Sat Jul 12
Le’Andra D. McPhatter - Keyboard/Piano
Al Strong - Trumpet/Flugel Horn
Devin Rauson - Tenor Saxophone/Flute
Thomas Owens - bass
Curtis McPhatter Jr. -Drums
Special Guest: Donovan Cheatham - Drums
Curtis McPhatter Jr, a drummer from Kinston, NC, began playing music in churches
and remained relentlessly proactive in his youth. Eventually, Curtis’s hunger for musical
knowledge led him to study at North Carolina Central University, where he would be an active member in multiple ensembles (including Big Band I & II, Marching Band, University Choir, etc) and receive tutelage from the legendary faculty members there such as Dr. Ira Wiggins, Branford Marsalis, Joey Calderazzo, Thomas Taylor and many others. Curtis' passion for music eventually led him to Harlem, New York where he is currently adding his extensive experience to the education system as a teacher as well as an exhilarating percussionist. Curtis (also known affectionately in many circles as 'CJ') has played with notable artists across genres such as Eric Wyatt, Benito Gonzalez, Stan Killian, m for the Indie Soul Band, “Olivia K & the Parkers”, and is the current drummer for the reformed “Trap Music Orchestra” led by the trumpeter Ryan Easter. While his appreciation for music has him continuously seeking out new stages, Curtis is committed to making sure his unique sound is felt all over the world, via recording sessions, tours around the world as a sideman, and leading his own unique projects. Curtis McPhatter is arguably one of the most motivated, enthusiastic, young musicians in the NYC music scene whose reverence and passion for music reverberates through the music he plays.