Roy McCurdy

Roy McCurdy
Born (1936-11-28) November 28, 1936 (age 87)
Rochester, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Drums, guitar

Roy McCurdy (born November 28, 1936) is a jazz drummer.

Early life

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McCurdy began playing drums around the age of 10 in his hometown of Rochester and took lessons from Eastman percussionist Bill Street as a teenager. He spent three years in the Air Force before returning to Rochester to begin his career.[1]

Career

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Before joining Cannonball Adderley's Quintet in 1965 and staying with the band until Adderley's death in 1975, he had played with Chuck and Gap Mangione in the Jazz Brothers (1960–1961), as well as with Bobby Timmons, Betty Carter and Sonny Rollins (1963–1964), appearing on the classic 1963 album Sonny Meets Hawk![2]

He attended the Eastman School of Music from sixteen to eighteen, during which time he also played professionally with Roy Eldridge and with Eddie Vinson at seventeen. In 1960 he joined the Art Farmer – Benny Golson Jazztet and remained for two years.

Among the influences he cites Louie Bellson, Shelly Manne, Sam Woodyard, Buddy Rich, Papa Jo Jones, Philly Joe Jones and the bands of Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford and Lionel Hampton.

He has also played and/or recorded with Count Basie, Wes Montgomery, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Joe Williams, Herbie Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Art Pepper, and the jazz rock group Blood, Sweat and Tears, etc.

He appears on the classic 1983 recording Jackson, Johnson, Brown & Company featuring Milt Jackson on vibes, J. J. Johnson on trombone, Ray Brown on bass, Tom Ranier on piano, and John Collins on guitar.

As of 2010, McCurdy is an adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies Department of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California.[3]

Discography

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As sideman

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With Gap and Chuck Mangione, The Jazz Brothers

  • The Jazz Brothers (Riverside, 1960)
  • Hey Baby (Riverside, 1961)

With Cannonball Adderley

With Nat Adderley

With Gene Ammons

With Count Basie

With Benny Carter

With Betty Carter

With Art Farmer

With Benny Golson

With Herbie Mann and Tamiko Jones

With Mark Murphy

With Kenny Rankin

  • After the Roses (Atlantic, 1980)
  • Professional Dreamer (Private Music, 1995)

With Shorty Rogers and Bud Shank

With Sonny Rollins

With Bobby Timmons

With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson

With Joe Williams

With Michael Wolff

With Betty Bennett

References

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  1. ^ "Steps forward, and steps backward, with Hall of Famer Roy McCurdy". WXXI News. 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2024-02-03.
  2. ^ arwulf arwulf. "Sonny Meets Hawk!". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  3. ^ "Roy McCurdy, Adjunct Professor". USC Thornton School of Music. August 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. ^ "Interview: Betty Bennett (Part 2)". JazzWax. 6 July 2011.
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