Episode 33 with Wayne Krantz (Solo artist, Steely Dan, Billy Cobham,)
My guest today is Mr. Wayne Krantz. Wayne is one of my favorite guitarists and musicians and I was so glad to finally be able to have him on the show. I frequent the 55 Bar in NYC where he can be found on most Thursday nights playing with an ever revolving cast of NYC's finest musicians as part of his trio, which is always a treat for the ears.
A guitarist and musician with a highly original approach to the instrument, Wayne loves to take musical chances, trusts his ideas and leads the path of a true improvisor. Shortly after moving to NY in 1987, Wayne made a huge decision which would impact his music and style forever- to completely abandon all pre-conceived licks and cliches and reinvent himself, forcing himself to come up with his own original voice.
In this interview Wayne talks at length about the early days in NYC, working with Leni Stern, Steely Dan and eventually his own project. He also discusses his approach to improvising, how "centering" the groove helped him with his own music, and more. We also jam on a few riffs together.
Wayne has many records out - from his debut "Signals" to the classic "Two Drink Minimum", captured live at the 55 bar, to "Good Piranha, Bad Piranha", they all are different and fresh. He has also completed a revision to his instructional book called "The Improvisors OS" that describes his approach to improvising. Click Here to purchase the book. For more info on Wayne's music visit Click here.
Wayne's website- http://www.waynekrantz.com/
This interview was recorded at my apartment, Manhattan NY in June 2019