George Crotty’s “Heart Music”: A Transcultural Cello Journey Arrives June 6th, 2025
- Kimberly Porter
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Genre-Defying Jazz Cellist George Crotty Explores Global Sounds and Emotional Storytelling in His New Album
Canadian cellist and composer George Crotty is set to release his highly anticipated new album, Heart Music, on June 6, 2025. Known for his genre-defying approach and virtuosic command of the cello, Crotty continues to expand the instrument’s expressive possibilities, blending jazz, world music, and cinematic storytelling into a singular musical voice.
Forging a Unique Path
After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Crotty immersed himself in New York’s vibrant jazz and world music scenes. He has performed with acclaimed ensembles such as the Brooklyn Raga Massive and the National Arab Orchestra, and collaborated with luminaries like Bob Ezrin, Adam Rudolph, Simon Shaheen, and Paquito D’Rivera. His versatility has led him from solo and bandleader performances across the Americas and Europe to collaborations in film, theatre, and even video game soundtracks, including Assassin’s Creed Mirage.
The George Crotty Trio: Multicultural Chamber Jazz
Formed in Brooklyn in 2019, the George Crotty Trio (GC3) features Crotty on cello, John Murchison on bass, and Jeremy Smith on percussion. Together, they craft music that is both cinematic and conversational, drawing on influences from Indian raga, Arabic maqam, and contemporary jazz. Their sound is marked by lyrical melodies, sparse arrangements, and a continuous spirit of improvisation, described by Whole Note Magazine as “a showcase of the cello’s capabilities…Crotty’s virtuosity and melodicism undeniably take center stage.”
Their 2022 album, Chronotope, was praised by All About Jazz for its “cross-cultural mix of South American, Arabic, Indian, and contemporary jazz idioms,” resulting in “a stream of genre-blurring invention.” The trio has performed at major festivals including the 21C Festival, Small World Music Festival, Copenhagen Vinterjazz Festival, and New Directions Cello Festival, with international tours spanning Toronto, Montreal, New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Bogotá, São Paulo, London, Berlin, Antwerp, and Copenhagen.
George Crotty's "Heart Music": An Eight-Part Suite of Discovery
Heart Music is described as a transatlantic travelogue, capturing creative encounters in cities like Copenhagen, Delft, Berlin, Toronto, and Brooklyn. The album draws inspiration from European jazz, Hindustani raga, and chamber music, with Crotty’s compositions illuminated by the trio’s dynamic interplay. Rather than adhering to a typical trio hierarchy, the musicians weave together, exploring groove and color in a way that lends the music a striking three-dimensionality.
The album unfolds as an eight-part suite, each movement telling its own story:
· “Bandish” (a Sanskrit term for a Hindustani composition) poses a series of questions about seeing into the future.
· “Heart Music” captures a moment of rapture and tragedy, inspired by Madrid’s Lara Wang & Melon Jimenez.
· “Niggun” serves as a prayer without words.
· “The Task at Hand” draws from North African and Levantine sounds.
· “Twelfth House” explores inner thoughts and dreams.
· “A Game” invites listeners into a sense of play.
· “Cigarettes at Sunrise” evokes future nostalgia, for moments one isn’t ready to let go.
· “Saturn Return” is a musical reckoning.
Touring and Future Collaborations
Following the album’s release on June 6, the George Crotty Trio will embark on a summer tour across Canada and the US, with fall performances scheduled in Western Europe. Looking ahead, Crotty is also planning further collaborations, including an upcoming release with Persian tar virtuoso Hamid Motebassem.
With Heart Music, George Crotty reaffirms his place at the forefront of contemporary jazz cello, offering listeners a deeply personal and globally resonant musical journey.
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