The Jazz Passengers [extended]

• Broken Night/Red Light [Disques de Crepuscle, 1987] B+
• In Love [High Street, 1994] *
• Individually Twisted [32 Records, 1997] A-
• Live in Spain [32 Records, 1998] **
• Fire at Keaton's Bar and Grill [Six Degrees, 2000] *
• Sotto Voce [Aum Fidelity, 2006] *
• Subway Moon [Yellowbird, 2009] **

See Also:

• The Jazz Passengers Featuring Deborah Harry
• Roy Nathanson
• Roy Nathanson, Curtis Fowlkes and the Jazz Passengers

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Roy Nathanson, Curtis Fowlkes and the Jazz Passengers: Broken Night/Red Light [Disques de Crepuscle, 1987]
Sax man Nathanson is the second-best composer and best improviser (though not player) in the Lounge Lizards, trombonist Fowlkes his fellow traveler. Here they indulge their fondness for jazz of the real variety without sacrificing their sense of humor or taste in packaging. The tunes are warm but never corny, a distinction lost on the brothers Lurie. The free passages are kept to a modest minimum. The covers include a health-food "Rascal You" and Yiddish "Speedo." B+

In Love [High Street, 1994]
artful artsongs, arty artsongs--nu? ("Dog in Sand," "Think of Me," "Imitation of a Kiss") *

The Jazz Passengers Featuring Deborah Harry: Individually Twisted [32 Records, 1997]
A friend of Roy Nathanson since long before this band began a decade ago, I've loved the Passengers on stage, where the saxophonist kept the interactions grooving like the comic actor he also is, and found their records arty. Here the artiest track is Elvis Costello's (and bassist Brad Jones's) long-lined "Aubergine," the runner-up "Imitation of a Kiss," originally the pick to click on In Love, counted the Passengers' pop move in 1994 because it had lyrics. From Nathanson and Harry's slantwise opener to Blondie's loopy closer, from David Cale's mock-'40s exotica to Nathanson's jump blues homage, its pleasures are various and manifest, and if they're over the head of the average Costello completist, that's because this pop move isn't aimed at any kind of average. Starting with the girl singer, it's real musicians tweaking real sophistication into something genuinely cooler--and warmer. A-

The Jazz Passengers Featuring Deborah Harry: Live in Spain [32 Records, 1998]
Who says a rock chick can't sing jazz music? ("Fathouse," "Dog in Sand"). **

Roy Nathanson: Fire at Keaton's Bar and Grill [Six Degrees, 2000]
The saloon of dreams goes up in smoke ("Bar Stool Paradise," "Jazz Night at Keaton's"). *

Roy Nathanson: Sotto Voce [Aum Fidelity, 2006]
Narrative with jazz, jazz as narrative ("By the Page," "It's Alright"). *

Roy Nathanson: Subway Moon [Yellowbird, 2009]
Jazz Passenger as subway passenger, in simple spoken word and typically tricky music ("Subway Noah," "Party"). **