Born: August 24, 1970 Primary Instrument: Bass
New York City based Chris Tarry is one of Canada's most successful and celebrated electric bass exports. With three Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammy) for best Contemporary Jazz Album, eight Juno Award nominations, and other high profile accolades he has established himself as one of North America's top musicians. Chris's work since moving to New York in 2003 has seen him share the stage and recording studio with top musicians such as John Scofield, Dave Binney, Keith Carlock, Oz Noy Trio, Sam Yahel, DJ Logic, and many others. Chris has produced 9 critically acclaimed albums under his own name and has appeared on over 100 albums around the globe as one of the world's most sought after electric bass players.
Chris is also an award winning fiction writer. His latest album “Rest of the Story”, is a cutting edge book of short fiction and jazz CD rolled into one.
“Rest of the Story is one of the most strikingly original packages ever to pair written word with written note.” - Bass Player Magazine
“(Rest of the Story) is deftly crafted by musicians who transcend pigeonholes to simply be expressive and personal.” - Ottawa Citizen
“Not your average jazz CD, this one...this superb effort deserves wide recognition” - Exclaim Magazine
“Rest of the Story is an exercise in the art of the CD from one of jazz's top band leaders” - Pop Matters
“The stories are brilliantly crafted, and the music is deep, with a playfulness that cannot be denied.” - Bass Frontiers Magazine
Almost Certainly Dreaming (2007):
“Almost Certainly Dreaming finds bassist Chris Tarry's quintet in electrifyingly tight form!” - Downbeat Magazine
“One of the best jazz groups working today!” - All About Jazz
“ACD is Chris' masterpiece!” - Bass Musician Magazine
“A solid new album!” - New York Times
Sorry to be Strange (2005):
“Tarry's excellent American debut (Sorry to be Strange) is a resonant, single-minded bit of contemporary jazz … Tarry's terrain is a muscular and acrobatic electric bass, a world where deep rock might saddle to deep swing in a moment. He's a softie with a spine, having mastered the borderland between mainstream jazz and various popular forms.” - Greg Buium, Downbeat Magazine (Four Stars ****, Feb 07)
“I don't think I've heard a tighter, more consistently cooking, more continuously uninhibited improvising jazz band than The Chris Tarry Group … All five musicians borrow each other's ears, or rather pool them to create their marvelous ensemble” - Stephen Pedersen - The Chronicle Herald
“With his new CD Sorry to be Strange freshly minted, Tarry proves himself a gifted player, composer and band leader, with a knack for drive and dynamics in pieces that are exploratory, yet still accessible.” - Stephen Cooke, The Chronicle Herald
“Chris is on the cusp of becoming a genuine jazz star” - Alex Varty, The Georgia Straight
“Sorry to be strange is a cool balance of strong melodies, good grooves, and lively interaction.” - Roger Levesque, The Edmonton Journal
“(Sorry to be Strange) delivers a dozen songs laden with grooves and flowing lyricism.” - Cam Hayden, See Magazine
“Since relocating to New York in 2003, he (Chris Tarry) has further focused his virtuoso skills and is currently leading the Chris Tarry Group, a band that showcases some of Brooklyn's most dynamic younger players.” - Stuart Broomer, Toronto Life Magazine
“Once tenorman Kelly Jefferson starts blazing in pursuit of pianist Jon Cowherd's outside flights that follow general weirdness and striking guitar from Pete McCann (love this guy!) on the second track (”Yeah Guys”) of power electric bassist Tarry's new album, you realize there's a seriously hard, skittery edge to his complex, always-on-the-move hard bop- and rock-seasoned fusion.” Geoff Chapman, The Toronto Star
“An album that echoes with the spirit of the New York jazz scene” - Carsten Knox, Infomonkey.net
Chris Tarry - Almost Certainly Dreaming (2007)
Chris Tarry - Sorry to be Strange (2006)
Chris Tarry - Project 33 (2002)
Chris Tarry - Of Battles Unknown Mysteries (2001)
Chris Tarry - Sevyn (1996)
Chris Tarry - Unition (1995)
Chris Tarry - Groups Project (1994)
Chris Tarry - Landscapes (1993)
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Primary Instrument:
Bass
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
Willing to teach:
Advanced students only.
Clinic/Workshop Information:
Performed clinics around the world.
