Chris Kelsey

Quick Facts

Full Name	Chris Kelsey
Occupation	Saxophonist
Date Of Birth	Jun 5, 1961(1961-06-05)
Age	63
Birthplace	Bangor
Country	United States
Birth City	Maine
Horoscope	Gemini

Chris Kelsey Biography

Chris Kelsey is one of the most popular and richest Saxophonist who was born on June 5, 1961 in Bangor, Maine, United States. Chris Kelsey (born June 5 1959) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer, novelist and music critic. His music is influenced by bebop, free-jazz, the free improvisation genre, funk and Fusion, and is enhanced by elements of non-tonal modern classical. His writing is influenced by the works of crime writers like Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson as well as Dashiell Hammett. As a musician Kelsey has been working almost exclusively as the leader of his own groups which are usually quartets or trios. In the latter half of the 1980s, his main instrument has been the soprano saxophone. In recent times, he has played and recorded on the tenor as well as alto as well. Kelsey has recorded over two dozen albums as his personal label, and many on the C.I.M.P. label. Except for rare occasions the artist was able to record and perform his original compositions. His debut novel”Where the Hurt is was published in the year 2018 by Black Rose Writing. As as a critic, he’s written for major jazz magazines and websites such as Jazziz, JazzTimes, Cadence, AllMusic, and Jazz.com.

Kelsey got married to Lisa Kocaurek in 1993. The couple has two children including son Jasper as well as daughter Meret. In 2012 Kelsey is the director of instrumental music for the Trinity-Pawling School in Pawling, NY.

After releasing a trio of albums on his own label in 1999, Kelsey essentially stopped playing the saxophone for several years while he and his wife raised their two small children. During this time he experimented with computer music, but did not perform or record.

Kelsey returned to music in early 2003. He formed a new trio with bassist Francois Grillot and drummer Jay Rosen, the band’s music influenced by the compositional concepts of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, and Albert Ayler. The group recorded a series of albums for the C.I.M.P. label, usually with a second horn. In late 2004 they recorded Renewal, with trombonist Swell added. In 2005 the core trio recorded Wishing You Were Here. That same year, Kelsey recorded a solo soprano sax album for Cadence Jazz, Beyond Is and Is Not. Two years later, with trumpeter John Carlson, the group recorded its final two albums for C.I.M.P., The Crookedest Straight Line Vols. 1 & 2. The Kelsey/Grillot/Rosen unit (with Chris DiMeglio on trumpet) recorded once more, in 2009 for Kelsey’s own Tzazz Krytyk label. The resultant album, Not Cool (… In Other Words, the Opposite of Paul Desmond), featured a cover of Albert Ayler’s “Ghosts,” the first time one of Kelsey’s groups would record a composition other than his own. It was also the first time Kelsey would record on tenor and alto sax.

In 1992, Kelsey was a founding member of The Almost Jazz Trio with electric bassist Dom Richards and drummer Edward Ware. The group released Stomp Own It, a groove- and funk-inspired cassette-only release on Kelsey’s Saxofonis Music label. In the time he was there, he performed at in the Knitting Factory (including performing at the festival’s summer jazz events) as well as various other Downtown NYC venues. In 1996, Kelsey recorded Observations as a duo, which included the trombonist Steve Swell – for the then-new C.I.M.P. label. In the following year, he released The Ingenious Gentleman of the Lower East Side with a group that included Ware as well as the bassist Dominic Duval, also for C.I.M.P.

Chris Kelsey Net Worth

Chris Kelsey is one of the richest Saxophonist from United States. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Chris Kelsey 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: December 11, 2023)

Kelsey was born in Bangor, Maine, but was raised mostly in a succession of tiny Oklahoma towns. The father of his son, Barry Kelsey – a professional jazz saxophonist who was also a professional was his primary teacher and school director of the band. Since 1974 Kelsey was taught saxophone by Professor Dr. Jack Sisson, the director of the department of music in Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma) located in Edmond, Oklahoma. Kelsey played as an All-State player as a high school student from Noble, Oklahoma, before enrolling at Central State University. University of Oklahoma and Central State University in Oklahoma, where the music teacher was his major and was a member of numerous school orchestras. Kelsey graduated of Central in 1984, earning an undergraduate degree in music education. Kelsey began professional playing at the age of 1979, and was alongside his father in various bands. In the immediate aftermath of his college years, he performed in various jazz, rock and rhythm & blues bands around the area from Oklahoma City.

Kelsey relocated Kelsey moved to New York City in late 1986 when he moved to New York City. After a gap of three years during which he was employed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and thought about the possibility of becoming a visual artist Kelsey returned to playing the piano. The debut New York performances came in the beginning of the 1990s at bars and venues in the Lower East Side. In the course of this time Kelsey came across guitar player Jack DeSalvo, with whom they would perform extensively over the later years.

Kelsey began writing jazz criticism in 1994. He covered the first Improvisers Collective Festival (later known as the Vision Festival) for the California- based Jazz Now! magazine, and began writing CD reviews for Cadence Magazine. He began contributing to Jazziz magazine in 1995, writing reviews and profiles of such then-obscure Downtown musicians as William Parker, Charles Gayle, and Myra Melford. He also began writing for the print edition of The All Music Guide to Jazz and MusicHound Jazz. Kelsey would go on to write for a number of publications and web sites, including JazzTimes, Ms., CDNow, and Jazz.com, among others. He was also an active blogger for a time. Since the demise of Jazz.com in 2010 he has written only sporadically.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Chris Kelsey height Not available right now. Chris weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Chris Kelsey Dating?

According to our records, Chris Kelsey is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of December 1, 2023, Chris Kelsey’s is not dating anyone.

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Facts & Trivia

Chris Ranked on the list of most popular Saxophonist. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in United States. Chris Kelsey celebrates birthday on June 5 of every year.