Joshua Crumbly, jazz bassist, sat in to accompany a few entertaining tunes with one of my favorite groups, ZZAJ, last weekend, providing me with a welcome change of pace from other life matters. The full round sound of an upright acoustic bass he was playing, has special significance to me since my husband’s avocation was playing the instrument professionally with his own groups, other musicians, occasionally backing celebrity performers who came to the Columbus, Ohio area. I’ll be sharing more information about Josh in the future.
Josh has been visiting his parents on a break from Juilliard Schools renowned Music Division a “…Private conservatory offering programs through the Divisions of Dance, Drama, and Music from its campus at Lincoln Center in New York City.” Juilliard has “… some 600 students from more than 40 countries. Its distinguished faculty includes internationally renowned soloists, chamber, and orchestral musicians…Among them are recipients of Pulitzer Prizes, Grammy and Academy Awards.”
Josh has been developing his musical skills from an early age through high school, continuing to receive many wards including the Ruth Nadel Award at the Stanford Jazz Festival, 1st Place at the Duke Ellington Society Awards. Here he is on acoustic upright bass playing in a jazz quartet of piano, drums and keyboard at The Music Center’s Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County 2009 Spotlight Awards.
I’m always keenly interested in the many individual young people and musical groups committed to perpetuating jazz’s continuance for long after I’m gone and future generations – they give me great pleasure and satisfaction. Josh is definitely one of those young jazz musicians beginning to realize a promising future.
You can follow Josh’s career, listen to more of his music, and track his itinerary of appearances on his new web site still under construction: joshuacrumbly.com
Go to the "listen" link to hear several tunes including one of my favorites: "Caravan."
Most recently he performed at the Playboy Jazz Festival. He's been appearing with Terrence Blanchard and earlier this month was at NYC's Birdland Jazz Club. In a few days he'll be in Taipei, China with Blanchard's Quintet at Kai-Shek Concert Hall.Let's charter a plane and all go, but I don't know if concert tickets are still available.
Josh's career plans in music will include appearing "solo, touring, recording, producing and writing." Enjoy his music and remember this name ---- JOSH CRUMBLY !
