B.Mus (McGill)
Ted Crosby is a saxophonist and clarinetist based in Toronto, Ontario. Originally from northwestern Vermont, Ted moved to Montreal in 2007 to pursue a jazz performance degree at McGill University. At McGill, he studied with saxophonists’ Remi Bolduc and Frank Lozano and the drummer Chris McCann as well as being given the opportunity to perform with visiting artists such as Joe Lovano, Jim McNeely, John Taylor, Phil Dwyer, Ben Monder, Tim Ries, and Joe LaBarbera.
Since graduating with a B. Mus in 2011, Ted has been active on the Canadian creative music scene both as a bandleader and sideman. His group the Revival Ensemble, a large ensemble that reinterprets older musical works in a modern way and six-piece jazz-rock group Nomad have played at major festivals and regularly release and perform new, original music. As a freelancer, Ted is a musical chameleon playing several instruments and collaborating with everybody from indy rock star Leif Vollebekk and singer-songwriters Sam Tudor and Isla Craig to modern jazz groups like Harley Card’s Sunset Ensemble and the Matt Newton Quartet.
As an improviser, Ted has fostered creative partnerships with many musicians across Canada and has performed in ad hoc ensembles with Peggy Lee, Tony Wilson, Elisa Thorn, Dylan Van Der Schyff, Karen Ng, Joe Sorbara, Pierre Tanguay, Nick Fraser, Mili Hong, and Lina Allemano, among others.
Get to know Ted…Beyond the Bio!
Hobbies: baking bread, playing shinny and basketball, gardening, playing Geoguessr, watching boatbuilding youtube videos.
Musical influences: John Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Ornette Coleman, Paul Motian, Lester Young, Radiohead, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Igor Stravinsky
Favourite food: Anything fresh out of the garden!
Least favourite food: anchovies…
Favourite music: Hard question! So much!
Favourite song: Three way tie between Love In Need of Love – Stevie Wonder, Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Neil Young, and The Skye Boat Song – traditional scottish
Favourite movie: Moonstruck
Favouirite movie music: Theme to Moonstruck and/or anything by John Williams
Favourite musical theatre/opera: West Side Story
Best quote from your teacher: “When you play fast, you play what you know. When you play slow, you play who you are”
Favourite quote: “Hard to say not knowin”
Favourite book: His Dark Materials, Lord of the Rings
Preferred Books for Ted’s Students
Click to buy them here, and they’ll come right to your house! What could be easier?
Elementary Method for Clarinet
One of the most widely used series of methods for individual or like-instrument class instruction. Using a very well-rounded approach including scales, arpeggios, technical studies, studies for musicianship, articulation studies, solos, duets, and studies.
Elementary Method for Saxophone
One of the most widely used series of methods for individual or like-instrument class instruction. Using a very well-rounded approach including scales, arpeggios, technical studies, studies for musicianship, articulation studies, solos, duets, and studies.
Intermediate Method for Saxophone
One of the most widely used series of methods for individual or like-instrument class instruction. Using a very well-rounded approach including scales, arpeggios, technical studies, studies for musicianship, articulation studies, solos, duets, and studies devoted to the special needs of each instrument, this series provides a fantastic wealth of material for all student musicians.
Top Tones for the Saxophone
Students can develop their range with this insightful book with text both in English and German. The author focuses on technique and offers musical examples and exercises to help developing players achieve a four-octave range. An important book for all saxophone students!
The Real Book in Bb
The Real Books are the best-selling jazz books of all time. Since the 1970s, musicians have trusted these volumes to get them through every gig, night after night. The problem is that the books were illegally produced and distributed, without any regard to copyright law, or royalties paid to the composers who created these musical masterpieces. Hal Leonard is very proud to present the first legitimate and legal editions of these books ever produced. You won’t even notice the difference, other than all the notorious errors being fixed: the covers and typeface look the same, the song list is nearly identical, and the price for our edition is even cheaper than the original! Every conscientious musician will appreciate that these books are now produced accurately and ethically, benefitting the songwriters that we owe for some of the greatest tunes of all time! This Bb edition includes 400 songs!
