Preview: The Cribtet Plays Originals Thursday at Jazz on Jay
The Cribtet didn’t form a band when they were still in their cribs, but they did start making music as teenagers.
The son of area music teachers, drummer-leader Dan Jantson studied voice and cello in Bethlehem schools and didn’t play drums until freshman year. He met his future bandmates in the Center Square Jazz Collective when all were in the Empire State Youth Orchestra Jazz Band; the Center Square Jazz Collective played Jazz on Jay in 2021.
The Cribtet enjoys applause at the Van Dyck recently; drummer-leader Dan Jantson at right. Rudy Lu photo for Mirth Films; used by permission.
Thursday, Jantson, bassist Patrick Gordon and saxophonists Gavin Tarling (tenor) and Mae Czuba (alto) – who met at the Hartt School of Music – play as the Cribtet, along with pianist Coyne Connelly who completes today’s quintet line-up, subbing for Aidan Slate. Tarling, Czuba and Slate have all played with Delfeayo Marsalis.
“My inspiration on the drums is Art Blakey,” says Jansson, adding he was inspired to play jazz by Herbie Hancock. He studied with Chad Ploss through high school, then Jason Tiemann, Jonathan Barber, and Charles Goold in New York.
“This band was founded…for the members to bring in original music,” says Jantson. “About 80 percent of what we perform is original material.” Many of their originals are in the hard-bop style of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
Favorite originals include “Foxgloves” (Jantson), “Tadd Bones’ Demise” (Jantson), “Professor P” (Parker Lewis), “Your Middle Name is Not Tiberius” (Tarling), “Kettle Cove” (Tarling), and “Who Knew” (Slate). They also often play classics “When I Look in Your Eyes,” “Are You Real,” “Witch Hunt,” and “The Nearness of You.”
“I like to approach standards by trying something different every time I play, whether it be groove, space or solos,” Jantson says. “Sometimes I push other musicians out of their comfort zone to make something new out of these songs we play all of the time.”
“We like to trust each other, keeping things loose and seeing where a song goes.”
Cribtet released their debut album “Welcome Home” last year, as a sextet and have since scaled back to today’s quintet. They recently performed at the Van Dyck Music Club.
Jazz on Jay continues Thursday, Aug. 13 with the Kaitlyn Fay Quartet.
Jazz on Jay is presented by the ElectriCity Arts and Entertainment District.
Sponsors are the New York State Council on the Arts, a Schenectady County Legislature Arts & Culture Grant, Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation and The Schenectady Foundation. We also receive support from Schenectady City Hall and this site, Hoke’s Juke Box.
Show time is 12 noon at Jay Square opposite City Hall. Rain site: Robb Alley at Proctors; seating is provided indoors.
Hoke's Jukebox 