Chris Standring

Chris Standring – Something in the stars

Jazz guitarist Chris Standring was born in Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, England. Classically trained at the Royal College of Music in London he went on to write music for the BBC and for a number of theatrical orchestras in London’s west end theatre district. In 1991 he moved to Los Angeles in search of becoming an international recording artist. Chris’s book ‘Something In The Stars’ documents his story of innocence, ambition and everything that got in the way.

In LA Chris began to establish himself on the local contemporary jazz scene, fast becoming a top session guitarist performing with everyone from Mica Paris, Bob James and John Novello to Jody Watley and Carole Bayer Sager. By 1996, he had teamed up with keyboard player Rodney Lee under the name ‘Solar System’ to develop a unique RnB acid jazz vibe.

Having signed to various established jazz labels in his early career, in 2008 with the release of the album ‘Love & Paragraphs’, Chris launched his own label Ultimate Vibe Recordings through which he has released everything since.

Chris Standring – #1 Contemporary urban jazz hit maker

Chris Standring established himself in the contemporary urban jazz genre with RnB driven hits like ‘Cool Shades’ from his 1998 debut album ‘Velvet’, ‘Hip Sway’ (from the ‘Hip Sway’ album 2000), ‘Ain’t Mad Atcha’ (‘Groovalicious’ 2003) and ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ (‘Soul Express’ 2006).

By 2010, with the release of ‘Blue Bolero’, Chris had demonstrated that he could push new musical boundaries and gain chart success with critics and fans alike fully embracing the new album and the new sound: the single ‘Bossa Blue’ became the #1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz Track of the Year.

‘Send Me Some Snow’ – a collaboration with the the award-winning pop/folk singer Kathrin Shorr – followed in 2011 and enjoyed similar success.

Going from strength to strength on the radio playlists, the ‘Electric Wonderland’ album (2012) spawned yet more hits with ‘Oliver’s Twist’ reaching #1, and from ‘Don’t Talk Dance’ (2014) ‘Sneakin’ Out The Front Door’ also climbed to the #1 spot.

Chris’s tenth solo album ‘Ten’ (2016) delivered yet more Billboard hits: ‘Ready Steady Flow’ and ‘Soul Vibration’ reaching #2 and ‘Like This, Like That’ taking #1.

2018 saw the release of ‘Sunlight’ – a celebration of an extraordinary and prolific 20 years since his debut ‘Velvet’ album. His ever-faithful Bendetto Bambino archtop electric guitar once again taking centre stage to deliver that unmistakable retro-meets-modern vibe but in new, fresh and unexpected directions like in the re-imagining of Brian Wilson’s Beach Boys classic ‘God Only Knows’ – which enjoys a lush, atmospheric remake.

As ever, Chris handpicks some of the world’s best musicians to record with including bassists Andre Berry, Jimmy Haslip and Roberto Vally, and drummers Chris Coleman and Dave Karasony. And helping him create the perfect retro soul flavours are some of the world’s top keyboardists including Rodney Lee, Mitchel Forman and John Novello. Elsewhere, the acclaimed tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb and high energy saxman Brandon Fields.

While recording his ‘Sunlight’ album, Chris enjoyed no fewer than three #1 Billboard hits: ‘Like This, Like That’ from his previous album ‘Ten’, and two further chart toppers which he co-wrote and performed with Cindy Bradley’s ‘Category A’ and Paul Brown’s ‘Piccadilly Circus’ both reaching #1.

Chris also released his first ever live performance project in 2017 – ‘Live in London’ – recorded at Cadogan Hall in the UK. The album features the legendary UK soul singer Mica Paris who joins Chris on ‘One Temptation’ and ‘No Explanation’ – a co-write with the seven-time grammy nominated producer Lauren Christy.

The ‘Best Of Chris Standring Remixed’ was released in 2019. Eleven of his most popular songs delivered in a totally new light with the help of producers Rodney Lee and Matt Cooper. The remix album completely re-imagines Chris’s most popular songs with a whole new urban club vibe while preserving their original hypnotic soul jazz origins.

Chris’s latest album ‘Real Life’ was released March 20th 2020. His 13th solo album takes the opportunity to acknowledge life’s often harsh twists and turns and Chris’s first single from the album “Is There A Doctor In The House” is a characteristically uplifting soul jazz-infused song that shot straight to #1 in the Billboard chart.

More at chrisstandring.com