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James Arthur Crumb Jr. is a Product of Birmingham City Schools. Crumb was introduced to music and the Saxophone at Norwood Elementary by Mrs. Debora Mayes, Director. He continued his high school musical training at Phillips High School under the direction of Mr. John McAphee, where he developed a desire to someday lead his own band program.
Crumb attended Alabama A&M University with a full band scholarship under the leadership of Mr. Arthur B. Wesley. He continued his pursuit of education at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, where he earned a BS Degree in Music Education under the guidance of Dr. Henry Panion.
Crumb’s career in music education started at Carver High School, where he held the position of Director of Bands from 2000-2005. His bands consistently earned superior ratings at the district, state and national level. The Carver High School Marching Rams won the National High Stepping Marching Championship in 2003. Carver’s Symphonic band was honored with the privilege of performing at the 2004 AMEA conference. Carver’s Jazz Band received Band of Distinction at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Festival 2002, 2003, and 2004. Crumb continued his successful career at Minor High School, where he served as assistant band director, 2005-2013, and Director of Bands, 2013-2018. His bands continued to earn superior ratings consistently at the district, state and national level. Minor’s Marching Band won three consecutive National High Stepping Marching Championships, 2013-2015. The Jazz Band has received Band of Distinction at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Festival 2010 thru 2015. In addition, The Minor High School Jazz Band was honored with the privilege of performing at the National Association for the Study and Performance of African-American Music Conference on March 14, 2013. Crumb is currently serving as the Fine Arts Consultant for the Birmingham City School’s System where his goals and aspirations are to assist with all fine arts programs to reach a level of continuous superior performances.
Crumb has served as a Clinician and Honor Band conductor throughout the Southeast Region. He served as the Alabama All-State Bronze Jazz Band clinician in 2015 and jazz clinician at the 2017 Alabama Band Masters Association Summer Conference. Crumb is also an accomplished jazz musician as the featured artist in the N’Fusion Jazz Quartet and has also been nominated as Alabama’s Male Jazz Musician of the year 2017 & 2018. He is married to Desiré Taylor and has two beautiful daughters, Jazmin Alexis and Nadia Corinne. James also has two nieces, Lashaundra and Jaylin, in which he has helped raise as his own daughters, and a great nephew, Marley Joshua, “Uncles’ Man”. Crumb’s proud parents are James and Nellie Crumb, Sr.