Reinvention Sometimes Is Just Being Who You Really Are


Just over a decade ago, Curtis Stigers was living the popstar dream that serves as the highest goal for many performers. A platinum album, hit singles, international tours with Elton John and Eric Clapton and featured spots on big studio soundtracks would seem to be the stuff of dreams, but while he's been very successfully marketed, Stigers was much more than a pop marketing phenomenon. He was, first and foremost, a musician, a veteran performer who had moved from Boise, Idaho bar bands (where he also fell under the tutelage of jazz great Gene Harris) to the lounges of Manhattan. Stardom was all well and good, but he had an artistic vision of his own, and the artistic talent to realize it.
Problem was, his dreams weren't the kind the Arista Records bean counters were inclined to support; so he set about the task of tearing down the career they'd laid out for him and re-establishing himself as a jazz singer. With the release of his third album for Concord Records, You Inspire Me, that transition seems to be pretty complete. While he may not play the big stages or sell the big numbers that were available to him in the pop world, he's making one great record after another. While his transition from pop star to jazz performer may be complete, though, his growth as an artist and performer continues, with the new release displaying an artist who has enough command of the tradition he works in to take wide ranging liberties with that tradition. You Inspire Me is Stiger's riskiest album, and arguably his best.
We talked about the career, the recording and jazz in general.


Go here to to catch the rest of this.

In the meantime the current news from the very talented Mr. Stigers follows:


Hello Everyone.

On Tuesday March 21st I'll be performing with my band in an exciting concert in Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center - New York City's celebrated new concert hall for all things jazzy. We'll be sharing the stage with jazz great, Wynton Marsalis. It should an exciting and diverse evening of music and I hope you can join us.

Call 212-721-6500 or visit the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, say "jazz25" and save 25% on the performance! (discounts do not apply to Internet purchases)

This concert will also be a great warmup for our upcoming tour. We'll be spending April cruising around the U.K. and Ireland. Check out my complete schedule to find out exact places and times.

See you on the road...
Cheers.
Curtis

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