Music
Releases & Collaborations
Releases
Collaborations
Inner Nature
George Crotty • 2024
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Inner Nature is a short and suite EP by cellist George Crotty. This studio creation evokes a lush cello garden abloom with cross-pollinations of Baroque, Celtic, and contemporary sounds that open the heart of the listener. In collaboration with producer Bob Ezrin, Crotty transforms the cello into a self-contained orchestra, embracing a spectrum of moods and personalities that examine modernity and tradition, the nature of love, and his love of nature.
The work features Crotty playing a 5-string violoncello piccolo, a hybrid Baroque era instrument often used in the works of J.S. Bach including his sixth cello suite. The high E string allows the piccolo cello to play music in a higher range including repertoire intended for the violin, or in the right hands, the fiddle. A student of both traditions, Crotty’s melodies employ a slow attack and wistful sound.
‘Hidden Within’ opens with a forward-moving plucked continuo and impressionist harmony shifting under a plaintive melody. ‘Inner Nature’ drops into a heavy and spacious groove in homage to progressive fiddlers like Darol Anger. Crotty’s raucous floor-fiddle is doubled by thumping cello percussion, taking a cue from Mr. Ezrin. ‘The Fog’ is slow air, a distinct musical form in Irish music derived from sean-nós singing. The tune is an open-ended expression of hope.
Credits
Composed & performed by George Crotty
Produced by Bob Ezrin
Mixed by Brain Moncarz
Recorded by Bob Ezrin & Brian Moncarz
Assistant Engineer: Anthony Yordanov
Mastered by Justin Gray at Immersive Mastering
Artwork & design by Mogaraa
Photography by Billie Woods
Video by George Crotty
© 2023 George Crotty (SOCAN)
Special thanks:
Warren and Maureen Spitz
Alistair Grieve & co. at the Sound Post
Chronotope
George Crotty Trio • 2022
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The George Crotty Trio’s second studio album, Chronotope, emerged from a desire to travel through music at a time when travel was restricted. Recorded in Toronto, the new tunes engage in cross-cultural interplay between modal jazz, Indian raga, and Arabic maqam.
“Almost transcends the trio format”
- The WholeNote
“a stream of genre-blurring invention”
- All About Jazz
Credits
George Crotty, cello
Jonathan Chapman, bass
Matis Recharte, drums
Max Senitt, percussion (2,3,4,7)
Gilbert Mansour, riq (6)
Produced by George Crotty
Recorded by George Crotty & Roberto Occhipinti
at Modica Music, Toronto ON
Mixed & Mastered by Kirk Starkey at
Wolftone Media, Hamilton ON
Artwork & Design by Mogaraa
© George Crotty (SOCAN)
Prayer Dance
Brooklyn Raga Massive • 2021
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Prayer Dance is a raga-inspired track layering organic textures and instrumental improvisations. A contribution to Quarantine Dreams, a remote collaboration commissioned by New York’s Brooklyn Raga Massive, the piece features a progressive ensemble of artists from New York, Chicago, Toronto, Sao Paolo, and Palestine.
Credits
Composed & produced by George Crotty
Ivan Vendemiatti, bansuri
Firas Zreik, qanun
Adam Maalouf, handpan
George Crotty, cello
Evan Wierzbicki, bass
Ronnie Malley, percussion
Sameer Gupta, tabla
Mastered by Kirk Starkey
Four String Nomad
George Crotty Trio • 2019
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Credits
George Crotty, cello
John Murchison, bass
Martin Beux, drums
Recorded & produced by George Crotty,
The Creamery Studio, Brooklyn NY
Additional mixing by Kirk Starkey
Wolftone Media, Hamtilon ON
All tracks © George Crotty (SOCAN)
'Junction' © Saskia Tomkins
Design by Amrit Phull.
Vidi Aquam
George Crotty & Kirk Starkey • 2017
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Cellists and sound artists George Crotty & Kirk Starkey blend diverse musical influences into a unique and modern cello idiom. Paying homage to a range of ancient acoustic traditions, they slingshot their concepts into the timeless and universal, using a wide array compositional techniques and performance technology.
”distinctly modern, yet also timeless. It’s classical. A little jazzy. Computer literate, yet deliciously steeped in tradition. Mournful, yes, but also hopeful and upbeat.”
- The Boston Survival Guide
Credits
George Crotty, cello
Kirk Starkey, cello
Written and produced by George Crotty & Kirk Starkey
Recorded and mixed at Wolftone Media, Hamilton ON
Artwork by: Amrit Phull
All rights reserved © 2017
String Groover
2Birds Band • 2018
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Innovative strings collective 2Birds Band's 2018 release in collaboration with fiddle legend, Darol Anger.
Credits
Antoine Beux, violin
Gabriel Majou, violin
George Crotty, cello
Evan Wierzbicki, bass
Martin Beux, drums
Recorded & produced by George Crotty
Mixed by Zack Leever
Mastered by Kirk Starkey
Artwork by Aodan Collins
Loose Roots Duo
Gabriel Dubreuil & George Crotty • 2017
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The Loose Roots are a New Acoustic duo known for their Celtic departures and genre-bending originals. The project traces influences within Canadian fiddle styles and chamber music, enchanting audiences with an original west coast sound.
Credits
Gabriel Dubreuil, violin
George Crotty, cello
Produced by George Crotty
Recorded, Mixed, Mastered by Kirk Starkey
Artwork by Aodan Collins
World of Groove EP
George Crotty & KC Solaris • 2018
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On common ground between the worlds of jazz and classical Indian music, a cellist and percussionist engage in playful, rhythmic conversation.
Credits
George Crotty, cello
KC Solaris, tabla