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Jon Crowley: I Walk Amongst Humans
by Nicholas F. Mondello
There are recordings that seem to be made for the practice of looking out a window on a rainy day. I Walk Amongst the Humans" by trumpeter Jon Crowley accurately fits that bill. It is a recording which exhibits a poetic nature through thought-provoking originals that are a platform for fine group interplay and superb improvisations. Crowley is an insightful player and composer who is all about textures here, as well as on his prior fine efforts. ...
read moreJon Crowley: The Rehumanization EP
by Nicholas F. Mondello
The EP" tag sitting on the title of trumpeter Jon Crowley's The Rehumanization EP is an obvious abbreviation for Extended Play." Given an extended listening, it might be more apt to be interpreted as exceptionally pleasing" or exceptional performance." Both descriptions precisely fit this, Crowley's third release as leader. And, it is just as terrific as its two predecessors. With The Rehumanization EP Crowley, originally from the fecund musical womb of jny: Philadelphia--and now a Brooklyn resident--continues ...
read moreJon Crowley: At the Edge
by William Carey
It's a shame that the word fusion" has gone out of vogue. More than that, it seems to carry a bit of a negative connotation to many people nowadays. This seems odd, since so much of what is going on in jazz at the moment is firmly in the tradition of that once proud genre. So many players, such as drummer Brian Blade and bassist Drew Gress, not only adopt more of a rock approach in having a band, but ...
read moreJon Crowley: At the Edge
by Nicholas F. Mondello
There's a mysteriously haunting and melancholic presence to trumpeter Jon Crowleys At the Edge. In a way, the elongated melodies, tonal shadings and ensemble colorings seem Impressionistic; there are layers of sound--textural gemstones, displayed via minimalist melodic segments, like a beautiful haiku. All thirteen of At the Edge's cuts are Crowley originals. His composer's pen lays broad, wide strokes with subtle flair. While the general format is subdued, a relaxed tension permeates the presentation. This is thoughtful ...
read moreJon Crowley Quintet: Connections
by Nicholas F. Mondello
In what might be the most perfectly titled CD of recent memory, Connections is a fine effort by talented trumpeter/ composer Jon Crowley and his exciting group. While Crowley might not be a household name just yet, this release announces, anoints and validates him as a fine jazz performer, writer and leader. What Crowley writes and plays connects solidly throughout with ten selections that seem to resonate with each other somewhat texturally, if not intellectually. There's a ...
read moreJon Crowley Quintet: Connections
by Bruce Lindsay
On the evidence of its debut, Connections, the New York-based Jon Crowley Quintet has huge potential. The ten tracks, all composed by leader and trumpeter Crowley, are immediately accessible but have sufficient depth and complexity to reward repeated listening. The band's technical ability is uniformly strong, but technique never takes precedence over an emotional connection with the music--the result is a mature and thoughtful album that belies the youth and relative inexperience of the musicians. Although Crowley ...
read moreTake Five With Jon Crowley
by Jon Crowley
Meet Jon Crowley: Forward-thinking trumpeter and composer, Jon Crowley was born in Malvern PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, in 1982. He began studying the trumpet at age six with Elin Frazier, a student of Carmine Caruso. While in high school he developed an interest in Jazz and began attending local jam sessions and sitting in with various musicians around Philadelphia. Jon spent the next four years attending Muhlenberg College, studying Jazz with Charles Fambrough and John Swana. After Graduating with ...
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