With the advent of DJ's and disco music Dennis took to the road and became musical director for Billy Paul, traveling around the world for over five years. With a desire to be more at home and less in hotel rooms he discovered he enjoyed teaching and started a second career as an educator. Understanding the importance of having your own, He began recording and producing. In 1990 he formed "The Dennis Fortune Trio" featuring Michael Cruse on bass and Pete Vinson on drums Their first CD "Follow Your Heart" was very successful and included his compositions, "Follow Your Heart" and "Sojourn".
The group's name changed to Fortune Vinson Cruse, and their next album was produced by T.S.Monk and Charles Fambrough. They recorded several other CDs including the most recent, Sunny Nights. Fortune Vinson Cruse performed at numerous venues, concerts and festivals including The Mellon Jazz Festival, Peco Energy Jazz Festival, The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Sunoco Welcome America Festival, The Sunset Jazz Series, Birdland NY. Zanzibar Blue, Philadelphia. They opened for acts such as Spyro Gyra, Kim Waters, Najee, Ronnie Laws, Norman Brown. Dennis continued to broaden his career and was selected as the pianist for the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival's production of The Duke Ellington Sacred Concerts.
He wrote and produced the music for the WHYY television special "Four Presidents, the Great American Clean Up", scored the music for a production of the play, "The Four Poster" starring Jasmine Guy and Keith David, and composed music the the CD "Celebrate Kwanzaa" He was awarded the Delaware Division of the Arts Fellowship for jazz composition. and also records and performs with Dr. Donald Byrd. He teaches at the Christina Cultural Arts Center, the Music school of Delaware and is currently an adjunct professor of music at Drexel University.
"We started a band called Prelude Ensemble. We played everything from Chick Corea to Heatwave, jazz standards to funk. We played all the music we liked" Dennis Fortune
....When I saw and heard Dennis play some of his original compositions I discovered they were accepted just as well as as the familiar jazz standards included in the concert. This was a tribute to the compositional skills of Dennis...."
Bob Perkins, WRTI Radio
"... Dennis Fortune on piano is just amazing and one of the most impressive piano solos I've heard in all my life...." Solo Express CD Review - Sistah Girls Lament - Raye Jones Avery artist
"Manifest III feels like after a long journey, returning home" Dennis Fortune
Dennis Fortune
Dennis' musical journey began under the tutelage of his mother, a very talented musician herself. She started his instruction at age six . While in elementary school he became one of original members of the All Philadelphia Boys Choir. Growing up steeped in classical music was wonderful training, however he had other musical interests as well. He attended Dickinson College graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. After graduation, he played with several local bands and recording artists including the Delphonics, Ester Satterfield, Norman Connors, Jean Carne among others. During this period he met Michael Cruse and Gerald "Twig" Smith.
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