Curlew

Curlew was a vanguard jazz band who helped define downtown New York's "Knitting Factory Sound" from the late 1980s through the mid-'90s. Led by saxophonist George Cartwright, their shows and recordings offered an infectious blend of punk-influenced jazz, mutant harmolodic funk, improvisation, roadhouse blues, and avant rock. Their 1980 self-titled debut featured cellist Tom Cora, guitarist Nicky Skopelitis, and bassist Bill Laswell, but the lineup changed often. Fred Frith played bass on 1985's North America, and 1991's Bee was the first to feature the iconic lineup of Cartwri...