Usually in a story you start with the start, or a prologue of some kind, but, as I started to write this part that way, it struck me as not quite right to do it like that.

Curlew has been around for a 'long time' some say, but to me the present day version is as exciting and fun as any version that has been. Lots of famous and semi-famous people have been in the band. And it's always been a huge pleasure to hand my compositons to them and see the music grow and explode into somthing I had no idea it would be.

Like Paul Haines once said "The greatest mistake you can make is to follow your ideas to their logical conclusion."

Is there any one around silly enough to tell Davey Williams how to play guitar??? Well, ok, I did once or twice, but as a concept, rather that a momentary personal anxiety, it's still silly.

Anyway, if you're interested in Curlew you can see the recordings on the discography page of this web site. Or go to the Cuneiform web site . More good stuff there.

Then Curlew changed a lot over the years, sort of. But the basic concept came from Ornette:to be melodic, danceable, strong , clear and (more my idea) messy has remainded. And I mean 'danceable' in a , uh, creative kind of way with toe-tapping as an intergral part of that too. The ideas and inspiration came from everywhere. Not just Ornette ( I remember when I first moved to NCY in 1979 being in the Soho Book Store on Spring St , with my ALTO, and in walks who but Ornette. I went and waited (hid) in the 'westerns section until he left. Later I got a call from Bill Laswell to come and rehearse with Ornette, and to bring my ALTO. So I did. We ended up playing songs by Roberta Baum with arrangements by Ornette. Quite a thrill for me. But wait a minute, I was talking about Curlew. Anyway , I like that Curlew band, and I like the members in it now.

Their names are:

Bruce Golden (my oldest longest being musical pal), drums and such and electrionics;

Davey Williams (even tho he missed the last cd, he'll be back) guitar.

Dean Granros , guitar;
Hummm, Davey AND Dean?
Was Davey and Chris Cochrane.
Davey, Dean AND Chris? Could happen one day

Chris Parker( Memphis via Little Rock sock'em pal), piano and keyboards;

Fred Chalenor (Seattle/Portland spirit and old NYC via Chris Cochrane buddy), bass; and ME lucky ME on saxophones.