The Jazz Passengers

The Jazz Passengers formed in the late '80s as part of the avant-garde jazz scene based at New York City's Knitting Factory and worked regularly throughout the '90s. Founded by hornmen Roy Nathanson and Curtis Fowlkes, the band included a shifting cast of musicians renowned for their session work, like Marc Ribot, and other mainstays of the downtown NY scene. Bringing a freewheeling sense of humor to experimental jazz, they had a wide appeal aided by vocal contributions from the likes of Debbie Harry and Elvis Costello, and became one of the best-selling avant-jazz groups.