Hal Crook (born 28 July 1950 in

Providence, Rhode Island Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...

) is a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a majo ...

trombonist The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate ...

. He has a degree from the

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music is a private music college in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern American music, it also offers college-level cou ...

and is considered to be a leading teacher and author in the field of jazz improvisation. Hal was a professor at Berklee College of Music for 30 years, and has played on over 40 recordings. Some of his notable students include Esperanza Spaulding, Leo Genovese, Antonio Sanchez, Lionel Loueke, and Chris Cheek. Hal's composing and arranging credits include music for the NBC "Tonight Show" Band, WDR Radio Band (Cologne), Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Herb Pomeroy, Louis Bellson, Artie Shaw, Duke Belaire, Dick Johnson, Nick Brignola, the New England Emmy Awards, and the San Diego Pops. "Following the course of Hal Crook's improvisations is a fascinating peek into an exceptional improvisational mind, not to mention an amazing trombonist. His playing is filled with technical marvels, but clearly not just for show. He works with modern techniques of building improvisations on various intervals, the development of motives, the use of pentatonic scales, and working in the outer reaches of harmony. His speed, range, fluency, sound and remarkable technique put him at the top echelon of players." Jazz 'Bones (Kurt Dietrich, Author) He is the author of seven textbooks on jazz improvisation, a novel (A Brief Madness), and a collection of short stories (Windborne Tales). Though retired from Berklee, he continues to teach privately.

Discography

* ''Hello Heaven'' (1982) * '' Only Human'' (1993) * ''Quartet Narayani'' - with

Joe Diorio Joseph Louis Diorio (August 6, 1936 – February 2, 2022) was an American jazz guitarist. He performed with Sonny Stitt, Hal Crook, Eddie Harris, Ira Sullivan, Stan Getz, Pat Metheny, Horace Silver, Anita O'Day, and Freddie Hubbard. In recen ...

(Ram 1994) * ''

Hero Worship Hero worship may refer to: * Hero cult in ancient Greece *Apotheosis, raising a person to the level of a deity *Cult of personality, a political weapon used mainly in dictatorships *''On Heroes, Hero-Worship, & the Heroic in History'', an 1841 book ...

'' (1997) * '' Um: Stray Dog'' (2001) * ''Creatures of Habit'' with Leo Genovese,

Take Toriyama A take is a single continuous recorded performance. The term is used in film and music to denote and track the stages of production. Film In cinematography, a take refers to each filmed "version" of a particular shot or "setup". Takes of each ...

Thompson Kneeland Thompson may refer to: People * Thompson (surname) * Thompson M. Scoon (1888–1953), New York politician Places Australia *Thompson Beach, South Australia, a locality Bulgaria * Thompson, Bulgaria, a village in Sofia Province Canada * ...

* ''Narayani'' with

, Steve LaSpina,

Steve Bagby ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve A ...

* ''Conjunction'' with

Jerry Bergonzi Jerry Bergonzi (born October 21, 1947) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist, composer, and educator. Early life and education Bergonzi received a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1971 and is the founde ...

* ''Trio I'' with

Dave Weigert Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

, Yorai Oron * ''Trio II'' with Dave Weigert,

Hans Glawischnig Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

* ''Trio III'' with Dave Weigert, Hans Glawschnig * ''Hello Heaven'' with

Phil Woods Philip Wells Woods (November 2, 1931 – September 29, 2015) was an American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, bandleader, and composer. Biography Woods was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. After inheriting a saxophone at age 12, he began ...

, Bill Dobbins,

Chuck Israels Charles H. Israels (born August 10, 1936) is an American jazz composer, arranger, and bassist who is best known for his work with the Bill Evans Trio. He has also worked with Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Coleman Hawkins, Stan Getz, Herbie Hanc ...

Bill Goodwin William Nettles Goodwin (July 28, 1910 – May 9, 1958),Palm Spr ...

* ''Creative Comping for Improvisation, Vol. I, II, III''

References

External links

Hal Crook Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crook, Hal 1950 births Living people Berklee College of Music alumni Berklee College of Music faculty American jazz trombonists Male trombonists Ropeadope Records artists 21st-century trombonists 21st-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians The Tonight Show Band members