The Clinton Curtis Band
(Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua & Colombia)
Genres:: Rock/Blues/Roots
Watch:: You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere / Freight Train / History of Dust
Website:: http://clintoncurtis.com
Connect:: Facebook / YouTube / Blog
THE CLINTON CURTIS BAND (NEW YORK, NEW YORK) was founded by songwriter Clinton Curtis in 2008 with the goal of uniting many numerous musical influences to create a modern interpretation of “American Roots Music.” The band draws from Gospel, Delta Blues, R&B, Soul, Dixieland, Jazz, Country, Folk, Funk, Rock, Reggae and Ska. Equally at home on the stages of concert halls and juke joints, the group has an endless repertoire of American standard blues and folk songs, in addition to several albums-worth of original material, penned by front man Clinton Curtis. Passionate about lending a hand to philanthropic and fundraising ventures, the group appears regularly for New York City-based benefit concerts and projects. In 2010, they recorded and released the original song “History Of Dust,” the proceeds from which were donated to the cause of earthquake-related health giving aid on the ground in Port Au Prince, in collaboration with Partners In Health.
CLINTON CURTIS (GUITAR/KEYBOARD/BASS) is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator and passionate student of American musical heritage and history. Raised between the islands of Key West and Jamaica, he is the son of musicians and former reggae hall owners. Clinton formed his first group “The Remaining Ten” at age twelve: a ten-piece rhythm and blues band comprised of Key West students and local gigging pros. In 2002, Clinton moved to New York City to study at New York University, focusing on musical performance and American Musicology. Clinton’s musical career has covered a broad reach; his classical and choral-singing life has taken him through Europe, Canada and the Caribbean. He made his Carnegie Hall choral debut in 2008, with the San Francisco Symphony and has since appeared with a list of New York-based groups including the American Symphony Orchestra, The New York Choral Artists, Riverside Choral Society, and the New York Philharmonic under Alan Gilbert and Kurt Masur for seven concerts in 2011.
JUSTIN GOLDNER (BASSIST/GUITARIST) harbors a deep passion for groove, culture and connections. Born outside Philadelphia, Justin began teaching himself guitar at age 13 and immersed himself in all the music he could find, from blues and funk to bluegrass, hip-hop, Latin-American, Afro-beat, gospel, reggae, Balkan, flamenco, Arabic, and Greek music. At New York University, Justin combined studies in classical and jazz guitar and piano with a deep love for the bass. In recent years, his muse has led him to Egypt, Abu Dhabi and South Africa, where he has performed and educated, exchanging experiences and music with others from across the world. He has been privileged to make music with the likes of household names Frankie Avalon, Paul Shaffer and Lenny Pickett to jazz and classical virtuosi John Scofield, Richard Bona and Mark O’Connor, as well as his mentor, Meshell Ndegeocello.
LIANA STAMPUR (VOCALS) is a singer, songwriter and early childhood music educator who hails from New York City, where she grew up immersed in an eclectic array of music. Liana’s love for world music and Latin cultures led her to Bolivia where she led workshops in Cochabamba in collaboration with Colectivo Katari, a teaching artists collective. With a 2010 grant from the Scripps Foundation, she returned to Cochabamba to record Desde Los Suenos, Bolivia’s first bilingual children’s album, in collaboration with Clinton Curtis, Bolivian singer Marcelo Arias, and Colectivo Katari; the album debuts original music along with traditional US and Bolivian folks songs. Liana also plays piano, harmonica and various percussion instruments. She received her BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is enrolled in the Early Childhood Masters program at Bank Street college of Education.
ANDREW MCLEAN (DRUMMER) was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. A first generation Jamaican-American, he embarked on a life of music through his church as a drummer at the age of 6. He was also a member of the choir and could be heard drumming for his church choir on WQHT 1520 AM Radio every Saturday afternoon. His work as a church musician lead to constant travel throughout the East Coast, playing with artists like Kelly Price and James Hall, and opening for gospel artists such as Tye Tribbett & GA. Under the tutelage of famed conguero Willie “Timba” Rodriguez, he became fluent on the congas and timbales. In 2011, he was one of ten producers and DJs picked by the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra to remix the finale of Beethoven’s third symphony, “Eroica”.
GRAY REINHARD (KEYBOARD/GUITAR/ VOCALS) has performed and recorded with dozens of bands and artists ranging in genre from Classical to Jazz to Hip-hop and Pop. Gray’s dexterous musical abilities have led him to a diverse group of musical settings. In December 2011, he performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and choir, as a featured pianist in “Jingle Bell Doc with the Minnesota Orchestra,” conducted by Doc Severinsen, Gray’s grandfather. Most recently, Gray performed alongside Garland Jeffreys and Bruce Springsteen at the Light of Day benefit concert for Parkinson’s Disease.
EZRA BROWN (SAXOPHONE) uses his musical style to transform a mere story to a lyrical moment. This style makes him a much sought after force among his contemporaries. As saxophonist, keyboardist, music director, and arranger, he has collaborated with a broad spectrum of industry greats. He has worked with an impressive list of Grammy Award winning artists – Cassandra Wilson, John Forte, Dorothy Moore, Charlie Daniels and Miki Howard. Constantly fine-tuning his artistic expression, Ezra is currently involved in several projects. He serves as music director for Blue Nefertiti; as a member of The Mighty Embassy Ensemble for up-and-coming hip-hop artist Blitz the Ambassador; and as a band member for Cheryl Pepsii Riley at The Village Underground in New York City, the top R & B open mic night in the country. You can hear Ezra on MTVu’s Live Sessions, where he is featured with Blitz the Ambassador and John Forte “Breathe” video on MTVu, and on ESPN World Cup 2010 playlist Blitz the Ambassador’s “Something To Believe In”.