About Me
Jeff Crouch (b. 1978) has been studying and performing music since 1980. At age five, he began playing the cello and did that until he got his first trumpet at age nine. Crouch (aka thesic kness) holds degrees from the University of Georgia (Bachelors in Music Education) and the California Institute of the Arts (MFA,African-American Improvisational Music). Crouch has studied trumpet with Dr. Edward P. Sandor, Fred Mills, John Almedia, and John Fumo. He studied composition and improvisation with Wadada Leo Smith, Charlie Hayden, Susan Allen, Vinny Golia, and Leroy Jenkins. Crouch, a member of ASCAP since 2003, has written pieces for every setting from solo trumpet music, industrial music, rock music, Avant Guard/Improvisation ensembles, acoustic/electronic quartets, and even a four movement composition for Orchestra, Choir, and Improvisation ensemble. He has performed with 95 lb. lapdog, the HEAP (formerly the H.E.A.P. Project), Diet Echo, the real CIA, Susan Allen, Vinny Golia, Killick Erik Hinds, Kris Tiner, Bill Clarke, Jason Mears, the Industrial Jazz Group, KOLA (Kreative Orchestra of Los Angeles), the Georgia Guitar Quartet, Fred Mills, Tim Morrison, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Band, the 37th Georgia Regimental Band, the Crouch/Lawless Jazz Quintet, the CalArts Orchestra and Improvisation Ensemble, Verge, Uncle Mumps, Mother Jackson, Mark and the SuperNowaks, Muy Tumi hwats, The Moscow Radio Orchestra, Dave Rempis, the SS Puft Quartet, and many others. 95 lb. lapdog and The HEAP are his two most regular gigs. Best known for his trumpet work with SS Puft, Crouch has received praise of musicians and critics around the globe. SS Puft released 3 albums on the Athens, Ga based label, Solponticello Records label as well as having Crouch's free jazz ode to Arnold Schoenberg, "Blues for Arnold" on the 2002 Athfest CD (Ghostmeat Records). Crouch and his trumpet have been featured on records from Casper and the Cookies, Venice is Sinking, Bill Doss, Henselle and Kensly's "Wiggly Biggly Toes", Jeremiah Cymerman's Big Exploitation, and (with 95 lb lapdog) has music on Old Man's Hands productions adult movie "Kill Girl Kill 3" have all featured Crouch. Recently, Crouch lent his skills to Dr. Fink (of Prince and the Revolution) for his newest recordings.
