Theodore Curson (June 3, 1935 – November 4, 2012) was an American jazz trumpeter.

Life and career

Curson was born in Philadelphia. He became interested in playing trumpet after watching a newspaper salesman play a silver trumpet. Curson's father, however, wanted him to play alto saxophone like Louis Jordan. When he was ten, he gained his first trumpet. He attended Granoff School of Music in Philadelphia. At the suggestion of Miles Davis, he moved to New York in 1956. He performed and recorded with Cecil Taylor in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His composition "Tears for Dolphy" has been used in numerous films. He was featured in a profile on composer Graham Collier in the 1985 Channel 4 documentary, Hoarded Dreams. He was a familiar face in Finland, having performed at the Pori Jazz festival every year since it began in 1966. In 2007, he performed at Finland's Independence Day Ball at the invitation of president Tarja Halonen. A longtime resident of Montclair, New Jersey, Curson died from a heart attack in the township on November 4, 2012.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Bill Barron With Charles Mingus With Cecil Taylor With others