About Curtis

“Curtis has an incredible sense of melody. He really knows exactly what to play. His harmonies are beautiful and expressively rich. It's just very cool. The way he weaves his melodies and chords, nobody plays like this. Nobody.”

— Three time Grammy-Award-winning international bass legend Mike Richmond
(www.mikerichmondmusic.com)

Jazz guitarist Curtis Forbes has quickly become recognized as a promising young talent with a unique voice, performing his stylish brand of blues, ballads, be-bop and jazz standards. Drawing from jazz influences ranging from Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell to Miles Davis and the Bill Evans Trio, Curtis exercises the sensitivity and patience of a great artist. Having studied piano and saxophone at an early age, he picked up the guitar in high school, studying mostly the blues and transcribing his first major influences such as B.B. King, Albert King, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan from the radio and his music collection.

Curtis has spent considerable time across the U.S. and on both coasts. He spent years performing and teaching while going to school in Austin, TX, then doing much of the same in Boston, MA, until graduating from the Berklee College of Music. Shortly afterward, Curtis became part of Seattle's illustrious jazz scene as both a performer and educator for years.

After moving to New York City, Curtis finished his masters at New York University with honors in Jazz Studies. While at NYU, Curtis studied with famed, brilliant saxophonist George Garzone, and studied double bass with grammy award-winning bassist Mike Richmond, both of whom he has performed with.

Curtis has established himself as a gifted musician, evoking a personalized sound reminiscent of influences, yet uniquely expressive. He performs regularly in and around the greater New York metropolitan and tri-state area with his own groups and as a side-man. You can catch Curtis Forbes performing weekly in Manhattan and the surrounding area with a host of top tier musicians like Mike Richmond (Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Mingus Dynasty), Linc Milliman (Maynard Ferguson, Marian McPartland, Jim Hall) and Neal Caine (Harry Connick, Jr. Elvin Jones Jazz Machine, Diana Krall), in addition to other greats. His weekly Sunday brunch at Camaje Bistro and Lounge was featured in the June 2007 edition of Travel & Leisure as a top concierge pick for New York City.

Curtis teaches classes in guitar and jazz history in addition to giving private lessons, and teaching ensembles in Greenwich, CT.