Bio
There’s few modern day horn players that command the room quite like New York City’s Craig Dreyer. On the tenor saxophone, his primary instrument, Dreyer quite literally defines the term 'hot horn', a phrase borrowed from Freddie Hubbard's album of the same name. If pure tone on brass alone wasn't enough, the multi-instrumentalist can be found conducting winds on flute by day or composing songs and arrangements behind his analog Wurlitzer keyboard for himself and others by night.
Listening to Craig Dreyer and Fiends albums, you quickly get the sense of how these songs came to be: rehearsed and performed in a live setting in clubs across New York City since the 1990's. Dreyer and Fiends, or the musicians in his band as he likes to call them, have released four studio albums since 1998’s ‘What Are Fiends For?’. And until now, 2004’s ‘Fiend or Foe?’ album was previously unreleased upon completion. When asked why the album never came out, Dreyer shrugs it off saying, “I was waiting for the right moment.” Performing his first professional gig at the age of 14, Dreyer is no stranger to the stage and studio, having performed and recorded with the likes of Eric Lindell, James Hunter, Dispatch, Pete Francis, Leo Nocentelli, Keith Richards (on The Grammy-Award Winning ‘Timeless’ album), Little Milton, Warren Haynes, John Popper of Blues Traveler, Joan Osborne, Dana Fuchs, Clarence Spady, Ron Sunshine, Jono Manson, Popa Chubby, Jerry Dugger, Bill Sims Jr., Wycliffe Gordon and many others.
Since 2006, Dreyer has produced countless records at his very own Mighty Toad Recording Studio nestled cozily in Brooklyn’s South Slope neighborhood. The warm smell of analog tape can often be found filling the room from his 24 track Studer tape machine while a Trident console anchors the control room. Here analog instruments and techniques dominate and the smell of incense lingers. Studying analog recording methods under legendary producer Rob Fraboni, Dreyer makes punching in a track on tape look effortless. Unlike today’s digital workflows, where producers glance at sound waves on sterile screens, Dreyer opts to use his ears alone. Fingertips on the faders of his Trident desk and the valves of his tenor, Dreyer allows the subconscious to take over. Only then does the energy and feeling of true improvisation come through, free of the burden of conscious thought. With this ethos, Dreyer has produced records at Mighty Toad for artists such as Dispatch, Mike Clark, Will Bernard, Pete Francis, David "Fathead" Newman, Brian Charrette, and Adam Scone of Parlor Greens.
There's rare moments in life where the air is filled with music rich in one quality component: aliveness. The tone of Dreyer’s horn speaks a global language. Now, enough words, we leave you with the smooth sounds aforementioned. Creed Taylor had Stan Getz. We have Craig Dreyer.
