Chris Washburne is one of those rare musicians whose musical activities cross many styles and cultural borders. From early in his career he refused to be pigeon-holed as just being a jazz or classical player, but instead has continually pursued a diverse path. Chris is currently freelancing as a studio musician and performing trombone, bass trombone, tuba, didjeridu, and percussion with various classical, jazz, rock, and Latin groups in New York City. He also tours extensively with various groups and has concertized throughout the North America, Europe, Asian, Africa, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Chris has performed with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Muhal Richard Abrams, Ruben Blades, Roscoe Mitchell, Grady Tate, Jaki Byard, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Danilo Caymmi, Daniel Ponce, Ran Blake, Arturo Sandoval, Hilton Ru’z, Lawrence "Butch" Morris, Anthony Braxton, John Cale, Baba Olatunje, Candido, Freddie Cole, Leslie Uggams, Dicapo Opera Company, Bang on a Can All- stars, Regis Philbin, and the Dinosaur Annex under the direction of Gunther Schuller. He is a regular performing member with the Boston Art Quartet (BAQ) Jazz group, RMM Allstar Salsa Band, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, SEM Ensemble, Walter Thompson Big Band, American Microtonal Festival Chamber Orchestra, Marie McAuliffe's Ark Sextet, Dadadah, The Last of the International Playboy's, and leader of S.Y.O.T.O.S., a Latin jazz group that features his original compositions. He also leads the NARAS jam sessions at Birdland.

He can be heard on the BAQ's debut CD "The Fax" and Ray Vega's self-titled CD, both of which feature his original compositions and where he has received rave reviews. He also can be heard on the recordings of David Byrne, The Barrio Boyz, Oscar D'Leon, Louie Ram’rez, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Bang on A Can Allstars, Brian Lynch, Orlando Watusi y su cartel de la salsa, Nerissa, Grupo Oriza, Raulin Rosendo, Metro Gospel singers, Unity Gospel singers, Oscar Figueroa Group, Danny Rojo, Yorman D'Leon, Palenque, among many others.

He received his Bachelors of Music in classical trombone performance from the University of Wisconsin where he studied with William Richardson, Richard Davis, and Les Thimmeg. In 1988 he completed a Masters degree from the New England Conservatory in Third Stream Studies where he studied with John Swallow, Ran Blake, and Bob Moses. He was the winner of the 1988 New England Conservatory Graduation Concerto Competition. In 1985 he spent two months living in Zambia studying the traditional music of that region. He was recently awarded a Multi-year Faculty Fellowship at Columbia University and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology. In 1991 he completed a Master's of Arts degree in Ethnomusicology and in 1994 completed a Masters of Philosophy as part of that work. In 1993 he received a Mellon Fellowship to travel to and explore the rich musical traditions of Cuba. In 1996 he received a Sinfonia Foundation grant to assist in the research for his dissertation. He has commissioned and premiered over twenty contemporary compositions for trombone.

He currently holds a teaching position in the jazz department at the New School for Social Research and at Columbia University.

 

For a discography, reviews & lots more information, please go to Chris's website http://www.jazzcorner.com/washburne/