press release - North America

Ever since it began on New York's Lower East Side in 1979, Curlew has been one of the brightest stars of new music's eclectic avant garde. Devoid of attitude and brimming with good humor, it unselfconsciously reigns as one of the most brilliant and important avant/ electric jazz/ North American fusion bands that America has ever produced. Over more than two decades, Curlew has released consistently high quality work that has been duely acclaimed by the music press. Option magazine, longtime U.S. arbiter of musical avant garde, acknowledged Curlew as "the best and most obstinately committed band to emerge from New York's Knitting Factory-based alternative music scene...". Recognition has come from as disparate sources as the venerable New York Times, who called Curlew "the best of the unsigned, genre-busting downtown groups", to the punk missive Butt Rag, who stated "Plain and simple, this group is titanic".

Curlew was founded by George Cartwright, the group's leader, saxophonist, and main composer. Besides his work for Curlew, in the course of his long music career Cartwright has released two solo CDs on Cuneiform and worked and/or recorded with artists as diverse as Ornette Coleman, Chris Stamey, David Thomas, Jad Fair, Fred Frith, Alex Chilton, Kip Hanrahan, and Bill Laswell. Cartwright's compositions for Curlew are at once direct and mysterious, possessing a clarity and focus that show both Ellington and Ornette assimilated in the most unique way. They provide room for the band's individual members to stretch out, improvise and leave their imprint. Curlew's sound has thus evolved with each new lineup. Over the years, Curlew's roster has included numerous key figures from music's avant garde, prompting its occasional reputation as a 'New Music All Star band.'

Two different Curlew lineups from the early and mid 1980s appear on the CD North America. As released on CD by Cuneiform, North America is a reissue of Curlew's second studio recording, an lp of the same name originally released only on vinyl in Europe in 1986, as well as 30' of previously unreleased live material. When it recorded North America in the mid-1980s, Curlew included some of the best-known names in the international new music scene. The late cellist Tom Cora, internationally reknown for his solo work and work with Skeleton Crew, The Ex and Nimal, was an integral member of Curlew until the early 1990's. On North America, Cora contributes fine performances and some superb compositions. Famed guitarist, composer and producer Fred Frith co-produced the North America lp with Cartwright and was also the band's bassist. Indeed, Curlew was the first band in which Frith played bass; for many years afterwards he was bassist for John Zorn's infamous Naked City group. Curlew's guitarist was Mark Howell, who performed in Fred Frith's guitar quartet in the late 1980's. Drum duties on North America were split between Rick Brown, who has a solo career and releases albums on the Thrill Jockey label with musician/vocalist Sue Garner, and Pippin Barnett. Barnett, of Richmond's Orthotonics and Switzerland's Nimal, remained with Curlew as its drummer for the next six years. North America also included guest performances by Polly Bradford (violin), Butch Morris (cornet), and Martin Bisi (percussion).

The previously unreleased live tracks, recorded at Mort's Place in 1983, feature a version of Curlew prior to North America. This earlier lineup included Cartwright and Cora as well as guitarist Nicky Skopelitis, who has worked closely with Bill Laswell for 20 years; drummer Anton Fier, previously of Pere Ubu and later of the Golden Palominoes; and bassist Otto Williams.

In 1988, a few years after North America's first release, the magazine Musician remarked: "That Curlew hasn't been signed by any of the "adventuresome" major labels is one of those inexplicable minor miracles". The majors' loss being the indie world's gain, Cuneiform has been proud to release all of Curlew's CD and video releases beginning with the band's 3rd album, and to now reissue its 2nd. Cuneiform recently released Meet the Curlews, Curlew's 8th and most recent release. The band is currently planning a tour of the Midwest US for fall 2002. Decades after its founding, Curlew continues to delight and inspire.

release:North America
label: Cuneiform