Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Corey Christiansen is better known in jazz guitar circles as an author of instructional books than as a recording artist, but "Awakening" should boost his profile as a gifted, Wes Montgomery-influenced player. In addition to bringing a fresh and contemporary slant to pop standards (including a lovely, dramatically arching take on "Darn That Dream"), he contributes several original tunes that generate lots of colorful mood shifts and fluid interplay, featuring pianist Per Danielsson, bassist Mark Neuenschwander and drummer Danny Gottlieb.
By Mike Joyce - Washington Post
Discography
Awakening (CD)
The recording spent 12 weeks on the JazzWeek chart, which measures jazz-radio airplay in North America. The title track, an original composition, received the most airplay from the CD.
Corey recorded a concert DVD with fellow Mel Bay guitarist Vic Juris at the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe on November 11, 2005. The DVD will be released in 2006.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Jazz-guitarist Corey Christiansen first took up the instrument at the age of five under the direction of his father, Mike Christiansen, Chairman of Guitar Studies at Utah State University. Corey earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Utah State and a masters degree in jazz performance from the University of South Florida.
Awakening, Corey’s first CD as a leader, was the initial release on Mel Bay Records, the entertainment-recording division of Mel Bay Publications. Awakening spent 12 weeks on the JazzWeek chart, reaching #16 on March 2, 2005. The title track, one of Corey’s original compositions, consistently receives the most airplay from the recording.
Corey has performed at many notable festivals and venues, including the Syracuse Jazz Festival, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, the Festival of the Midnight Sun (Helsinki), the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Clearwater Jazz Festival, the St. Louis Jazz Festival, the Webster Groves Jazz Festival (St. Louis), the Daytona Beach Jazz Festival, the Whitaker Music Festival (St. Louis), the Classic American Guitar Show, John Pisano’s Guitar Night at Spazio (Los Angeles), Chris’ Jazz Café (Philadelphia), Finale (St. Louis), the Blue Wisp (Cincinnati), Dazzle (Denver), the Bistro at Grand Center (St. Louis) and the Smithsonian Jazz Café. He has worked with many outstanding artists, including Jimmy Bruno, John Pisano, Joe Negri, Willie Akins, Chuck Red, Rob McConnel, Sid Jacobs, Jack Wilkins, Danny Gottlieb, Bruce Saunders, Randy Johnston and Vic Juris.
Corey has served as senior editor and new product advisor with Mel Bay Publications since 2001, writing more than 50 books and spending over 20 weeks on the road each year for clinics and performances.
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