Craig Brenner

Craig Brenner explores the jazzy side of blues and boogie woogie piano. Called “a fine and funky pianist” by Living Blues, Craig has received many arts grants and has been voted “Best Musician” in Bloomington, IN, in the Bloomington Independent, and Craig Brenner & The Crawdads has been chosen best band. A graduate of Florida Southern College who grew up in North Miami Beach, FL, Craig attended the I.U. School of Music from 1976-80, studying with composer John Eaton, pianists Joseph Rezits and Enrica Cavallo Gulli, and jazz educator David Baker, among others. Prior to moving to Indiana, Craig studied in Miami with jazz pianist Wally Cirillo and classical pianist Elizabeth Fishbein. Craig has also studied and performed multiple times with boogie woogie and stride master Bob Seeley and the late Big Joe Duskin. Craig is the founder of Bloomington Boogies:  The Bloomington Blues & Boogie Woogie Piano Festival.

Craig performs solo and with his groups at blues, boogie woogie, and jazz festivals and venues throughout the U.S. and around the world. He has performed with Bo Didley and opened shows for B. B. King, C. J. Chenier, Queen Ida, Buckwheat Zydeco, Gary Burton, Richard Thompson, Wayne Toups, Honeyboy Edwards, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, the Radiators, Duke Robillard, Jimmy Rogers, and Terrance Simien, and many others.  Craig’s bands include Craig & The Crawdads and The Ragin’ Texans – Jim Bracken, Gordon Bonham, Brian Lappin, and Craig – with drummers Kenny Aronoff, Tim Brookshire, or Dan Hostetler. The Texans and Crawdads have included remarkable musicians; in addition to Bonham and Bracken, other guitarists include Jeff White, David Steele, and Stuart Norton, horn players include Dennis and Tim Riggins and Tom Gullion – known as “The Long Horns” – and Dennis Hoshijo, drummers include Bunchy Johnson, Lenny Marsh, and Uganda Roberts, and special guests have included Lisa Germano, John Prine, John Mellencamp, Dominic Spera, Jason Wilbur, and many other touring musicians.