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Chris Morrissey

Chris Morrissey is a songwriter, a bassist, a singer, a music director, a leo, an uncle, a lover of most cats and some dogs, a New Yorker, a Minnesotan, a yoga practicer, a wino, a restaurant frequenter, and joke teller/appreciator. As a bassist, he's logged hundreds of thousands of miles touring five continents with the Jim Campilongo Trio, Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet, Beat Music, Dave King Trucking Company, Sara Bareilles, Chris Thile’s “Live From Here” house band, Margaret Glaspy, Boy George, Ben Kweller, Andrew Bird, Mason Jennings, Gretchen Parlato, Trixie Whitley, Gabriel Kahane, and Amy Helm.

As a music director, he assembled bands, arranged and rehearsed repertoire for tour and TV for Sara Bareilles (on her Album of the Year Grammy nominated “The Blessed Unrest” tours), Sharon Van Etten (Remind Me Tomorrow tours), Trixie Whitley (Porta Bohemica tours), and Elle King (Shake The Spirit tours).

As a composer and band leader, Mr. Morrissey has released four records to high praise: "Laughing and Laughing” (2018), "The Morning World" (2009, Sunnyside), "Cannon Falls Forever" (2011, self release) and "North Hero" (2013, Sunnyside). His 5th record is forthcoming on Edition Records in July 2021.

He has been featured in Bass Player Magazine, is a member of the adjunct faculty at The New School For Jazz and Contemporary Music and has received commissions from The Jazz Gallery and The Jazz Coalition. Chris lives between a park and a cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

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6
Album Review

Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet: The Sound Of Listening

Read "The Sound Of Listening" reviewed by Chris May


There is something tantalisingly out of reach on the Mark Guiliana Jazz Quartet's The Sound Of Listening. It is not “difficult" music, but it is cryptic. After multiple replays the code remains unbroken. It seems something important is going on but... what exactly? It is rather like encountering Guiliana's fellow New Yorker, tenor saxophonist Oded Tzur for the first time. The music is not alien, but there is something deeply different about it. Coincidentally, Guiliana's pianist on ...

207
Album Review

Chris Morrissey: The Morning World

Read "The Morning World" reviewed by Raul d'Gama Rose


At first blush, The Morning World feels not so much about a bassist as leader of the ensemble, but rather as the bass as leader of the ensemble. This would per force mean that the character of the instrument first establishes its sonic character on the music, or rather makes the music swirl around it. Because Morrissey is smart and as dexterous as a bass violinist this is never a boring expedition. Rather, the relationship of the instruments in each ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

The Sound Of Listening

Edition Records
2022

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North Hero

Self Produced
2013

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The Morning World

Sunnyside Records
2009

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Videos

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