Sneaky Pete

King of the Sax

Champion Jack Dupree (piano & voclas), performs live at the Montreux Jazz Festival on June 17th 1971 with King Curtis (tenor sax), Cornell Dupree (guitar), Jerry Jemmott (bass), and Oliver Jackson (drums). Filmed two months before King Curtis’ tragic death.

King Curtis enjoyed playing jazz and rhythm & blues but decided he would make more money as a r&b musician, stating in a 1971 interview with Charlie Gillet that “I love the authentic rhythm & blues more than anything, and I also like to live well.” From the 1950s until the mid-1960s, he worked as a session player, recording under his own name and with others such as the Coasters, with whom he recorded “Yakety Yak.” Buddy Holly hired him for session work, during which they recorded “Reminiscing.” Holly wrote this song, but gave Curtis the songwriting credit for flying down to the session. His best-known singles from the period are “Soul Twist” and “Soul Serenade.”

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