Jay Craggs currently teaches at and is the Production and Technical Operations Coordinator for UW-Whitewater. Duties at the University include teaching as well as technical coordination and AV system design for a wide variety of special events and concerts on campus as well as supervising student technicians. Jay is active in the A/V industry as a consultant, and holds the Infocom CTS (Certified Technology Specialist) certification.
As a guitarist, composer, and educator Jay Craggs has entertained audiences across North America. Jay has shared the stage, recorded with, or opened for many jazz, rock, and entertainment notables including Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Shew, James Moody, Bob Mintzer, Frank Mantooth, Phil Collen, the Yellowjackets, Rare Silk, Tommy Holland, Chris Vadalla, Buddy Rich, Ritchie Cole, Steve Houghton, Dennis DiBlasio, Steve Wiest, Ernie Adams, Rich LIttle, and many others.
Jay's album credits for performing or engineering include Better Way, by the group Dyad (for Stoic, 2003, available here), Cloud Faktory, & Play On by the group Retrobeast (for Earth Island Records, 2003, 2005), Sophisticated Lady by Frank Mantooth, (for SeaBreeze, 1995, available here), Stain, by Living Colour, (for Epic,1993, available here), and producer and engineering credits on many regional and local artist CD projects. Jay's first solo album, "Land Ho" (for Stoic, 1994, available here ), featured pianist Frank Mantooth, bassist Larry Gray, trumpeter Jeff Tyzik, drummer Dave Mancini, and Jay's original music.
Jay Craggs is active as a consultant, composer/arranger, studio guitarist, recording engineer, and as a MIDI sequence programmer. Jay's technical background is in demand in recording studios, by performing artists, and in audio/video design and installation work. Projects include album work, radio and TV jingles, sequencing for live performance, video underscoring, and post-production. Clients have included Famous Footwear, Northwestern Mutual Life, UW-Whitewater, Continental Trade Exchange, Midwest Directories, and regional retailers. He has worked with a variety of national acts as a sound designer and audio consultant including Adrian Belew, Rush tour, Prince tour, David Bowie tour, Living Colour, Lou Reed tour, Night Ranger, Frank Mantooth, the Tom-Tom Club, Al DiMeola, and others.
As an educator, Jay has developed curriculum and taught college music & technology courses for Columbia College Chicago, Madison Media Institute, and UW-Whitewater. Craggs has presented many music and technology related clinics, lectures, and performances at colleges and secondary schools throughout the U.S., including the Grove School of Music, Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.), Musicians Institute in Los Angeles., Columbia College, Full Sail School of the Recording Arts, Madison Media Institute, University of Nebraska-Omaha, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater, Carroll College, North Central College, NACA Conferences, various high schools, and music industry trade shows. He has published several guitar and technology-related magazine articles and has done technical writing for musical equipment manufacturers.
Education:
B.M. Education, UW-Whitewater.
Follett Full Tuition Graduate Fellowship, Columbia College, Chicago.
M.A. in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management, Columbia College Chicago.
Teaching, Curriculum, and Higher Education Experience:
Columbia College Chicago - courses taught
Undergraduate Level:
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - courses taught
Undergraduate Level:
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - courses taught
Graduate Level:
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater - technical positions:
Madison Media Institute - courses taught:
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For questions/comments contact: craggsj@uww.edu
Last updated August 1st, 2008