Chris Morrissey
Chris Morrissey Bio
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 runner, a wino, a restaurant frequenter, and joke teller/appreciator. As a bassist, he's logged hundreds of thousands of miles touring five continents with Norah Jones, 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 and arrangements for Sara Bareilles, Sharon Van Etten, Trixie Whitley, Maren Morris and Elle King.
As a composer and band leader, Morrissey has released five records: "Impact Winter Formal (2021, Edition Records) "Laughing and Laughing” (2018, self release), "The Morning World" (2009, Sunnyside), "Cannon Falls Forever" (2011, self release) and "North Hero" (2013, Sunnyside). His 6th release "Grey Like The Color" is out March 2024 on Ground Up Music.
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 in Brooklyn, New York with his partner, Emma and their dog, Long Boat Lenny The Snake Man.
Music
Live In Minnesota (2024)
Chris Morrissey’s “Live In Minnesota” is ten songs recorded at Berlin Music Club in Minneapolis on March 23rd, 2024 at the hometown record release shows for Grey Like The Color. The bands’ live show draws from Morrissey’s six releases across fifteen years - including the first single White Sand from 2018’s Laughing and Laughing and the featured track I Was Here from Cannon Falls Forever (2010). Entering their fourth year as a working band, Marco Bolfelli (guitar), Charlotte Greve (saxophone and voice) and Bill Campbell (drums) are the longest standing unit in Chris’s time as a bandleader, and his only group to tour internationally. Live In Minnesota is an inspired, joyful, rowdy and free set that we are proud to share with you.
The Watchung Taylors ()
"Jeff Taylor of Watchung, New Jersey deserved a song. Originally I wrote it for another band with the idea that he’d write a melody and words and sing on it. That idea fizzled out, so I decided to write the melody myself, every word quite literally about him. We recorded it for my record Grey Like The Color, but it didn’t fit with the other songs. Like Jeff, it’s a world of its own."- Chris Morrissey
Grey Like The Color (2024)
Grey Like The Color is the sixth release of bassist, singer and composer Chris Morrissey. Co-produced with John Davis, Grey Like The Color is eight original songs by Morrissey, recorded with his band at The Bunker Studio in Brooklyn, New York. Bill Campbell plays drums, Marco Bolfelli plays guitar and Charlotte Greve plays alto saxophone and sings. They are joined by special guests Joan Wasser (Joan As Policewoman) and Emma Frank.
The title borrows a phrase from Grey McMurray, who employs it at the fairly frequent mishearing of his name:
“Hello, I’m Grey.”
“Hi Greg”
“Grey, like the color.”
