JIM KURZDORFER - BMHOF CLASS OF 2001

Musician and educator Jim Kurzdorfer left behind a lasting legacy as both a player and a teacher. Kurzdorfer was the original bassist for the internationally recognized jazz-fusion legends Spyro Gyra. Jim played a crucial role in the band's early success in the 1970s, as his Buffalo-based group headed toward superstardom. Jim’s many other career highlights included playing with Thelonius Monk, Herbie Hancock, the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Eric Clapton's bands.  

Kurzdorfer studied double bass at the New England Conservatory in Boston, earned a music performance degree from the University of Buffalo, and held a master's degree in music theory from the University of Buffalo.   

 This 6’-5’ bass player’s last name ironically meant “short villager.” But Jim’s long-time Villa Maria College music students called him “Mister K.” He directed the annual jazz summer camp for high school jazz musicians at Villa Maria, and was posthumously granted Professor Emeritus status at the College, after he lost his battle with cancer and passed away on April 26, 2011.   

At his memorial in the Villa Maria auditorium, the performers included some of Buffalo's greatest all-time jazz talents: Bobby Jones, Bobby Militello, Rick Straus, Paul Fadale, Steve Parisi, Lew Custode, and Jerry Livingston. Mr. Jones mentioned that Jim was always “first call” (an organizer's first choice when assembling an ensemble), and that Jim's absence was much more noticeable than most people's presence.

 Jim Kurzdorfer left a lasting impact on the Western New York music community. He is remembered as a gifted and versatile player, as well as a supportive and encouraging mentor to his students, who were encouraged to “find your own voice.”