SMALL GROUPS
Beyond the grandeur of the full orchestra, Glenn Crytzer also leads versatile combos, ranging from duos to octets, featuring musicians drawn from his orchestra. These smaller ensembles offer a focused exploration of small-group jazz and American Songbook classics from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. This setting allows Glenn to delve deep into the rich breadth of the era's music, showcasing his mastery of diverse guitar styles pioneered by legends such as Charlie Christian, George Barnes, Eddie Lang, Eddie Durham, Oscar Moore, and Allan Reuss.
While instrumentation is tailored to each specific performance, certain lineups are uniquely noteworthy.
The Savoy Seven
The Savoy Seven presents authentic small-group jazz from the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s inspired by period ensembles like the Benny Goodman Septet, Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five, Fats Waller and his Rhythm, Louis Armstrong's Hot Seven, and more.
The ensemble has appeared across North America at concerts, clubs, and festivals. Public performance highlights include The David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Steel Stacks, the Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center, Symphony Space, the Redwood Coast Jazz Festival, The San Diego Jazz Fest, The Sun Valley Jazz Festival, Zinc Bar, Cliff Bell's, Nighttown, and Blues Alley. The Savoy Seven was also the house band in residence for two years at Seattle's beloved Century Ballroom.
The Savoy Seven's discography traces a prolific journey, beginning as The Syncopators with their debut Harlem Mad (2011) featuring 20 original compositions and the live album Skinny Minne (2012). As The Savoy Seven, they released EPs Focus Pocus and A Little Love This Christmas in 2014, followed by the 2018 full-length Uptown Jump, a collection of 18 of Glenn's original songs. Amidst the 2020 Covid shutdowns, the resourceful ensemble, under the temporary moniker 'The Secluded Seven,' recorded the EP The Melody That Follows Me, with each musician contributing remotely from their home studios.
The Glenn Crytzer Quartet
Among Glenn Crytzer's diverse musical offerings is a highly versatile quartet, adaptable to numerous instrumental configurations. From this flexible foundation, three distinct formats have emerged as the most in-demand, each inspired by different historical ensembles.
THE BIG FOUR
The Glenn Crytzer “Big Four” Quartet draws direct inspiration from the legendary Bechet-Spanier Big Four of the 1940s, featuring trumpet, clarinet/saxophone, guitar, and string bass.
Glenn's Big Four Quartet has built a reputation through extended residencies and engagements at venues including The Rainbow Room, The Plaza Hotel, Pegu Club and more, and are currently in residence Thursdays at Festival Cafe on 61st and 2nd Ave. Select concert performances have the Sidney and Berne Davis Arts Center, The Pennsylvania Jazz Society, and Nelson Hall.
During the 2020 Covid shutdowns, The Big Four offered free weekly concerts in both Central Park and Bennett Park. They also launched the ambitious "Songbook Sessions," a weekly livestream series that chronologically explored the American Songbook from 1920 to 1944, presenting ten songs from a different year sequentially each week.
THE "TWO GUITAR" QUARTET
Glenn’s “two guitar” quartet is modeled after the unique sound of the George Barnes and Ruby Braff Quartet and features Glenn on electric guitar, showcasing his dynamic role as a frontline soloist, along with cornet, acoustic rhythm guitar, and string bass. The ensemble has quickly gained acclaim, appearing in concert at the Sidney and Berne Davis Arts Center, the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, and the Tri-State Jazz Society, as well as at various venues throughout NYC.
THE "PIANO" QUARTET
The Glenn Crytzer “Piano” Quartet is inspired by the elegant swing of the Nat "King" Cole Trio, featuring Glenn on guitar along with piano, bass, and a guest horn player or vocalist.
Glenn’s piano quartet has held residencies at Blacktail and Pepe's Cellar, and is currently in residence for Saturday Brunch at Peck Slip Social in NYC's Financial District.