Saxophonist Caleb Wheeler Curtis joined Spotlight On as a guest in August 2023 as part of his duties with EMBER, the Brooklyn, NY-based collaborative trio that includes Curtis (alto saxophone, trumpet) as well as Noah Garabedian (bass), and Vinnie Sperrazza (drums).

Now he's back with his most ambitious project yet and the first single from it is out now. "This Cult Does Not Help" is available to stream or download, with the full album up for preorder on Bandcamp.

This double album is split into two distinct halves. The first, Bears and the Invention of the Battery, features Curtis' working trio with bassist Sean Conly and drummer Michael Sarin. It's mainly original compositions, with Curtis playing stritch, trumpet, sopranino, and tenor saxophone.

The second half, Raise Four: Monk the Minimalist, takes on Thelonious Monk's repertoire. Curtis teams up with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Justin Faulkner for this raw, stripped-down exploration of Monk's work.

Curtis' approach to this project is intriguing. He's embracing imperfection, particularly in his newer instrumental pursuits like trumpet. "It's a willingness to be fragile and imperfect, and it can humanize you in front of an audience," he explains.

Curtis has a full dance card of live dates as he promotes the album and hits the road with several of his other ensembles. The latest itinerary is available here.

EMBER are a jazz trio with a collective mindset

This podcast conversation with jazz combo EMBER explores the heady thematic elements of their music: humanism, community, place, and the importance of being a band of equals.

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