Curtis Stigers is turning to his musical idols as he tries to stake his claim as one of music’s great interpreters. Chris Price found out more.

With his long flowing hair and black blazer over a casual white T-shirt, the slickness of Curtis Stigers summed up everything about the early 1990s.

Yet the saxophone-playing singer-songwriter, touring his 11th studio album, is a clean-cut, sharp-suited silver fox with a relaxed, slow style.

“That has happened by accident,” said Stigers, 46, whose hits include I Wonder Why and (What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding.

“By playing music that moves me I have allowed myself to age gracefully. Now I wear a nice suit and I don’t have to go out and wear a waistcoat and try to act like I am still 18. Only a few people can pull that off and be a rock star. Mick Jagger is still able to do it.

“I have a manager to make sure I look all right. Hopefully I act my age and have kept my integrity.”

Integrity is an operative word with Stigers these days. His new album Let’s Go Out Tonight, which was released this week, aims to follow in the footsteps of the Idaho-born performer’s heroes like Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Tony Bennett.

He said: “They were singers who didn’t worry about what genre they lived in. Sinatra sang the blues, pop and then jazz, but the song always became a Frank Sinatra tune. With this tour I am trying to create a sound that is unique to myself but draws from lots of different places.”

Album tracks include Bob Dylan’s Things Have Changed, Crowded House’s Into Temptation, Michael Jackson’s You Are Not Alone and the title track, Let’s Go Out Tonight, by The Blue Nile. There is one original song, Everyone Loves Lovers, but this album is a push to stake Stigers’ claim as one of the great interpreters of classic songs.

“My intention was to make beautiful music and they are all great songs with stories,” he said. “That is the difference between this record and previous records.

“It actually lives in its own world between jazz, pop, soul and folk. I tried to be less mindful of what kind of music it is and worry more about whether it is honest, emotional and beautiful. We went after the 10 most beautiful songs we could find.”

On stage Curtis performs updated versions of his classic hits with his new material, claiming his live versions are not “early 1990s power pop”.

He said: “Playing live is what I live for. I have got two important things in life: my daughter and getting to play music. I would be doing this in subway stations for coins if I was not getting paid. I love singing songs and telling stories. It is what I was born to do. I like making records, but it is getting out and singing to people which motivates me.

“This record sounds a little different but I still play stuff from my other jazz records and I Wonder Why and (What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding. They are songs people know me for and there is always a part of the crowd who have come out to see me play those songs. I can experiment for the rest of the night.”

Film soundtrack that made its mark

It was his appearance on the soundtrack to The Bodyguard which cemented Curtis Stigers’ little place in music history.

His cover of Elvis Costello hit (What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding made a fortune for its songwriter, pub rock legend Nick Lowe.

Stigers said: “The movie was OK but the soundtrack was fantastic. I was so lucky to be asked to do it. No one realised it was going to sell 40 million copies. What I am most thankful for is doing that record made a friend out of Nick Lowe. He is a great pal of mine and I am glad that hit played an accidental part in allowing him to fulfil his artistic aspirations. I like his early stuff but the past five albums he has made are the best in my record collection.”

An Evening with Curtis Stigers comes to Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre on Sunday, April 1. Box office 01227 787787. He will then perform at Tunbridge Wells’ Assembly Hall Theatre on Monday, April 2. Box office 01892 530613. Tickets £22.50.