The Ron McCurdy Collective
Gig Seeker Pro

The Ron McCurdy Collective

Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF

Los Angeles, California, United States | SELF
Band R&B Funk

Calendar

Music

Press


"Lister review: Ron McCurdy Collective at Spaghettini 12/8"

Lister review: Ron McCurdy Collective at Spaghettini 12/8
The Ron McCurdy Collective

Los Angeles is blessed with an abundance of world-class artists in many genres, and luckily the best of the best do seem to find each other. Listening to the ace musicians in the Ron McCurdy Collective is like ascending Miles Davis' Seven Steps to Heaven. Jazz maestro McCurdy fronts a killer ensemble featuring four vocalists whose love for singing, and especially singing this kind of music, shines through, matched note for crunchy note by their talent. Katie Campbell, Sharmila Guha, Fletcher Sheridan and Matt Falker trade leads with McCurdy's sweet muted trumpet, and they're equally impressive functioning as a vocal horn section or a seamless chord pad, sinking into the pocket of the tune without overpowering the instruments that build the groove.

And this band is tight. They could easily be the next generation, funkier Manhattan Transfer. I'm told that McCurdy's supremely capable rhythm section (keyboards, drums and bass, electric and upright) changes often, a real testament to the high level of musicianship this ensemble attracts (not to mention the quality of the charts he must have!). The group's energy is just right - not too showy but not too subdued. The repertoire includes Basie, the Yellowjackets, Betty Carter, a healthy helping of Miles Davis and special charts the singers (who often contribute arrangements) and McCurdy dig. And just when you think the jazz could be too smoov, they turn out the funk and pump up the groove. - Brynne Whitney Blogs


Discography

The Ron McCurdy Collective- April In Paris

Photos

Bio

The Ron McCurdy Collective

The Ron McCurdy collective is the brainchild of veteran educator and professor Ron McCurdy. As a musically and vocally gifted educator and performer, Ron has developed this new and exciting group. The collective combines the sounds of Ron’s soulful trumpet with a vocal quartet of some Los Angeles’ most gifted singers. The Ron McCurdy Collective will perform some of the best-known jazz standards and popular songs with a very contemporary twist. Swing, funk and spirited improvisations will excite the audience with this rare combination of jazz trumpet and vocals in the spirit of Take 6, Lambert Hedricks and Ross, NY Voices and Manhattan Transfer.

Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is professor of music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) and is Past-President of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE). Prior to his appointment at USC he served as Director of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at USC.

Ron released his first CD titled, “Once Again for the First Time” on the INNOVA label and is co-author of a vocal jazz improvisation series titled “Approaching the Standards”, published by Warner Bros. Ron is the director of the National Grammy Vocal Jazz Ensemble and combo, and also serves as Director of the Walt Disney All-American College Band in Anaheim, CA.

Ron has performed with a host of legendary jazz artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Terence Blanchard, Leslie Uggams, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schuur, Ramsey Lewis, Mercer Ellington, Dr. Billy Taylor, Maynard Ferguson, Lionel Hampton, and Dianne Reeves. Ron is a performing artist for the Yamaha International Corporation.

For more information, please visit his website: www.ronmccurdy.com