10 years have past since moving to New York, and it feels like 30!! Pursuing an open and more truthful approach towards playing the guitar, Chris is currently blowing, slipping, and sliding with his group the Fluid Trio. His Debut CD is currently available online at CDBaby.com
..........................................2007 to present CD REVIEWS.......................................
"This is one of the more original discs this reviewer has encountered in a long time, presenting free and indeed fluid improvisation as refracted through the instrumental prism created by electric plectrist Crocco." - John Stevenson - EJazznews
".....With his debut release, Crocco and his trio judiciously parallel the inference of the album title. Featuring sax giant George Garzone and drummer Francisco Mela, the music iterated here bridges finesse with power. Moreover, dynamics are poignantly distributed throughout these buoyantly executed pieces, while Crocco mans the lower register to occasionally compensate for the bassless format. Here, the guitarist and Garzone interweave soloing maneuvers as they render contrapuntal phrasings while trading fours atop semi-structured themes. Crocco frames a good portion of this set on an open-air platform, where the trio delves into latter-day Trane-isms amid movements where they engage in punchy unison choruses. In other regions of sound, the guitarist lays down a slow-tempo surf-rock type motif, whereas his dark-toned licks on “Sway†intimates sublime balladry. On the Wizard of Oz-culled “If I Only Had A Brain,†Crocco’s anthem-like reading is offset by Mela’s asymmetrically engineered, rumbling and tumbling pulses. In sum, the trio affords itself ample stretching room to coincide with an uncanny semblance of flexibility, brute force and progressive-jazz like expansion." - Glenn Astarita - Allaboutjazz
"The set ends with a solid solo performance by Crocco on his last original “Sand Rain.†The name of the group and the CD are somewhat apropos considering that the music flows gently with sparks of brilliance. A tight trio with unquestioned musicianship, their energy provides an engaging an impressive debut for Mr. Crocco." - Edward Blanco - eJazznews
"You'll find an interesting meld of instrumentation on the disc..Guitar, Sax, and drums, yet each consummate in their delivery. Leader & jazz guitarist Chris Crocco offers us a clear predominance of jazz guitar found in his ultimate musical expression for the music he has chosen. The combined group demonstrates a wide knowledge & versatility of our beloved jazz idiom as expressed through their improvisations. Unique stuff indeed!!" - George Carroll - Ejazznews
Chris currently teaches privately in New York City as well as frequent positions within the N.Y.U. Jazz Department, The New School Jazz Department, and Virginia Jazz Clinics and Improvisational Studies. Having been a long time friend and musician under the mentorship of George Garzone, Chris's fluidity on the instrument is uncompromising. While Leading a number of groups in New York City he has performed at every major jazz club including Birdland, Blue Note, Smalls, The 55 Bar, Kavehaz, and Cornelia St. Caf.., Siberia, Charlie O's, B.Smith's, Triad Lounge, Luxia, Deanna's Jazz Bistro, and Zanzibar. As well as performances with Dennis Irwin, George Garzone, Greg Tardy, Antonio Fara.., Frank Tiberi, Bob Gullotti, Francisco Mela, Ben Street, Pete Zimmer, Jeremy Allen, John Sullivan, Rick Margitza, Essiet Essiet, Gerry Gibbs, Eivind Opsvik, Charles Blenzig, Sean Conley, Jeff Davis, Tony Moreno, and Johannes Wallman.
His current group is called "The Fluid Trio", a bassless group at home in New York City, includes legendary saxophonist George Garzone, and Cuban native Francisco Mela on drums.Exploring every aspect of truth, this trio plays with a ferocity and freedom... swing and organic color....
Having performed all over NYC, The Fluid Trio is convincing people that beauty and strength can be found in small numbers. Every show is energized with the colors of life.
Chris is also featured on George Garzone's 2007 CD for Stunt Records, featuring Dennis Irwin and Pete Zimmer, entitled ONE TWO THREE FOUR!!
I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
