Chris Kelsey

Chris Kelsey (born June 5, 1961) is an American-born jazz saxophonist, composer, and critic. His music draws on bebop, free jazz, free improvisation, funk, and fusion, and is augmented by elements of non-tonal, contemporary classical music. Kelsey has worked almost exclusively as a leader of his own ensembles, usually trios and quartets. From the late 1980s his principal instrument has been soprano saxophone, though in recent years he has recorded and performed on tenor and alto, as well. Kelsey has recorded nearly twenty albums under his own name, many for the C.I.M.P. label. With rare exceptions, he has recorded and performed his own original compositions. As a critic, he has written for several leading jazz publications and web sites, including Jazziz, JazzTimes, Cadence, AllMusic, and Jazz.com.

Kelsey was born in Bangor, Maine, but raised primarily in a succession of small Oklahoma towns. His father, Barry Kelsey - a professional jazz saxophonist himself - was his first teacher and school band director. Beginning in 1974, Kelsey received saxophone instruction from Dr. Jack Sisson, the head of the music department at Central State University (now the University of Central Oklahoma) in Edmond, Oklahoma. Kelsey was an All-State saxophonist as a high schooler in Noble, Oklahoma, before attending the University of Oklahoma and Central State University, where he studied music education and played in various school ensembles. He graduated from Central in 1984 with a Bachelor's degree in Music Education. Kelsey began playing professionally in 1979, working in bands with his father. During and immediately following his college days he played in various rock, jazz, and rhythm & blues bands in the vicinity of Oklahoma City.

Kelsey moved to New York City in late 1986. After a lull of three years - during which he worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and contemplated becoming a visual artist - he resumed playing music. His first New York performances came in the early 1990s at bars and performance spaces on the Lower East Side. During this period Kelsey met guitarist Jack DeSalvo, with whom he would collaborate extensively in coming years.

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