Chris Chalfant

CHRIS CHALFANT - PRODUCER, DIRECTOR COMPOSER, ALTO (VOICE), PIANO

In 2001 I Founded the Lifetime Visions Orchestra which I co-direct with Joseph Jarman. The LVO recently returned from performing at the Nancy (France) Pulsations Jazz Festival with great acclaim from Les Republican. I have directed the American Women Composers Marathon (Boston), and the Festival of Women Improvisors - Boston. I have been composing award-winning music since age 16, including "Portraits" for the Louisville National Composers Competition (Merit Finalist). I have written extensively for many different instrumental and vocal combinations, as well as poetry, theatre, dance, live painting and multimedia. From 1986-1992 I was pianist and singer for the Longy Improvisation Ensemble. My work in the 80's was greatly influenced from the work of Meredith Monk and my workshop experience with Pauline Oliveros. In 1992, I was fortunate to have a residency at the Atlantic Center with Joan LaBarbara and Morton Subotnick.

My meetings with Sun Ra, Cecil Taylor, Steve Lacy, Joseph Jarman, and Reggie Workman, mostly in 1990 were key to shaping my path in writing creative music. In 1991 I arranged "Mother Courage" with Reggie Workman and co-composed "Ballade" for bass and piano with him. As a result of my work and studies with Joseph Jarman in Aikido, Buddhism and healing and music projects, I have committed myself to working with the healing power of music. In addition to the LVO project, I work with the Dojo Band and have created and implemented the Sonic Meditations Retreat since 2001 in conjunction with Joseph Jarman and the Brooklyn Buddhist Association.

I studied classical piano with Margaret Baxtresser and African Music and Dance with Halim el Dabh at Kent State (BA in Music 1983). In 1988 I received my MM at New England Conservatory where I studied jazz with George Russell and composition with William Thomas McKinley. I also studied Indian music with Abby Rabinowitz and Harriotte Hurie, and wrote for Jimmy Giuffree's Jazz composer concert series. I work now in jazz improvisation with Connie Crothers and recently studied Indian Raga with Michael Harrison. I also had the rare opportunity of studying raga with the great Mashkoor Ali Khan of Calcutta, India.

My most recent recordings include Love and Light, Convergence and All in Good Time. I also composed and performed on the Lifetime Visions Orchestra's recent release Live at the Vision Festival 2002. in addition, I have performed at the New York Jazz Festival with Noah Howard, and the International Composers Conference in Leukerbad, Switzerland as well as the Darmstadt Festival.

Current concerts include:

Lifetime Visions Orchestra, Jikishinkan Dojo, 211 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY, Sunday, February 22, 7PM, http:/www.directmind.com

Lifetime Visions Orchestra, Metropolitan AME Church, 58 135th St, Harlem, NY, Saturday, March 20, 3-5PM, http:/www.directmind.com

Chris Chalfant Trio, with Adam Lane and John McCutcheon, The Uptown, 33 N. Front St, Kingston, NY, Saturday, April 3, [email protected]

Chris Chalfant Trio, with Adam Lane, Lou Grassi, Freddie's, Dean and 6th Ave, Brooklyn, Tuesday, April 6, 8:30 PM, [email protected]

Lifetime Visions Orchestra, Jikishinkan Dojo, 211 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY, April Sunday TBA, http:/www.directmind.com

Lifetime Visions Orchestra, Barbes, 376 9Th Street @ 6th Ave, Brooklyn, NY, Wednesday, May 19, 7-9PM, http:/www.barbesbrooklyn.org Show less