Jazz pianist and soprano saxophonist Joe Clark (Kurdle) was a graduate of the Julliard School of Music. He performed at Martick’s Bar, Blues Back Alley, and was a member of Bill Russo’s Rock Theater (1969-70) that performed at the Peabody Conservatory. He moved to Millbrook, NY where he formed a group of improvisational musicians and dancers called Entourage. The group performed music described as spiritual avant-garde Japanese influenced classical jazz pop. Locally the group consisting of Joe Clark with Rusty Clark, Michael Smith, and Wall Matthews could be heard at the Upstairs on Charles Street above the Classroom.
The group was commissioned by NY choreographer Murray Lewis to create a 2-hour original score for a ballet, based on the life of Cleopatra for the Royal Danish Ballet. Entourage traveled throughout the U.S. performing original music and dance worked based on “dream state imagery.” The show titled The Neptune Collection was commissioned to be turned into a television film by Nebraska Public Television and presented on national television as A Ceremony of Dreams. The recordings were produced at Flite Three Studios, produced by Scott Johnson.
Joe Clark passed away on 1983, as did Rusty in 1985.
Michael Smith continued to be active in the Washington D.C. area as a jazz drummer. Wall Matthews (see bio) continued to work as a composer and a producer for Clean Cuts Music in Baltimore and D.C.
The Entourage released two critically acclaimed albums on Folkways Records that are still available from the Smithsonian.
1973 Folkways 33866 Entourage
1976 Folkways 33870 The Neptune Collection
