Biography
Award winning Saxophonist-Keyboardist-Entertainer Eric "Critt" Crittenden is heralded as "On the Corner Era-Miles Davis" (Buffalo News) with vocals that marry "1970s soul with 1990s hip-hop" (allaboutjazz.com) and is quickly becoming one of the premier jazz artists on the scene today.
"Todd's Chili" ("Blu" 2006) featuring jazz funk and hip-hop superstar Eric "Kraz" Krasno on guitar is still gracing the charts and in major rotation on jazz radio throughout the country.
Eric "Critt" Crittenden has worked with:
Mickey Hart-Grateful Dead
Bob Weir-Grateful Dead
Dickey Betts-Allman Bros.
Doobie Brothers
Michael Franti & Spear Head
P Funk All Stars
The Roots
G-Love Special Sauce
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Soulive
Eric Krasno
Rob Wasserman
Oteill & The Peace Makers
Karl Denson
Jefferson Airplane/Starship
Bernie Worell
Jerry Jemmott-Aretha Franklin
Moe
Corey Harris
ReBirth Brass Band
Mama's Cookin'
Papa Mali
Eric Lindell
"Critt's Juke Joint" features Eric Crittenden at his best. It doubles as both a radio show on NPR and a live show on the road. Not since "Dizzy" has there been a jazz front-man as charismatic, talented and entertaining. His ability to lead musicians from different walks of the musical spectrum in an improvised format is unmatched. Critt's Juke Joint brings jazz back home while pushing it forward by incorporating the world's best musicians, hip-hop and DJ artists into the mix.
From the time of his birth in Buffalo NY, Eric was immersed in the funk and feel-good soul sound of Motown - after-all his father played with James Brown for 13 years. But it was later on in his 20's that he really discovered jazz and organic self expression. Listening to and being influenced by Eddie Harris, Coltrane, Herbie Hancock and Pink Floyd to name a few, completely changed his life and he started on a path of feel-good genre mixing that is accessible to everyone. "For me, in order to go forward you have to go back," says Crittenden "I was raised with old school R&B and soul. This is who and what I am all about, however this is a new era and music needs evolution and I'm fortunate to be able to do my part."
A respected educator, Eric along-side his wife Ann Marie designed and created The IMAGE Urban Arts Workshop in 2005 which is endorsed by New Era Cap. The Image Urban Arts Workshop is dedicated to reclaiming youth through the preservation, education and performance of urban art. Annually Eric conducts over 100 workshops and edutainment performances. Eric has a degree in Music Performance by SUNY, Empire State College and currently teaches music, video and technology at Oracle Charter School in Buffalo NY.
Eric initially earned respect on the national touring scene by playing with the likes of Mickey Hart and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Michael Franti and G-Love & Special Sauce to name a few. He has won many and in 2000 he was hired to assemble the backing band and arrange the music of Sopranos star Dominic Chianese. He has also consulted on and scored two independent films "The Darker the Berry the Sweeter the Juice" in 1997 and "The Cuckold" in 2007. His last record "Blu" featured Eric Krasno of Soulive and Rob Wasserman and he is currently working on his next recording.
Eric has dedicated his career to revitalizing Buffalo's heralded music scene and growing communities through its youth. Critt's Juke Joint is all-things organic in music and Eric is looking forward to bringing his Buffalo-bred jazz, funk and soul show to your town.
Instrumentation
ERIC CRITTENDEN- Sax Keys & Vox
Featuring a revolving a line up.
Discography
2007 Blu Featuring Eric Krasno of Soulive and Rob Wasserman (Todd's Chili is getting all the air play)
’96 Last Lemming: The Wadsworth Takes
’98 Last Lemming: LemmusLemmus
’99 Seth Horan Tarot
’99 TheWaz: Organigalactic
‘2k TheWaz: 4x3 EP
’01 TheWaz: Live (discs) I, II, III, IV
’02 Musiphrenic Radio MPR
’02 Eric Tyrone Crittenden THEN
’02 Elavation Elavation
’02 Sol EZA Live @ MOKA
’02 Sol EZA Live @ Nietzsche’s
’03 The ?uestet EP no 1
SCORES/SOUNDTRACKS
* score/soundtrack written, performed and directed by Eric Tyrone Crittenden
’99 “Darker The Berry The Sweeter The Juice” Indy Film by Rick Kleinsmith
’99 “Lemke’s Last Sale” Indy Film by Seth Horan
’01 “Creative Retaliation” Indy Film by Jennifer Luccene
* ’02 The Passion Place Productions theatrical production of:
“1975: An Under Ground Epic” by Aqyl Thomas
Links
| http://www.1crittenden.com |
| ReverbNation |
| Myspace |