The "Crosby" Sound
CSNY
Collaboration
Collaboration
Each of the members of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSNY) brought unique strengths to the band. Crosby brought his incredibly smooth & blendable voice, as well as songwriting skills. Stills was clearly the best songwriter in the band in addition to his great voice and amazing chops on the guitar. Nash had the unique ability to put “ici
Each of the members of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (CSNY) brought unique strengths to the band. Crosby brought his incredibly smooth & blendable voice, as well as songwriting skills. Stills was clearly the best songwriter in the band in addition to his great voice and amazing chops on the guitar. Nash had the unique ability to put “icing on the cake” as it were with high vocals and his incredible skill at harmonizing, Young could make his lead guitar sing and always played the most appropriate solo for the song. All had their unique vocal styles and were able to harmonize and blend (a skill that many vocalists either don’t have naturally or haven’t developed).
Collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration
Croz was at his best when he worked with other musicians. He never seemed to fancy himself as a solo artist or band leader. The list of musicians Croz collaborated with in during his career is quite long, but includes Jerry Garcia, Paul Kantner and Grace Slick, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Phil Collins, James Raymond (his son), Wynton M
Croz was at his best when he worked with other musicians. He never seemed to fancy himself as a solo artist or band leader. The list of musicians Croz collaborated with in during his career is quite long, but includes Jerry Garcia, Paul Kantner and Grace Slick, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, Phil Collins, James Raymond (his son), Wynton Marsalis, Dan Fogelberg, Michael League, Michael McDonald, & Donald Fagan, just to name a few. As a collaborator, Crosby naturally adapted other musician’s styles into his own musical voice. He was not only eager to learn from other musicians (younger musicians in particular in his later years), but always wanted them to bring their own uniqueness to a project. Unlike Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (Steely Dan) who recorded take after take in search of a particular sound, Crosby preferred a more organic approach which allowed other musicians to influence the final product. The two “Lighthouse Band” albums (“Lighthouse" from 2016 and “Here If You Listen” from 2018) were collaborations from the start. Surrounding himself with young, up and coming artists (Michael League, Michelle Willis, & Becca Stephens), Crosby offered his entire database of unused lyrics to the band and gave them compositional freedom.
Harmony
Collaboration
Guitar Tunings
Having been influenced at an early age by artists such as John Coltrane & Miles Davis, Croz fell in love with jazz and adapted its styles in his compositions and vocal phrasing. Very rarely do his compositions use the typically simple, “Three Chord” progression that defines much of the most popular rock music of his day. Chord substituti
Having been influenced at an early age by artists such as John Coltrane & Miles Davis, Croz fell in love with jazz and adapted its styles in his compositions and vocal phrasing. Very rarely do his compositions use the typically simple, “Three Chord” progression that defines much of the most popular rock music of his day. Chord substitutions, secondary dominants, chord extensions, and modal progressions are common elements. Croz especially had a particular fondness for the minor 11 chord — he seemed to find a way to use it as often as possible.
Vocally, Crosby’s melodies are typically written on the higher chordal tones and extensions rather than staying within the parameters of simple triad chordal structures. When harmonies are added (for the most part, above the melody), the resulting notes are 7ths, 9ths, 11ths and 13ths, those extensions used by jazz musicians. Harmonies in stacked 4ths is also very common in Crosby’s music.
Guitar Tunings
Guitar Tunings
Guitar Tunings
Having “discovered” Joni Mitchell in 1967, Croz produced her first album. Joni would typically “retune” her guitar to make chords easier for her to play. Crosby adapted that style of guitar playing in his compositions as well. The Shadow Captain Band set list requires at least 5 different guitar tunings in order to achieve the Crosby sound.
Odd Meters
Guitar Tunings
Odd Meters
Crosby often employed time signatures that reflected his love for & inspiration from jazz. Most popular music uses a basic 4/4 time signature — 4 beats to the measure — which invites the listener to easily move and dance to the music. Crosby was a folk musician at heart & so utilized the common time signature in his music, but often inse
Crosby often employed time signatures that reflected his love for & inspiration from jazz. Most popular music uses a basic 4/4 time signature — 4 beats to the measure — which invites the listener to easily move and dance to the music. Crosby was a folk musician at heart & so utilized the common time signature in his music, but often inserted odd meters (such as 7/4 and 5/8) as well as shifting meters (3/4 - 4/4). Some examples include:
Guinnevere (1969: "Crosby, Stills, Nash") — beginning in 4/4, Croz shifts to 3/4 on the bridge of each verse and ends each verse with either a shifting 3/4–4/4, or a 7/4 meter (depending on who is transcribing).
Deja Vu (1970: “Deja Vu”) — this song starts with a jazzy 6/8, most certainly borrowed from jazz as Croz sings a little vocal improv as the song warms up into the beginning theme.
Dancer (1976: “Whistling Down the Wire”) — while mostly in 4/4, after the first 7 bars of the verse the tune shifts between 3/4, 2/4 and 4/4.
Find a Heart (2024: “Croz”) — similar to “Deja Vu”, this song begins in a jazzy 6/8 which continues until the solo break after the chorus. The song then shifts to the odd 5/8 meter before returning to 6/8 for the next verse.