Talents: Pianist - Vocalist - Songwriter - Arranger
Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia
Currently resides: Atlanta, Georgia
Education: B.A. in Music, College of William and Mary
Master's Degree in Music, University of Richmond
Artistic Style: Swing, shuffle blues, standards, R&B/Pop
Musical Influences: Floyd Kramer, Nikki Hopkins, Mose Alison, The Beatles, Glen Miller, Count Basie, Johnny Mercer , Frederic Chopin, Mozart
Recording Projects:"
Christmas All over the World" Playing Dude Records, c&p 2004
"88 Keys & the SwingKats," Playing Dude Records, c&p 2000
Lover's Holiday, Playing Dude Records, c&p 1997 (more than 1500 copies sold regionally)
Southern Charm & Swing, Playing Dude Records, c&p 1993 (more than 20,000 copies sold internationally)
Wind of Change, independent label, c&p 1990
Theme song "Florida Moon" and background music "Twilight Serenade" for short film 'Best Two Out of Three,' directed by Oscar winner Robert Wise
"Piano Roll Rag," theme song for cable program 'Dialogue', Comcast Cable Savannah, Georgia
"Atlanta Braves are Comin'," a tribute to the Atlanta Braves, CD single, Playing Dude Records, c&p1998
Performance Highlights:
Baltic Jazz Festival 2003 St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia
New Year's Eve at the Hyatt-Downtown Atlanta, 1997, 1998, 1999
Atlanta Braves NLCS Playoffs, 755 Club, Turner Field, 1998
Harry Connick, Jr. Wrap Party and Sit-In Performance, Dark Horse Tavern, 1998
SciTrek's 10th Birthday Party, SciTrek, 1998
International Tour Operators Convention, for Georgia Colonial Coast Travel Association,
The Depot, 1997 Georgia Historic Preservation Trust, Georgian Terrace, 1997
Good Morning America, Live from Savannah, March 1997
March of Dimes Walk America, Fox Theater, 1997
Fight Night, Cobb Galleria Center, 1996
Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Gala Opening, Macon, 1996
1996 Centennial Olympic Games, Xerox Olympic Pavilion, JW Marriott-Buckhead, Atlanta, 17 days-July-August 1996
Olympic Opening Ceremony, Rousakis Plaza, Savannah Waterfront Association, 1996
Night in Old Savannah Festival, Roundhouse Complex, Savannah, 1995-1996
Downtown Saturday Night, Lucas Theater for Performing Arts, Savannah, 1995
Johnny Mercer Festival, Opening Act for Mel Torme, Savannah, Georgia, 1994
Arts in the Park, St. Simon's Island, Georgia, 1992-1995
Jazz Festival, Athens, Georgia, 1993-1994
Tower Records, In-Store Appearance, Atlanta, Georgia, 1993
Savannah Jazz Festival, 1990-1994
Olympic Flag Transfer, through Georgia, 1992
Television: NBC Affiliate WSAV TV3, News 3 Today, Savannah
"Good Morning America," Live from Savannah
"Dialogue," Cable Channel 7, Savannah
"Countdown to Olympics," NBC Affiliate WSAV TV3, Savannah
"Good Day Atlanta," WAGA TV, Atlanta
"Jazz, Folk, & Blues," Cable Channel 7, Savannah
"Coastal Sunrise," NBC Affiliate WSAV TV3, Savannah
Radio: CKCU FM93.1, Swing is in the Air, Ottawa, Canada
Radio 2NSB, FM91.5, Graham Curran, New South Wales, Australia
WMBR FM88.1, Cabaret Corner, Boston, Massachusetts (on-air telephone interview)
WHRV FM, Saturday Night Fishfry, Neal Murray, Hampton, Virginia
WQXI AM790, Atlanta, Georgia
WLOW FM106.9, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
WHCJ FM88.5, Savannah, Georgia
WUGA Public Radio, Athens, Georgia
WGST, FM105.7, The Kim Peterson Show
Movies: "My Father, My Son," made for television movie starring Keith Carridean and Carl Maulden
Videos: "Live at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame," Savannah Production Group
"Jeepers Creepers," from the album Southern Charm & Swing, Savannah Production Group
Internet: Official Chris Chandler Website www.southerncharmandswing.com.
Johnny Mercer Educational Archive www.johnnymercer.com/chris.htm
Business Interests: C. Chandler, Inc. - a corporation dedicated to the art of music
Playing Dude Records, an independent label
Risandler Publishing Co.
Industry Recognition: ASCAP Popular Song Award, 1995 - 2001
Williams Fellowship, University of Richmond, for performance of Chopin's Second Concerto with the Richmond Symphony
Professional Affiliations:
Pump Audio Publisher for Southern Charm & Swing and Lover's Holiday and Christmas all over the World
Member, ASCAP, writer since 1989, publisher since 1991
American Federation of Musicians, Musicians Local 148-462
Member, TAXI
Past President, Friends of Johnny Mercer
Past Vice-President, Friends of Johnny Mercer
Past Board Member, Coastal Jazz Association
CHRIS CHANDLER
Bio Sheet
Grade: A Available for $14.99 at locaimusic retailers and online at cdbaby.com. backstagecommerce.com. cdstreet.com. towefr~c()rds.com; amazon.co,1'J'I Chris Chandler's "King Ivory" is an infectious record that may have you signing up for piano _lessons. Of course, by the third lesson of practicing scales, you'll be screaming at the teacher, "When do we learn to boogie, baby?" . Mixing soul, blues and New Orleans jazz over 12 tracks, Chandler and his band offer an upbeat album, with some great instrumental hooks that make it extremely easy to listen to. Chandler's piano work consists of quick; precise runs that show off his chops, but never dominate the songs. Excellent fills on lead guitar, strong backing vocals, and great work from the horn section round out the soundscape. The horns, in parfeatures plenty of fast, swinging tunes that take off from the first few bars, celebrating life and music. The album's title track sets a great tone, telling a humorous tale of two pianists, a father and son, cutting heads' and vying for supremacy as a town's premier player.Whether J or not the story is fiction, Chandler can rest assured his place as Savannah's foremost tickler of the ivories is secure, even against all the folks who might t~e up piano after heaiing "KingIvticular, add a lot of depth and . givethe record a soulfuldimension that is sure to make listeners feel happily drunk on noise, as though they just stepped out of a club somewhere in the French Quarter. Chandler's lyrics are clever, and cover the entire spectrum of human emotion. His ballads, such as "Change the Smile on Mona Lisa" and "A Season in the Past," end on a note of peace and understanding for the bad we all must take with the good. Of course, "King Ivory" also features plenty of fast swing tunes .
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