KRYZSTAL profile picture

KRYZSTAL

About Me


Been recording my album. It has been amazing working with Ben Mars, Ryan Anselmi and Aaron Steele. Just brilliant cats. Lately, been collaborating with my dear friend José James on his new album... things are cookin' in ways that make the muses weep... things is sick in this musical realm... prepare for what looks like to be a great release for 2009. José's album "The Dreamer" was named one of the top 50 Jazz Albums of 2008 by Jazz times... I was blessed to have been a part of that project... Respect to all in 09... Lets manifest the powers in a post-Bush world!!!
Rising artist Ryan Blum-Kryzstal is forging new territory in contemporary music combining soul, jazz, blues, folk, electronica and world music to create a sound that is rooted in the here and now. Armed with a powerfully deep voice, hypnotic songs and a smashing ensemble, Blum-Kryzstal is an artist to listen out for...
Originally from the border town of McAllen, Texas, Ryan has lived many lives in LA, San Francisco and Austin Texas. Now based in Brooklyn, Ryan has worked as a vocalist, pianist, composer and collaborator with groups ranging from the electronic supergroup OHN, pop-soul group Shell and rising star, vocalist, José James. Blum-Kryzstal co-wrote, arranged and performed the song "Love" and arranged and performed on the classic hip-hop track "Park Bench People" on José James' album, 'The Dreamer' recently released on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Label. Though he is not in the actaul video, his keyboard sounds are... check the video for Park Bench People.
Ryan Blum-Kryzstal will be releasing his EP in the Spring of 2009.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 17/01/2005
Band Members: Ryan Blum Kryzstal - piano and voice, Ryan Anselmi - Tenor Sax, Flute, Reeds, Ben Mars - Bass and Aaron Steele - Drums
Influences: Robert Johnson, Tom Waits, Marvin Gaye, Jeff Buckley, Sade, Johnny Hartman, Billie Holiday, Bob Dylan, Mohammed Abdul Wahab, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Outkast, Telefon Tel Aviv, Tipper, Boards of Canada, Neptunes, Neruda, Rimbaud, Lorca and José James.
Sounds Like: me
Type of Label: Major

My Blog

Keep on Pushin'

As Curtis would say... Keep on Pushin'I've been wanting to make my own album for many years now...And over the weekend I banged out the vocals for what will be my first EPA Rage of Love.I want to give...
Posted by on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:07:00 GMT

Recording my EP - 7 songs...

Been recording the past 2 weeks... late nights...The process of making music and making music sound the way you want it to sound by recording it are two very different processes.The laws of physics, t...
Posted by on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:31:00 GMT

Muse-Sick

Its a crazy. Freakish. Surreal. Ridiculous time right now in the world.It feels like so much is teetering on hind legs...Gotta keep on that balance... as easy as it may sound... it is not...So. It bri...
Posted by on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:18:00 GMT

Peas and Hominy: What does it mean?

Hominy or nixtamal is dried maize (corn) kernels. Hominy is a grit. You can put it gumbo because it wants to be connected with things other than itself. Hominy can be breakfast... in the form of what ...
Posted by on Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:54:00 GMT

Obama

I have always believed that America has yet to be America. Like that Langston Hughes poem says... That our nation is still in a state of becoming because the idea of itself was greater than it could b...
Posted by on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:02:00 GMT

The creative process

Writing and composing my album has been at times an automatic process and at times, pushing a boulder up a mountain... It is very hard work...Which come first? Lyrics? Chords? Melodies?For years, I ha...
Posted by on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:15:00 GMT

Thirteen ways of looking at a Piano

IThey are shaped by hands.Three dense stringswound in fusioncomprise each note.It can take a year or moreto forge a fine piano.IIShe sang the saddest songI had ever heardand kissed my eyelidswhile the...
Posted by on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:28:00 GMT

Hustling & Creating: Writing and Recording

I am preparing to go into the studio to record my EP to be released this Fall around October/November of 08.I have written some new songs and I am arranging some others by artists like Tom Waits, Jeff...
Posted by on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:16:00 GMT

Hustling and Creating: R.I.P. John Farr

I just found out that a very important figure in my life was murdered Monday. He was an old teacher from high school.His name is John Farr. He was my teacher for 4 years in High School and was an inte...
Posted by on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT

Hustling + Creating Vol. 1: The Spirit

Last night I performed with my band at Bello Sguardo in New York.And I had like an out of body experience.The spirit got me and took me out but kept me connected.My band. Ben Mars, Aaron Steele, Ryan ...
Posted by on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:02:00 GMT