bill Ware, and guitarist Marc Ribot, whose résumé includes albums by singer-songwriters Elvis Costello and Tom Waits.

Nathanson and Fowlkes first encountered each other in the pit band of the Big Apple Circus, an engagement that allowed them to perform the Charles Mingus repertoire they admired while meeting financial obligations. They subsequently joined John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, only to exit after a brief tenure in order to cut a duet album. Additional studio musicians were enlisted over time, ultimately giving rise to the Jazz Passengers.

Merging Mingus-informed post-bop, dance rhythms, and newly composed material that carries lyrics or comic spoken narratives, the group gained visibility in New York City's avant-garde circles centered on the Knitting Factory. After issuing five albums for independent labels, the band delivered its major-label debut, Jazz Passengers in Love. Rock singer Deborah Harry commenced touring and recording with the ensemble in 1994. She appeared with Elvis Costello on the 1996 release Individually Twisted. Although studio activity diminished during the following decade, the musicians sustained a steady touring presence. They resurfaced in 2010 with the full-length Reunited, again spotlighting Harry and Costello. Their thirteenth album, Still Life with Trouble, appeared in 2017 and reunited original members Fowlkes, Nathanson, Rodriguez, Jones, and Ware while also including Ribot along with later additions violinist Sam Bardfeld and second drummer Ben Perowsky.