Jay Crocker

Jay Crocker is a multi-talented musical explorer with a base camp in Calgary, Alberta. His journey comes with many hats, that of composer, arranger, producer, singer-song writer, collaborator, tinkerer and thirsty improviser. Originally schooled in Jazz, Jay has fashioned himself a successful, multi-faceted solo career that spans a large spectrum of styles, sounds and genres. Jay’s first solo pop recording “Melodies From The Outskirts” was released in 2006 to national critical acclaim, followed by a successful Canadian cross-country tour with his 9-piece genre-bending, avant-pop ensemble. “Melodies From The Outskirts” received airplay across Canada on Pop, jazz, roots and experimental charts alike and was named by the Calgary Herald as the city’s best indie release of 2006. Over the course of 2007, music from “Melodies from the Outskirts” was featured in a number of TV shows including “What about Brian”, “Degrassi TNG” and the iTunes version of “Scrubs” (Season 3). In January 2007, Crocker took his 9-piece band to Tuscon, AZ to record at the analog mecca ‘Wavelab Studios’. The album was engineered and co-produced by Craig Schumacher, who has worked with artists such as Devotchka, Calexico, Iron & Wine, Neko Case, and Howe Gelb. The new album takes a quantum leap forward bursting in all directions at the same time. The bands' ranks tightened, allowing Crocker to scale new heights with his arranging skills, which have bled into string quartets and quasi-Reich-ian guitar counterpoint. Along with the new album, currently scheduled for release in late summer/early fall of 2008, Crocker has a number of new projects with a myriad of local artists featuring his production, arranging and collaborative talents that have been or are tentatively set to be released this year. (see Projects page for more details) Crocker doesn't pay attention to styles or trends whether it's producing, composing experimental soundtrack music, writing and arranging his own idiosyncratic songs, lending his multi-instrumental talents to other artists, building homemade electronics, performing free Jazz and avant-garde music; he just makes music on his own terms. “Crocker’s got the spirit and unpredictability of John Lurie’s Lounge Lizards, but he presents a more accessible merger of avant-garde and pop-styles.” - Travis Richey, Exclaim magazine