A1. Flatted Fifth {Ted Curson} (8:27)
A2. Marjo {Ted Curson} (6:01)							play
A3. Airi's Tune {Ted Curson} (8:32)
B1. Searchin' For The Blues {Ted Curson} (9:12)
B2. Typical Ted [Cattin' Curson] {Ted Curson} (9:38)

Musicians:
Ted Curson - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo Trumpet 
Chris Woods - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Georges Arvanitas - Piano
Jacky Sampson - Bass
Charles Saudrais – Drums

Recorded 26th October, 1973 Live at Bilboquet, Paris, France

An excellent and flexible trumpeter, Ted Curson will always be best-known for his work with Charles Mingus' 1960 quartet (which also included Eric Dolphy and Dannie Richmond). He studied at Granoff Musical Conservatory; moved to New York in 1956; played in New York with Mal Waldron, Red Garland, and Philly Joe Jones; and recorded with Cecil Taylor (1961). After the 1959-1960 Mingus association (which resulted in some classic recordings), Curson co-led a quintet with Bill Barron (1960-1965), played with Max Roach, and led his own groups. He spent time from the late '60s on in Europe (particularly Denmark) but has had a lower profile than one would expect since his return to the U.S. in 1976. Ted Curson has led sessions for Old Town (1961), Prestige, Fontana, Atlantic, Arista, Inner City, Interplay, Chiaroscuro, and several European labels, but has barely been on records at all since 1980. --- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

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1. Fire Down Below	4:35
2. The Very Young	4:47
3. Baby Has Gone Bye Bye	4:44
4. Show Me	4:26							play
5. Falling In Love With Love	5:28
6. Only Forever		6:56

Musicians:
Ted Curson (trumpet) 
Gildo Mahones (piano) 
George Tucker (bass) 
Roy Haynes (drums) 
Montego Joe (conga)

The main fault of this otherwise superior CD reissue is that there are only 31 minutes of music. Trumpeter Ted Curson, who by the early '60s had his own distinctive sound and an advanced yet accessible style, performs two standards ("Show Me" and "Falling in Love With Love") and four obscurities, with pianist Gildo Mahones, bassist George Tucker, drummer Roy Haynes, and (on four numbers) Montego Joe on conga. Curson, 27 at the time, is heard in top form on one of the very few of his sessions to be reissued on CD. --- Scott Yanow, AMG

Theodore “Ted” Curson (born June 3, 1935, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a jazz trumpeter. He is perhaps best-known for recording and performing with Charles Mingus.

Curson became interested in playing trumpet after watching a newspaper salesman play a silver trumpet. Curson’s father, however, preferred that Ted become an alto saxophone player like Louis Jordan. Finally, when Ted was 10 years old, he received a “raggedy” trumpet.

Curson attended Granoff Musical Conservatory. At the suggestion of Miles Davis, he moved to New York in 1956. Curson performed and recorded with Cecil Taylor in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His 1964 composition “Tears for Dolphy” has been used in the films Teorema, Last Date, and The Brown Bunny. Curson is currently residing in Montclair, New Jersey.

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A1. Pop Wine (5:05)						play
A2. L.S.D.Takes A Holiday (12:40)
A3. Song Of The Lonely One (5:44)
B1. Quartier Latin (13:12)
B2. Flip Top (6:31)

Musicians:
Ted Curson - Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet
Georges Arvanitas - Piano
Jacky Samson - Bass
Charles Saudrais – Drums

Recorded 18th June, 1971 at Europasonor Studio, Paris

This Futura CD issue of vanguard trumpet legend Ted Curson with the Georges Arvanitas Trio in a Paris studio is one of those very special dates where everything seems to go right. Curson is in excellent form here, whether he is playing free improvisation as on "Latin Quarter," which opens the set and is a fiery 13-minute excursion into the outer reaches of free jazz, or turning in a slightly bent but nonetheless streaming hard bop performance as he odes on the next track, "Flip Top." The Arvanitas Trio, an under-celebrated band that backed virtually every major American musician in Paris proves how well it adapts to Curson's muscular style by responding with more muscle. Arvanitas' left-hand rhythm comping is tough and full of fire and edges. On "L.S.D. Takes a Holiday," Arvanitas pushes Curson hard to the edges of a harmonic shelf that finally bleeds off into a blazing symmetry of angles that is propelled into an abyss by the ferocious bass playing of the under-heralded Jacky Sampson. Also noteworthy are Curson's compositions here that, like much music of their time, leave tradition to the dust. He engages it and the blues in a sort of modal inquiry, where he wraps extant ideas about form, tonal sonance, and intervallic architecture in a phraseology and compositional elegance that was beyond most of his peers. Futura's CD version sounds warm, lovely, and very much alive. Thank goodness this is available again. ---Thom Jurek, Rovi

This album sets Ted Curson with the Georges Arvanitas Trio in a Paris recording studio. Ted like many Americans ventured to the continent to find acceptance for his new compositions and to be one of a vanguard of players in the Free Jazz movement that erupted across Europe in the late 60’s and early 70’s. All compositions are by Ted and are great examples of the transition that was rocking the old jazz traditions. “Pop Wine” gets it all rolling along with Ted blowing some great highs with the backing of the mighty George Arvanitas trio. They are very tight and very under-rated unit that adapts to Ted’s high velocity escapades. George Arvanitas’ piano stomping, especially on “L.S.D. Takes a Holiday, really set the music on edge giving Ted even more liberty to soar higher. His phrasing on “Song of The Lonely One” is beautifully delivered. He is quite at home playing free improvisation and digs deep into free jazz explorations; “Latin Quarter,” is a fiery 13-minute example. At the same time he can turn a hard bop performance as in “Flip Top” into an amazing modal inquiry. There are sections where the bass playing by Jacky Samson is so intense that even the listener can’t avoid being propelled further into the beat. Overall Curson is able to wrap together formal jazz structures into exploratory tonal excursions full of elegance. This style certainly sets him apart from most players/composers of this time. --- liveinjazz.ge

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1. Spiderlegs (7:39)
2. Tears For Dolphy (7:59)
3. Typical Ted (7:08)
4. Greasy As A Porkchop (5:43)		play
5. Sugar 'N Spice (6:42)
6. Quicksand (11:27)

Ted Curson Nonet [Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 5]:
Ted Curson - Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet
Robin Kenyatta - Alto & Soprano Saxophones
Nick Brignola - Baritone & Tenor Saxophones, Saxello
Kenny Barron - Piano, Electric Piano
Herb Bushler - Bass, Electric Bass
Albert Heath - Drums
Butch Curson - Drums, Percussion
Lawrence Killian - Conga, Bell Tree
Chicky Johnson - Bongo, Timpani

Ted Curson Quintet [Tracks: 2, 6]:
Ted Curson - Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet
Robin Kenyatta - Alto Saxophone
Kenny Barron - Piano
Richard Davis - Bass
Albert Heath – Drums

Ted Curson reports: "The sessions sounded pretty good to me, but the next day when I went to listen to the tapes, Michael Cuscuna (the producer) said, 'Oh, did you know that Robin Kenyatta was here and he did all his solos over?'" - All About Jazz, 7 Dec. 2004.

This is such a great album. All tunes have Ted as a driving force throughout. Robin Kenyatta's reed mastery, in particular his alto tone adds to the impact. Kenny Barron's piano playing rounds off the tunes, with some delicate solo passages, and spurs on the rest of the players. When the Nonet gets a chance to play Nick Brignola in particular takes up the challenge and brings the compositions to life with his unique baritone & tenor sound. The rhythm section is faultless with all sorts of hip percussion taking place. The different styles between Herb Bushler and Richard Davis's bass is quite remarkable. Both are heard putting in some wonderful performances.

'Spiderlegs' starts it all off with a blast. The Ted Curson Nonet gets into full swing with some great backing coming from the reed players as the percussion and rhythm sections drive it all forward. In the next tune 'Tears For Dolphy' the Quintet jumps in with much softer tune verging on ballad where both Ted, Robin and Kenny weave their magic. Behind it all is Richard's hipnotic bass held together by Albert Heath on drums. The next composition 'Typical Ted' lures the Nonet back into action with a lively Latin Jazz piece. Kenny's electric piano sets the groundwork for some fiery interchanges. The bass and percussive teams compliment the soloists with a very tight conga and bongo backing. 'Greasy As A Porkchop' highlights Nick Brignola's baritone & tenor up against Ted's punchy horn. Robin as well gets in on the act. All the time Lawrence Killian’s conga keeps the pace. The skills of the percussionists are brought to the fore again in 'Sugar 'N Spice'. Here Ted centers the rest of the Nonet with some unique interplay, especially with Kenny and Albert. Finally the Quintet comes together again to showcase one of Ted's masterful compositions 'Quicksand'. His trumpet highlights some of the group’s high energy playing in particular Robin pushes the envelope. In addition Kenny gets a chance to add his expertise weaving a very lively solo followed by Richard' enthralling bass lines. This leaves Albert to place his mark. Ted's high pitched use of the piccolo trumpet works in with Robin's alto to wind out the composition. Overall this is well thought out and produced album. It is must for any Ted Curson fan.

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