Chris Melville
Chris Melville | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Christopher Harley Melville |
| Also known as | Chris Melville |
| Born | 29 November 1972 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | Jazz, funk, soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Associated acts | The Grand Central Band |
| Website | [1] |
Chris Melville (born 29 December 1972) is a New Zealand jazz musician and singer–songwriter. In his early career he was a member of the jazz-funk group The Grand Central Band Since then he has performed as a solo performer.
Early life[edit]
Chris Melville was born on 29 December 1972 in the middle class area of Howick, Auckland, the second of two children to management lecturer Bryan Melville and Ann. He was influenced by music from a young age, ranging from the jazz and folk records his parents listened to, to the various radio stations he was able to pick up on the family radio. Surrounded by musical instruments at home, Chris began playing piano and his music knowledge developed with Suzuki piano lessons. He, along with his brother, attended Hillcrest High School, Hamilton where he would sing in a jazz group organised by his enthusiastic music teachers. Hillcrest High School actively encouraged music participation, and Chris, along with his school jazz group, were invited to play at the Sacramento Dixieland Jazz Festival in Sacramento, California, as well as Disneyland in Anaheim, California and the Ala Moana Centre in Honolulu, Hawaii. On graduating high school Chris completed a four year long Diploma in Industrial Design at the School Of Design Innovation, Victoria University of Wellington. He joined the jazz group Midas Touch in Wellington and toured New Zealand twice, writing songs on the road and performing the brand new songs in each city.
Musical career[edit]
Troy (1996–97)[edit]
Melville's second foray into song writing came in the rock band, Troy, which he formed in Auckland, New Zealand as guitarist and singer/songwriter. Performing at the Temple Bar In Auckland, Chris cut his teeth on the finer points of band direction, recording and song arrangement. The band broke up in 1997 as Chris was invited by the newly formed Grand Central Bar in Ponsonby, Auckland to form a new house band.
The Grand Central Band (1997–2014)[edit]
Invited by the Grand Central Bar to form a house band in 1997, Melville formed jazz funk group The Grand Central Band. The band's first release was the album "Cook Street Sessions", written by Chris and recorded in 2000 at Radio New Zealand's Helen Young Studios. Eddie Rayner from [Split Enz]] produced the album, and Andre Upston engineered it.
In 2004 The Grand Central Band released their second album of original songs written by Chris, Brightest Star.
Many of these songs have been used in New Zealand's longest running television series Shortland Street.
Chris travelled with The Grand Central Band to [Vanuatu] for its inaugural Jazz Festival.
The Grand Central Band disbanded in August 2014 but the members still play in bands and combos together.
Solo career (1997–present)[edit]
Chris has performed solo alongside his band career, writing and collaborating with a variety of Auckland music artists. He wrote the song ‘Fading Light’ for a short English film “Two Evacuees” by Director Nicola Dove. Chris collaborated with co-producer and guitarist Graeme Webb to arrange and record songs for Scholastic Books book and CD releases of songs for the two children's books by author [Yvonne Morrison]], “A Kiwi Night Before Christmas” and “A Kiwi Jingle Bells”. Chris has pre-recorded songs on the New Zealand TV series [Dancing With The Stars]].
Discography[edit]
With The Grand Central Band[edit]
- Cook Street Sessions (2000)
- [[Brightest Star (2004)
External links[edit]
Category:Living people Category:People educated at Hillcrest High School, Hamilton
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