Pianist Chris Dawson releases his solo debut album

"Stridin' Through Christmas" Spreading the Message of Jazz

This project seeks to present the gift of jazz to a wider listening audience without compromising the standards of the artform. Currently jazz records represent only one percent of music sales. This means that for every 100 albums purchased, only 1 of them is a jazz record. Yet jazz is a tremendously rich genre that could certainly be appreciated by more music fans. One problem with jazz is the repertoire, which is not accessible to most people. The show tunes of the 1930s, while great songs, are not familiar to the average listener. Neither are many of the songs composed by jazz musicians in the 40s and 50s which are now part of the repertoire. The skilled jazz improviser, who has spent countless hours developing her craft, conveys her genius by spontaneously composing variations on the original melody, with fantastic twists, turns, and technique along the way. Yet jazz cannot be appreciated if the melodies being improvised upon are not familiar.

Holiday music includes some of the most universally recognized songs available. While there have been jazz recordings of Christmas music, many of them miss the mark because they water down the artform. Chris Dawson's improvising is never trite or pandering. His harmonic explorations are complex and sophisticated without compromising the integrity of the songs. This is real art music, and yet it is easy to listen to. Chris is deeply lyrical which means even the most technically brisk improvisations remain, first and foremost, musical. The 15 recordings on this CD have the capacity to enrich our culture's appreciation of jazz by presenting improvised explorations of a very familiar songbook, presented by a consummate virtuoso. It is our hope that jazz can continue to grow its following, and that Chris Dawson's music can play a role in expanding the jazz audience.

A word about the artist: Chris exploits the orchestral abilities of the piano through his unrivaled command of the instrument. This performer is a one-man band. He fuses an older stride-piano style, which gives the music great momentum through a driving left hand, with be-bop melodic improvisations in the right hand. This combination gives the album a modern feel. This CD has already generated great excitement among many consummate jazz artists, as you can read here.
 
"The best Christmas music I've ever heard!" - Charlie Haden
"A master of stride piano. You've never heard holiday tunes like this before!" - Alan Broadbent
"So beautifully played. A lovely album." - Dick Hyman
"Marvelous playing. Let's hear it for clarity of line, melodic phrases, tone and touch. Let's hear it for Chris Dawson's beautiful recording!" - John Clayton
"Terrific. Poise, clarity and balance. Brings these chestnuts to life. Clean as a whistle!" - Dave Frishberg

Concert
Saturday, December 19 - 7:00 pm

Solo Holiday Concert
Giannelli Square of Northridge 19451 Londelius St Northridge, California