FROM THE CRITICS

"Trombonist Hal Crook is a marvel.  He has evolved a singular musical voice echoing past masters... impressing as a modernist with chops."

Jazz Times

Hal Crook plays with Swiss-movement precision but without sacrificing emotion as he detonates chorus after agile chorus.  A prominent soloist of this caliber can do much to restore the trombone as a popular small-band voice."

Los Angeles Times

"Crook's playing reflects both the traditional and the modern.  He has exceptional control of the trombone.  A superb ballad player, a gifted composer and arranger."

Down Beat

"A model of musicality...  Crook blows with fluent urgency or considered lyricism and never scrimps on content...  [He] is also a superior composer."

Boston Globe

"Hal Crook, a superb soloist, can make the trombone do anything he wants, and yet not sound finicky or smug about it."

Down Beat

"Hal Crook's elegant trombone style, his singing tone and fluid execution, showers the listener with waves of sound:  Music of the highest order."

Stereophile

"Crook is a trombonist who combines the slide features of the instrument with the trip-hammer articulation of bop...  very impressive"

Down Beat

"Hal Crook is an astonishing player--there's no other word for it."

FROM THE MASTERS

"Hal Crook is one of the hidden treasures of our generation.  No one that I have heard in the past 20 years comes close to his instrumental skills (seemingly effortless), his musicality, his swing and his grasp of the language of music and its possibilities for growth and expansion.

"Those lucky enough to have heard him play find him to be an innovative and technically amazing trombone player.  Believe me, we have played together and he is too good for us mere mortals.  The best, in short."

Bob Brookmeyer

"Hal, I only have a few idols, and you are all of them!"

George Garzone

"Hal Crook is a very special musician.  He is one of the few musicians I know who falls into the category of full-fledged jazz music master.  He walks as good as he talks; better, in fact.  His music clearly demonstrates all the excellent material in his numerous educational books on jazz. I'm a huge fan!"

Mick Goodrick

"Hal shows his ability to use an imposing array of improvisational techniques to extend the boundaries of conventional jazz harmony. His ability as an improviser is on a par with Phil's (Woods) with respect to wealth of invention, grace and speed."

Chuck Israels

"Hal, your music is great! I'm your biggest fan. I love you big time. Let's play!"

Joe Diorio

"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 the top echelon of players."

Kurt Dietrich (Jazz 'Bones)