Curtis Stigers: San Diego Serenade (Tom Waits)

Curtis Stigers and his band performing "San Diego Serenade" (Tom Waits) at the Stuttgart Jazz Open in 2008.
Curtis Stigers - vocals/sax
Matthew Fries - piano
John Scrapper Sneider - trumpet
Cliff Schmitt - bass
Keith Hall - drums

[@dhonuill]

I went to see this band in concert on Thursday. Unbelieveable musicianship by all the band members they were all just having fun, so relaxed but wow, they were good and for about the first time I listened to the lyrics sung so brilliantly by CS. I had mixed feelings when I left - one of musical fulfilment but one of envy that people could be so, so musical!

[@robertrighetti6478]

Thank you for posting this. I love it every time Stigers does a Waits song! He pulls together all the meaning and passion that the song contains! What a treasure in his voice!!!!

[@matseman46]

OMG!!! Two of my favorite artist Curis and Tom at once. Thank you!

[@s3dh3k]

Real Emotional, Curtis. Your hometown loves you, Baby!

[@lucianosegneri4823]

....meravigliosa interpretazione !!?👏👏👏👏👏👏❤❤❤❤

[@Darimusic13]

This is one fabulous song superbly performed. Curtis Stigers performed at the Wigan Jazz Festival in 2010 and thrilled a packed house. He included this song...in the audience was a young guy called AJ Brown who was just getting into singing. Twelve months later he included San Diego Serenade on his debut album 'On Song' (all because of Curtis Stigers) It's a very different version but is very very good. AJ Brown is on You Tube playing his own composition 'You Just Don't Love Me Anymore'

[@donnaandjoecragin1040]

Excellent and very enjoyable. Someday I will see you live Curtis.

[@moocowies]

curtis and his band, true emotion. outstanding muso.

[@mikeystrafford]

Did anyone ever hear this sing by Dion? It's soooo moving. Makes me cry - seriously Mikey xx

[@DiogoBritoeFaro]

What a great master dude!!

[@tsasa192]

Tom's not in hurry. Tom Waits!

[@Magemastrtom]

Great performance

[@Deathsiren]

I wanan go here somewhen

[@sabineheine7737]

Fantastisch!

[@sclogse1]

Nice...but Waits doing it on soundstage here on youtube is the bump.

[@LUMADY1]

bueno...un saludo desde frankfurt.-

[@erinjoseph5655]

Woof

[@Deathsiren]

Nice comeback, kid.

[@rolandhicks1874]

This is great. Puddles is more emotional. No offense, I love all Tom w

[@Deathsiren]

A nice rendition, but not close to Tom Waits' original. It misses the raw emotion.

[@rhyantoothbrush4417]

agree, but the unexpected turn of events with the sax solo blew me away. very, very capable rendition. im so happy too that im an 18-year-old in 2022, and it seems im the only one in my generation listening to him.

[@whiteGirl1966]

Curtis is a great singer. Also, a great human being. ❤

[@Deathsiren]

@bulbheadmyass Quite ok

[@debraholst7618]

great great performance. curtis sings this song way better, than tom waits. everyone, has there own style.love it.the band, does an excellent job......

[@sclogse1]

Not true. Waits blows this away.

[@whiteGirl1966]

That's your opinion.🎉

[@nicco47]

oooooh nasty...guess what, it is all about taste,and more importantly sincerity...you must be deaf probably due to the siren of the police chasing to arrest you for impersonating a human being.

[@dhally76]

you cant cover a tom waits song

[@52soanna]

O yes, Curtis can.

[@michaelcarmody9311]

yea nicco, he covers Waits in the same key, but the drummer needs brushes, the trumpet needs a mute, and the whole lot needs to just study Waits' music. Pianist needs to study that sloppy southern style arpeggio on left hand. The only way to cover Waits is in tribute - see Nancy Griffith's nice rendition of this song.

[@nicco47]

Really good vocal timbre yet delivery too pushed,too cabaret,spoken lyric does not work for him.Sax,again really good tone,(even though New York State of Mind solo entrance broke the magic)also too busy.Drums,military arrangement ill conceived too busy.Trumpet,beautiful tone,same for Bass,Piano solo too busy.The whole song was yet let down by the arrangement,especially the phrase in between verses sounded very Salvation Army. Very good players...lacking taste.

[@1972mrkleen]

nicco47 I agree totally. Curtis has a nice voice but it ends there.In Tom's performance you are drawn into the song & it touches you in places of regret that you try so hard to keep hidden , even from yourself.