Bob Curnow
Bob Curnow (born in Easton, PA) was a trombonist with The Stan Kenton Orchestra, In 1973, he began a four-year stint as the A & R Director, arranger, composer, record producer and general manager for Kenton’s Creative World Records. He produced over 30 LPs for Kenton, and his arrangements and compositions can be heard on six Stan Kenton albums. His company (Sierra Music) is the exclusive publisher of the Stan Kenton Orchestra Library, along with the music of many other great jazz artists/composers. Curnow had the great honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame of the International Association of Jazz Education in January, 1999.
Curnow is a past-president of the International Association of Jazz Education. He served IAJE as an executive board member for fourteen years as treasurer, vice-president, president-elect, president and past-president. Bob is a graduate (1963) of West Chester State University (PA) and completed two Master’s degrees and all his doctoral studies at Michigan State University (1967). He has served as an adjudicator and/or clinician at jazz festivals in over 40 states and Canada in the past 30 years. From 1967 to 1973 Curnow was the Director of Instrumental Music at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. From 1976 to 1987 Curnow was the Director of Bands and Jazz Studies at California State University in Los Angeles Prior to that time, he taught at Michigan State University (1964-67) and Case Western Reserve University (1967-73).
He spent 22 years teaching at the university level and left full-time teaching with the rank of Full Professor. He has been a guest conductor of symphony orchestras and All-State Jazz Ensembles throughout the United States. For eight years (1981-89), Curnow served as the director of the McDonald’s All-American High School Jazz Band, His more recent activities include conducting and arranging the widely-acclaimed big-band recording of Pat Metheny music. The CD is Bob Curnow’s L.A. Big Band, The Music of Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays. The CD has gotten consistent rave reviews from all over the world.. In August of 2006, Bob conducted a Stan Kenton Tribute Band at the Hollywood Bowl. Bob co-led the band with Peter Erskine. Bob lives in Liberty Lake, WA with his wife of forty five years, Darlene.