Gary Crosby (bassist)
Gary Crosby OBE (born 26 January 1955, London, England) is a British jazz double bassist, music arranger, educator and Executive Artistic Director of Tomorrow's Warriors.
A founder member of the original Jazz Warriors, Gary Crosby is a professional musician and bandleader, composer/arranger, record producer, company director and facilitator. He leads Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop, Gary Crosby Trio, Guava, Jazz Jamaica and Jazz Jamaica All Stars – and has worked with many top international artists.
Of Jamaican heritage,[1] Crosby is the nephew of guitarist Ernest Ranglin, who performed with Jazz Jamaica at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in October 2009 as part of the club's anniversary concert series.[2][3]
Tomorrow's Warriors
In 1991, Crosby established Tomorrow’s Warriors, providing a platform for talented young musicians who wished to pursue a career in jazz. Over the following 13 years, the Tomorrow’s Warriors Jazz Café Jam Session became an institution and developed four generations of Warriors, including Denys Baptiste, J-Life and Soweto Kinch.
In 2004, the Tomorrow’s Warriors Jam Session moved to The Spice Of Life in Soho, where it remained active until Summer 2010. Tomorrow’s Warriors continues to develop the careers of young musicians and is now commencing the development of its sixth generation of Warriors with core programs and workshops at Southbank Centre, London.
Dune Music
In 1996, Crosby and his partner, Janine Irons MBE, established The Dune Music Company Ltd, a commercial company comprising four divisions: artist management, record label, music publishing, and education. Artists associated with Dune Music include Jazz Jamaica All Stars, Soweto Kinch, Denys Baptiste, Abram Wilson, Andrew McCormack, Empirical and J-Life.
Awards
In 1998, Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop won the award for Best International Ensemble at the Jazz à Vienne Concours International d’Orchestres in France.
In 2002, Crosby won the award for Best Band for his 20-piece big band, Jazz Jamaica All Stars. In the same year, he was honoured by the Festival Directorate of the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, Jamaica, for Consistent Contribution To Music in Jamaica, thereby securing a place in the Jamaica Jazz Hall Of Fame.
In 2006, Jazz Jamaica was given the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Award for Best Ensemble.
In 2007, Crosby received the BBC Radio Jazz Award for Services to Jazz.
In 2009, Gary Crosby was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.[4]
In 2012, Crosby received the Parliamentary Award for Jazz Education.[5][6]
See also
References
- ↑ Ijeoma Azubuike, "Preview: Gary Crosby - Lively Up! Festival" (interview with Gary Crosby), London Jazz News, 9 October 2012.
- ↑ Ronnie Scott's Anniversary Concert Series - "Ernest Ranglin and Jazz Jamaica, including his nephew Gary Crosby".
- ↑ Paul Taylor, "Gary's jazz journey", Manchester Evening News, 27 January 2006.
- ↑ Gary Crosby awarded OBE in HM The Queen’s Birthday Honours, The Jazz Mann, 16 June 2009.
- ↑ Gary Crosby OBE honoured with parliamentary Award for Jazz Education, Tomorrow's Warriors website. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
- ↑ Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2012 - Winners, The Jazz Site, 16 May 2012.