BRUCE KATZ BAND
''CRESCENT CRAWL''
1992
50:06
1/Crescent Crawl
Bruce Katz/6:59
2/Just an Expression
Bruce Katz/3:28
3/Contrition
Lorne Entress / Bruce Katz/6:52
4/BK's Broiler
Bruce Katz/4:54
5/Buzz Cut
Bruce Katz/3:27
6/One Way Ticket
Bruce Katz/6:53
7/Boomer's Thing
Bruce Katz/5:05
8/Beast
Bruce Katz/4:49
9/Will It Go Round in Circles
Billy Preston/6:14
10/Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Traditional/1:25
Marty Ballou /Bass
Kevin Barry /Guitar
Lorne Entress /Drums
Bruce Katz /Organ, Piano
Bob Malach /Sax (Tenor)
REVIEW
by Ann Wickstrom
After many years as a side man, Bruce Katz stepped out on his own in 1992 to record Crescent Crawl. Although it is an all-instrumental album, Katz is the "frontman" on this recording, taking the spotlight -- and most deservedly so -- on both piano and Hammond B-3 organ. Crescent Crawl blurs the line between blues and jazz (the utilization of an upright bass assists in this effort). The title tune has -- as you would expect -- has a New Orleans groove. "Contrition" appeared on Ronnie Earl's Still River a few years later when Katz was a member of Earl's band, although this version is a bit more understated. Both "Contrition" and "BK's Broiler" feature Katz on the B-3. "Buzz Cut" is essentially a swing tune, but one with a funky feel thanks to guitarist Kevin Barry's rhythmic backing. Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles" is superb. Katz closes with a harmonically complex solo piano version of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," a tune he also included in every live gig in the early '90s. This disc is about loose definitions of blues and jazz, strong grooves, and, first and foremost, improvisation -- Just check out the Irish jig that suddenly dances from Bob Malach's sax on "One Way Ticket"!
ABOUT
Bruce Katz is a three time (2008, 2009, 2010) Nominee for the Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy Award) for "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year", selected by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN.
While Blues is a very important part of his music, Bruce's music has more angles and influences, occupying a unique space where blues, "soul-jazz", jam-band rock, and all aspects of Americana Music collide into a style of original music all his own. He is equally comfortable playing Hammond B-3 Organ and Piano.
Besides leading the Bruce Katz Band, Bruce co-leads the CKS Band and is currently a member of the Gregg Allman Band, the Delbert McClinton Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, and plays regularly with John Hammond and other artists as well.
Over the past twenty five years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, appearing on over 70 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, John Hammond, Delbert McClinton, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Little Milton, Maria Muldaur, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Mingus, Paul Rishell, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David “Fathead” Newman and many others.
Bruce has performed at festivals world-wide, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Notodden Blues Festival and many, many others.
Bruce has a lengthy background in classical piano. After hearing a Bessie Smith record when he was 10 years old, he started teaching himself blues and early jazz on the piano. He then heard boogie-woogie and swing music and continued his musical journey into more aspects of jazz and American roots music.
Bruce attended Berklee College of Music in the mid-1970s, studying Composition and performance. For the next fifteen years, he performed with many of the leading musicians in New England, and played “on the road” for long stretches of time. After a particularly long stint of touring in the late '80s with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, he decided to come off the road and enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and studied with Geri Allen, Paul Bley, Cecil McBee and George Russell. It was during this time that he conceived of and started writing music that became the Bruce Katz Band. Five months after graduation, he met Ronnie Earl, who soon invited him to join his band, The Broadcasters. During his nearly five-year stint with Earl, Katz toured the world and performed on six albums, writing and co-writing many of the tunes, such as "The Colour of Love," "Ice Cream Man," and "Hippology." The album “Grateful Heart” (Bullseye) won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Blues Album of 1996.
In 1992, Katz debuted his first solo album, "Crescent Crawl", on the AudioQuest label. He released "Transformation" the following year. Just before the release of "Mississippi Moan", his third solo album, Katz left the Broadcasters to concentrate on a solo career. At that point, the Bruce Katz Band began touring the U.S. and Europe, and has been his primary focus.
Bruce’s 2008 CD, “Live! At the Firefly" (Brown Dog Music/Vizztone) , was received with critical acclaim. The new CD rose to #11 on the National Living Blues Radio Chart, and received substantial play on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio Bruce has also been the subject of a recent feature story in Blues Revue magazine as well as reviews and features in Jazz Times, Downbeat and many major international blues and jazz magazines.
In addition to performing, Katz teaches piano, Hammond organ and theory privately at his studio in West Shokan, NY. He taught previously at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 14 years in the Harmony and Piano Departments. He also conducts Master Classes in Hammond B3 and Blues History, which he has done at various music festivals worldwide.
Formerly from Boston, Bruce has been based in Woodstock, NY since 2005.
The Bruce Katz Band maintains an active touring schedule throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.
''CRESCENT CRAWL''
1992
50:06
1/Crescent Crawl
Bruce Katz/6:59
2/Just an Expression
Bruce Katz/3:28
3/Contrition
Lorne Entress / Bruce Katz/6:52
4/BK's Broiler
Bruce Katz/4:54
5/Buzz Cut
Bruce Katz/3:27
6/One Way Ticket
Bruce Katz/6:53
7/Boomer's Thing
Bruce Katz/5:05
8/Beast
Bruce Katz/4:49
9/Will It Go Round in Circles
Billy Preston/6:14
10/Just a Closer Walk With Thee
Traditional/1:25
Marty Ballou /Bass
Kevin Barry /Guitar
Lorne Entress /Drums
Bruce Katz /Organ, Piano
Bob Malach /Sax (Tenor)
REVIEW
by Ann Wickstrom
After many years as a side man, Bruce Katz stepped out on his own in 1992 to record Crescent Crawl. Although it is an all-instrumental album, Katz is the "frontman" on this recording, taking the spotlight -- and most deservedly so -- on both piano and Hammond B-3 organ. Crescent Crawl blurs the line between blues and jazz (the utilization of an upright bass assists in this effort). The title tune has -- as you would expect -- has a New Orleans groove. "Contrition" appeared on Ronnie Earl's Still River a few years later when Katz was a member of Earl's band, although this version is a bit more understated. Both "Contrition" and "BK's Broiler" feature Katz on the B-3. "Buzz Cut" is essentially a swing tune, but one with a funky feel thanks to guitarist Kevin Barry's rhythmic backing. Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles" is superb. Katz closes with a harmonically complex solo piano version of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," a tune he also included in every live gig in the early '90s. This disc is about loose definitions of blues and jazz, strong grooves, and, first and foremost, improvisation -- Just check out the Irish jig that suddenly dances from Bob Malach's sax on "One Way Ticket"!
ABOUT
Bruce Katz is a three time (2008, 2009, 2010) Nominee for the Blues Music Award (W.C. Handy Award) for "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year", selected by the Blues Foundation of Memphis, TN.
While Blues is a very important part of his music, Bruce's music has more angles and influences, occupying a unique space where blues, "soul-jazz", jam-band rock, and all aspects of Americana Music collide into a style of original music all his own. He is equally comfortable playing Hammond B-3 Organ and Piano.
Besides leading the Bruce Katz Band, Bruce co-leads the CKS Band and is currently a member of the Gregg Allman Band, the Delbert McClinton Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, and plays regularly with John Hammond and other artists as well.
Over the past twenty five years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, appearing on over 70 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, John Hammond, Delbert McClinton, Duke Robillard, Joe Louis Walker, Little Milton, Maria Muldaur, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eric Mingus, Paul Rishell, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David “Fathead” Newman and many others.
Bruce has performed at festivals world-wide, including the North Sea Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Blues and Jazz Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Boston Globe Jazz Festival, Nice Jazz Festival, Notodden Blues Festival and many, many others.
Bruce has a lengthy background in classical piano. After hearing a Bessie Smith record when he was 10 years old, he started teaching himself blues and early jazz on the piano. He then heard boogie-woogie and swing music and continued his musical journey into more aspects of jazz and American roots music.
Bruce attended Berklee College of Music in the mid-1970s, studying Composition and performance. For the next fifteen years, he performed with many of the leading musicians in New England, and played “on the road” for long stretches of time. After a particularly long stint of touring in the late '80s with Barrence Whitfield and the Savages, he decided to come off the road and enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and studied with Geri Allen, Paul Bley, Cecil McBee and George Russell. It was during this time that he conceived of and started writing music that became the Bruce Katz Band. Five months after graduation, he met Ronnie Earl, who soon invited him to join his band, The Broadcasters. During his nearly five-year stint with Earl, Katz toured the world and performed on six albums, writing and co-writing many of the tunes, such as "The Colour of Love," "Ice Cream Man," and "Hippology." The album “Grateful Heart” (Bullseye) won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Blues Album of 1996.
In 1992, Katz debuted his first solo album, "Crescent Crawl", on the AudioQuest label. He released "Transformation" the following year. Just before the release of "Mississippi Moan", his third solo album, Katz left the Broadcasters to concentrate on a solo career. At that point, the Bruce Katz Band began touring the U.S. and Europe, and has been his primary focus.
Bruce’s 2008 CD, “Live! At the Firefly" (Brown Dog Music/Vizztone) , was received with critical acclaim. The new CD rose to #11 on the National Living Blues Radio Chart, and received substantial play on XM/Sirius Satellite Radio Bruce has also been the subject of a recent feature story in Blues Revue magazine as well as reviews and features in Jazz Times, Downbeat and many major international blues and jazz magazines.
In addition to performing, Katz teaches piano, Hammond organ and theory privately at his studio in West Shokan, NY. He taught previously at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 14 years in the Harmony and Piano Departments. He also conducts Master Classes in Hammond B3 and Blues History, which he has done at various music festivals worldwide.
Formerly from Boston, Bruce has been based in Woodstock, NY since 2005.
The Bruce Katz Band maintains an active touring schedule throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.
