The George Crotty Trio

Event Information

The George Crotty Trio (GC3) makes multicultural chamber music that is both cinematic and conversational, with lyrical melodies, sparse arrangements, and continuous improvisation. To quote Whole Note Magazine, “...the music certainly plays like a showcase of the cello’s capabilities...Crotty’s virtuosity and melodicism undeniably take center stage...” About their 2022 release, “Chronotope”, All About Jazz wrote: “Cellist George Crotty excels at blending various elements into a unique musical brew. On Chronotope, a cross-cultural mix of South American, Arabic, Indian, and contemporary jazz idioms amount to a stream of genre- blurring invention.”
The GC3 has performed at the 21C Festival, Small World Music Festival, Copenhagen Vinterjazz Festival, and the New Directions Cello Festival. They have toured internationally in cities such as Toronto, Montreal, New York, Chicago, Washington DC, Bogota, Sao Paolo, London, Berlin, Antwerp, and Copenhagen.

Canadian cellist George Crotty has forged his own exciting vocabulary, pushing the boundaries of the cello. Following his graduation from the Berklee College of Music, Crotty immersed himself in New York’s jazz and world music scenes, playing with several ensembles, such as the Brooklyn Raga Massive, and Detroit-based National Arab Orchestra. Crotty has also worked with esteemed musicians such as Bob Ezrin, Adam Rudolph, Simon Shaheen, and Paquito D’Rivera. Crotty has performed as a soloist and bandleader in The Americas and Europe and enjoys active collaboration in film & theatre. He toured North America with award-winning Broadway musical, “The Band’s Visit,” and played on the video game soundtrack for “Assassin’s Creed Mirage.”

The GC3’s new album, “Heart Music”, is a transatlantic travelogue of creative encounters in Copenhagen, Delft, Berlin, Toronto, and Brooklyn. Inspired by European jazz, Hindustani raga, and chamber music, Crotty’s compositions are further illuminated by a formidable rhythm section comprising John Murchison (bass) & Jeremy Smith (percussion). Deviating from a trio's typical hierarchy, the three players intertwine on their own spontaneous terms in an exploration of groove and colour, lending Crotty's tunes an exciting three-dimensional quality.


John Murchison (bass), Jeremy Smith (percussion).

“Transcends the trio format.” - The WholeNote
“A stream of genre-blurring invention.” - All About Jazz
“Sounds like the cosmopolitan centre Toronto is.” - Canadian Music Centre