Chris Tunkel

Last Millenium, a decade ago, I arrived on the New York City music scene. In 2000, I started working for Alvin Ailey as a dance accompanist, so technically the dance scene, but it was my first steady source of income beating my drum in NYC. Almost 10 years later, I still work for Ailey in their summer camps and outreach programs. In the music world, my endeavors have ranged in style from a variety of Jazz and World music forms with Brian Marsella, Arron Dugan's Booby Trap featuring Matisyahu and Taylor Mcferrin, Daniel Carter, Elliot Levin and Sam Newsome, to Afro-Beat with Kokolo Afro-Beat orchestra, Salsa with Grupo Miguelito and in several traditional West African Djembe performances on stages including the Apollo Theatre, Metropolitan Opera House and the Harlem Jazz and Dance festival. In 2002, I helped start the Free Jazz, Funk, Rock Fusion group Astro-Cusion with Aaron Dugan, Madhu Siddappa and Jason Fraticelli. Other NYC dance communities I've worked for include Mark Morris, American Ballet Theatre and Long Island University amongst many other schools and organizations. At the Brooklyn Campus of LIU, I also teach music in both the dance and music departments and have had the oppurtunity to study Jazz Theory and Eartraining with the criticically acclaimed Soprano Saxophonist Sam Newsome. Though mostly self taught as a percussionist, I have taken formal lessons with some of the worlds greatest Djembefolas and Congueros such as David "La Mole " Ortiz, M'bemba Bangoura, Chembo Corniel, Michael Marcus and Chris Lovejoy, coupled with the many informal lessons from the great drummers and dance acompanist I've met along the way . Currently I'm performing as one half of the Tunkel / Marsella Duo with Pianist/Organist Brian Marsella and writing music for my next record that I hope to release in a year or so. My debut record "Grey Matters" was independently released in July of 2007.