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Crispin Cioe Blog

Saxophonist Blog on Crispin Cioe

The saxophonist blog featuring headlines and performance highlights of Crispin Cioe.The saxophonist blog is about a saxophonist who was a writer in his early years. For several years after moving to NYC in the late ’70s, Crispin Cioe wrote articles, profiles, reviews, and liner notes for a variety of publications including High Fidelity, Soho Weekly News, Penthouse, Playboy, Circus, High Times, Prestige Records, Rogner & Bernhard GMBH Publishing Co., Musician MagazineDetroit Free Press, and more. This experience has carried over into Crispin’s songwriting and arranging outlook, along with a lifelong passion for musical history and curation.

Crispin’s deep understanding of music informs his creativity and performances as a saxophonist, composer, arranger, studio musician, and music director. It’s not surprising that Crispin grew up in Detroit during the Motown era, when Detroit rock ‘n’ roll, R&B, and jazz-influenced music worldwide. From touring with the Rolling Stones to playing on more than 300 albums to writing and producing his own CD featuring his band Cracked Ice, his career reads like a Who’s Who of rock ‘n’ roll. Crispin regularly makes headlines as well, as you’ll see in the posts below.

Crispin Cioe on the Cover Saxophone Journal
Crispin Cioe on the Cover of Saxophone Journal

Crispin Cioe Featured on the Cover of Saxophone Journal Saxophone Journal, the industry’s leading saxophone publication, features famed saxophonist Crispin Cioe on its cover. The lengthy profile…

Crispin Cioe Counted Among Top Sax Soloists
Crispin Cioe Counted Among Top Sax Soloists in Saxophone History  

Crispin Cioe One of the Top Sax Soloists According to Sax History Book The book Ride The Wild Wind: History Of The Saxophone: The Magical Listening Tour credits Crispin Cioe as one of the top saxophon…

CT Insider features Crispin Cioe performing at Levitt Pavilion in Westport News Article.
CT Insider Features Crispin Cioe in Westport News Article

Photo Credit: Mike Horyczun The Story of Saxophonist Crispin Cioe Told by CT Insider The story of saxophonist Crispin Cioe is featured in the CT Insider as part of its coverage of Westport News. The C…

The Uptown Horns with New England Music Hall of Fame co-founder Christopher Annino
Crispin Cioe Hall of Fame Induction

Crispin Cioe Hall of Fame Induction Crispin Cioe was inducted into the New England Music Hall of Fame during a benefit concert in Waterbury, Connecticut. Crispin was inducted into the Hall of Fame as …

Crispin Cioe is Connecticut Magazine First Person
Saxist Crispin Cioe featured in Connecticut Magazine

Connecticut Magazine Features Crispin Cioe In an article written by Pat Grandjean, Saxophonist Crispin Cioe is featured in Connecticut Magazine First Person. The renowned saxist has a lengthy discogra…

Image of Crispin Cioe onstage with the Rolling Stones for article Crispin Cioe tours with the Rolling Stones
Crispin Cioe Tours with the Rolling Stones

Crispin Cioe Tours with the Rolling Stones Rolling Stones Saxophonist Crispin Cioe of the Uptown Horns tours with the Rolling Stones, performing with them in the movie of their concert “Rolling …

Photo of Crispin Cioe's Sax Solo with Darlene Love The View
Famed Baritone Sax Solo: Crispin Performs with Darlene Love

Crispin Cioe Plays Famed Baritone Sax Solo on The View. Saxophonist Crispin Cioe plays the famous baritone sax solo as he returns with Darlene Love to ABC-TV’s “The View” to perform …

mage of Crispin Cioe leading the band as Music Director for the Mark Twain Prize
Music Director for Mark Twain Prize

Music Director for Mark Twain Prize Crispin Cioe serves as TV Music Director for and Saxophonist for the nationally televised Mark Twain Prize for American Humor honoring Eddie Murphy. The Mark Twain …

Photo of The White House at night for Music Director Crispin Cioe In Performance at The White House on PBS
Music Director Crispin Cioe “In Performance At The White House”

Music Director Crispin Cioe In Performance at the White House Crispin Cioe is Music Director and Sax Soloist on Nationally Televised PBS Celebration Crispin Cioe serves as Music Director and Sax Soloi…

Photo of Crispin Cioe for WPKN 89.5 Band Central Radio Hour
Crispin Cioe on WPKN 89.5 Band Central Radio Hour

Saxman Crispin Cioe Featured on WPKN 89.5 Radio Saxophonist, composer, and music director Crispin Cioe is a featured guest on WPKN 89.5 Band Central Radio Hour. Join host Rob Fried as he interviews an…

Wolfgang a-Go-Go Graphic for gig featuring Crispin Cioe
Saxman Crispin Cioe at Woofgang a-Go-Go

Saxman Crispin Cioe is scheduled to perform with Band Central at Park City Music Hall on June 2, 2022 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The event is called Woofgang a-Go-Go and takes place between 6:30 PM –…

Crispin Cioe Tours With J. Geils
Saxist Crispin Cioe Tours with J. Geils Band | Video

Westporter Crispin Cioe Tours with J. Geils Band – A Dan Woog 06880 Report In Crispin Cioe: Jammin’ With J. Geils by Westport Blogger, Editor, and Publisher of the Westport Blog “06880&#82…

Photo of Horseshoe Cafe Southport CT
Crispin & Friends at The Horseshoe Cafe | Video

Crispin & Friends performs regularly at The Horseshoe Cafe in Southport, Connecticut. The quartet returns for a set of high-tone musical shenanigans from 8pm-to-9pm on February 25th. The band feat…

Photo of Crispin Cioe with Winterfest Band 2019
Saxophonist Crispin Cioe plays Winterfest in Montego Bay

Saxophonist Crispin Cioe plays “Winterfest” during an amazing week of island fun and concerts at Mango’s Beachfront Resort in Jamaica. “Winterfest” celebrates the life and musi…

Photo of Crispin Cioe and Darlene Love at Levitt Pavilion Westport Connecticut
Crispin Cioe plays the Levitt Pavilion

Saxophonist Crispin Cioe plays the Levitt Pavilion in Westport, Connecticut on a regular basis. Crispin, a Westport resident, has performed at the Levitt multiple times, most recently appearing with s…

Image of NYC Stand for the Troops fundraiser poster
NYC Stand for the Troops Sax Performance by Crispin Cioe

Crispin Plays Sax for Stand for the Troops (SFTT) Crispin Cioe performs for at the star-studded Veteran’s Day concert “NYC Stand for the Troops” at Ethical Culture Concert Hall, 2 W.…

Photo of Esperanza Spalding at the White House performing with Music Director Crispin Cioe
Crispin Cioe with Esperanza Spalding at the White House

Crispin Cioe with Esperanza Spalding Crispin Cioe performs with Esperanza Spalding as Music Director and saxophonist for “In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of American Creativity&…

Photo of The White House at night for Music Director Crispin Cioe In Performance at The White House on PBS
What Joe Biden Whispered to Crispin

What Joe Biden Whispered to Crispin True Story True story: In 2013, in the East Room of the White House, Crispin Cioe had the opportunity to get a snapshot with then Vice President Joe Biden. As Crisp…

Saxman Crispin Cioe at Fairfield Theatre Company
Saxman Crispin Cioe at Fairfield Theatre Company

Saxman Crispin Cioe at Fairfield Theatre Company Saxman Crispin Cioe performs at Fairfield Theatre Company for That 70’s Show Again to benefit Neighborhood Studios of Fairfield County. The …

Photo of Crispin Cioe Playing Saxophone in Studio No Filter
Crispin Appears with Darlene Love in Lowell

Crispin Appears with Darlene Love in Lowell, Massachusetts Saxophonist Crispin Cioe performs with singer Darlene Love at a concert in Lowell, Massachusetts. The performance starts at 9 pm at the Lowel…

Crispin’s Work as a Music Journalist

As a music journalist, Crispin has interviewed and written in-depth portraits of stars like Bob Marley/Peter Tosh/Bob Seger, a profile of Miami-based TK Records in its heyday, liner notes for albums like Eddie ‘Lockjaw” Davis / Johnny Griffin Live at Minton’s Playhouse, and an on tour profile of the Parliament-Funkadelic during the band’s Mothership Connection breakthrough. Crispin also wrote a pioneering music biz column called Trade Secrets for Soho Weekly News, when that publication was the go-to organ chronicling the emerging punk and NewWave scene at CBGB, Mudd Club, and beyond in downtown NYC.

To soak up his written insights, follow Crispin on Facebook and check out his blog posts below.