Glenn Crytzer
BANDLEADER · ARRANGER · COMPOSER · GUITARIST · BANJOIST · VOCALIST
Glenn’s commitment to authenticity songwriting, performance, and recording practice, led Michael Steinman of Jazz Lives to suggest:
“you might pick a track from this CD and put it on, unannounced and unidentified… when the eyebrows go up and the friend wants to know exactly what music (newly encountered) is, see how far you can go with a straight face, 'Oh, that's an unissued 1930 Champion.’"
As the son of a high school choir teacher, Crytzer's musical journey focused on rigorous classical training in, voice, composition, and cello. But while studying classical composition in college, Glenn took up a hobby that changed the course of his life: dancing the Lindy Hop. His interest in the Lindy led him down the rabbit hole of exploring the music that inspired the dance’s creation, eventually teaching himself jazz guitar and forming his own band.
Though his interest in period-authentic music has continued to expand beyond dance music to music intended purely for
Glenn Crytzer is a New York City-based bandleader, guitarist, songwriter, arranger, banjoist, and vocalist, celebrated for bringing the Jazz Age and Swing Era to life with unparalleled authenticity.
“[Crytzer’s music sounds] like it could have been recorded 75 years ago. Solid and Delightful.” - Conner Ratliff, Rolling Stone Magazine
Glenn’s orchestra and combos have appeared at festivals, performing arts centers, dances, and clubs across the US including iconic venues such as Lincoln Center, the Rainbow Room, the USS Intrepid, the Django, the Redwood Coast Music Festival, the Century Ballroom, the Mob Museum, and many more. His original music has also been performed by the Ann Arbor and Wheeling Symphony Orchestras.
Crytzer’s original music and covers of classics are in demand for TV and Film with more than 100 placements in productions for Disney, Marvel, Hulu, Netflix, WB, and numerous others. In 2017 the Glenn Crytzer Orchestra was honored with the award for Best Group in New York by the NYC Jazz Awards.
listening, the feeling of dance is deeply ingrained in all Jazz Age and Swing Era music. As such, Crytzer’s background as both a competitive dancer and a conservatory-trained composer give him unique insight into its interpretation.
"Swinging as hard as a night at the Roseland Ballroom."- George Harris, Jazz Weekly
In the coming year, Glenn will begin releasing the Songbook Sessions - a series of 250 live recordings made by The Glenn Crytzer Quartet. He is also developing plans for a new performance and dining venue in midtown Manhattan called Café Metronome, which will immerse audiences in an authentic Swing-Era supper club experience.
Crytzer is currently in residence weekly with his quartet on Thursday evenings at Festival Café (1155 2nd Ave. Manhattan) and Saturdays for brunch at Peck Slip Social (36 Peck Slip, Manhattan).
