Land Ho by Jay Craggs

com/cd/dyad), Cloud Faktory, & Play On by the group Retrobeast (for Earth Island Records, 2003, 2005), Sophisticated Lady by Frank Mantooth, (for SeaBreeze, 1995), Land Ho, a solo album (for Stoic, 1994), Stain, by Living Colour, (for Epic,1993), and producer and engineering credits on many regional and local artist CD projects.

Jay's technical background is in demand in recording studios and by performing artists, and he has published several guitar and technology-related magazine articles. He has worked with many national acts as a sound designer and audio consultant including Adrian Belew, Rush tour, Prince tour, David Bowie tour, Living Colour, Lou Reed tour, Night Ranger, Frank Mantooth, the Tom-Tom Club, and Al DiMeola.

Jay is also active as a technical consultant, composer, arranger, studio guitarist, recording engineer, and as a MIDI sequence programmer. Projects have included album work, radio and TV jingles, sequencing for live performance, video underscoring, and post-production. Clients have included national performing acts, corporations, regional artists and retailers.

As an educator, Jay has developed curriculum and taught college level music technology courses for Columbia College Chicago, Madison Media Institute, and UW-Whitewater. Jay has presented many music technology related clinics, lectures, and performances throughout the U.S., including the Grove School of Music, Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.), Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, Full Sail School of the Recording Arts, University of Nebraska-Omaha, UW-Platteville, Carroll College, North Central College, NACA Conferences, and international music industry trade shows such as NAMM.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Jay Craggs "Land Ho" [Stoic 1001]

Danny Mager-"Night Sights & Sounds" Magazine, Madison, WI

When people think "Milwaukee", the images they conjure up usually have something to do with suds and sausage. Musically, Wisconsin's largest city boasts an active alternative rock and heavy metal scene, healthy country clubs, and a very nice smattering of the blues. Ah, but there's more to the Brew City's music scene than meets the eye - it is also home to an innovator in the world of jazz fusion, Jay Craggs.

Jazz fusion is not something you see everyday in the east side clubs. Nonetheless, Craggs has issued his first CD of jazz fusion,"Land Ho", to enter into Milwaukee's increasingly interesting music mix. Land Ho falls somewhere in the middle of the fusion universe; a little softer than the Dixie Dregs, yet considerably more rocking than Pat Metheny. The title track has a decidedly Caribbean flavor to it as steel drums are interspersed with soaring guitar and pulsating bass.

Craggs years of intense training are quite apparent as each track on "Land Ho" explores a different musical space, from the more funkified jazz of "The Face" to the rocking "I Need You" on which Craggs adds vocals replete with a corps of female backup singers, to the downright Stevie-Wonderish "All Night". For Jay Craggs, who has worked as a consultant to such established stars as Adrian Belew, Rush, Prince, and the Tom Tom Club, his musical ship definately seems to have come in with "Land Ho".

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