Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
"[Kraft] and company weren't your average sloppy rock band . . . they'd obviously honed their skills as a unit, and played tightly and solidly. Some of their songs had slightly progressive detours, but only for an odd bridge section here and there. Otherwise the music was basic, blunt and tough. The highlights ended up being Morgan Kraft's own "Great Riff in A," a phenomenon in which rock bands, probably not on purpose, build a song around a variation of the classic opening riff of "I Want To Tell You" by the Beatles like "Pleasant Valley Sunday" by the Monkees, "Who Is Moving" by the Lilys, "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts, "Doing Nothing" by Of Montreal, the list goes on . . . . [Morgan's] "Peggy Sue Ain't Got Nothing On You" song was propulsive and catchy, and those watching the band were visibly into it.”
- Hampshire Daily Gazette
Discography
DVD "Live at Bar 9" 2006
EP "Kraft Quartet EP" 2007
CD "feat. Lex Samu" 2007
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Since 1993, the current members of the Kraft Quartet have been performing and recording music together. Lex Samu and the Rast Brothers were in a jazz combo with a weekly gig in Winston-Salem, North Carolina when composer Morgan Kraft would write at the bar, notating scores and occasionally joining them on piano for a song or two. Later, Lex on trumpet and then each of the Rast brothers were featured on various recordings made by Morgan between 1994 and 2006. A weekly residency in 2006 at Bar Nine in New York's Hells Kitchen brought together Lex, Morgan and Dave Durst performing boogie woogie and rock 'n roll. Dave had previously performed and recorded with Morgan since 2005 and appears on two DVD's and one CD featuring Morgan Kraft performing on the fretless guitar.
While primarily a blues/jazz/rock instrumental group, all of the members of the quartet hold at least a bachelor's degree in classical musical performance except for founder Morgan Kraft who studied composition at music conservatory. Madison Rast is a master bassist and a music professor at Temple University. Lex Samu has been an active member of the New York City Jazz and Free Improv scene for over a decade. Both drum kit players Dave Durst and Wesley Rast each regularly perform around the NYC area with other noted groups and artists. Currently the Kraft Quartet is performing around the northeast and making a series of recordings that will be available through Microearth Records. Their first release "Kraft Quartet EP" was recorded in March of 2007, has a decidedly jazz flavor and features Lex playing the flugelhorn with special guest Wesley "Big" Rast on drums. The follow up "Kraft Quartet feat. Lex Samu" has 15 tracks of rippin' roaring blues, rock and swing, including songs by Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Floyd Dixon and Elmore James.
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