Meet The Composer: Cory Gray

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Cory Gray is as unassuming and amiable as he is talented. He identifies as a keyboardist and trumpet player, but in truth he plays a little of everything. His studio, in an old grain silo in North Portland, Oregon reflects this. Guitars, drums, bass, trombones, tuba, and all manner of keys (including a baby grand) fill out the space and lend more than a veneer of authenticity.

In addition to composing, Cory engineers, mixes, arranges, and produces other artists.  He also fronts the band / recording project Carcrashlander (with releases spanning 2008-2014). He says he’s working on a batch of moodier and slower songs which may be released under his own name.

Cory’s oeuvre ranges from uplifting, minimal piano score pieces to cinematic electro-acoustic arrangements and further on to adventurous indie rock in the vein of Modest Mouse or Neutral Milk Hotel. Here are some of our favorite tracks from his broad offering with Needle Drop Co.:

 

Go deeper. See All Cory Gray’s Tracks.

 

Recent scoring projects include his tender score for a popular documentary on an exquisitely rare perfect game in Putt-putt Perfection.  The score buttresses the film’s humor is the sincerest form of sincerity approach that leaves the piece lingering with viewers long after the credits roll:

Cory worked with frequent collaborator John Askew to deliver a score that drew inspiration from golden era Tom Waits for this hand-drawn animated short Cooped now in the festival circuit:

Lastly, Cory is one half of a startup hot sauce business called Saucesome.  This video tells their story and how making music played into the dream, and perhaps even the recipe:

Find out more about Cory Gray at his website.

Get in touch with us about working with Cory for your next project.

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