About Chris & the music.
Answers about the records, collaborations, guitar stories and where to listen.
Who is Chris Dair?
Chris Dair is a British guitarist, songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. His music crosses blues, jazz, rock, World music and solo instrumental guitar. Alongside his own recordings, his career includes live performance, collaborations and composition for film and television.
Which Chris Dair album should I listen to first?
For original blues songs, start with Crossroads to Freedom. For smooth jazz and instrumental guitar, try Ondine. The Threading is a starting point for solo guitar, while Dimensions explores a wider mix of jazz fusion, rock, industrial, psychedelic rock and World music. Truth introduces his collaboration with Vivien Dair.
What albums are in Chris Dair’s catalogue?
The catalogue includes seven solo records: Strange Island, Crossroads to Freedom, GuitarRaga, The Threading, Dimensions, Three Day Love Down and Ondine. Truth is presented separately as a collaboration with Vivien Dair. The album pages include genres, listening links, notes and available tracklists.
Which album is Chris Dair’s smooth jazz record?
Ondine is the smooth jazz album. It contains eight instrumental pieces written, performed and recorded by Chris Dair, including Blues for Dali, Peach and Herb, In the Moment and the title track. The album brings melodic guitar together with warm grooves and spacious improvisation.
Which record focuses on solo guitar?
The Threading focuses on solo guitar: an ethereal blend led by touch, space and an unhurried melodic line. For context on that approach, Chris’s story Playing Solo Guitar discusses the importance of creativity, precision, listening and feeling, rather than speed alone.
Who wrote and recorded Truth?
Truth is a collaboration between Vivien Dair and Chris Dair. Vivien wrote the melodies and lyrics; Chris provided instrumentation and recorded the album. Its genres are psychedelic rock and folk. The eleven-song tracklist includes The White Warrior, Treasure, Secret and Be Graceful.
What kind of music is on Dimensions?
Dimensions is a complex mix of jazz fusion, rock, industrial, psychedelic rock and World music. Those influences share the album rather than defining it as one uniform style. For connections elsewhere in Chris’s catalogue, compare it with Strange Island and GuitarRaga.
Who plays the instruments on Crossroads to Freedom?
Chris Dair wrote, performed, recorded and produced Crossroads to Freedom. He plays every instrument on the thirteen-song album, including guitars, bass, harmonica and jaw harp. The record brings Delta and Chicago blues together with blues rock, jazz harmony and psychedelic guitar.
How does Chris approach recording and complete takes?
In his story Just saying…, Chris describes playing complete performances, using very few electronic techniques and avoiding loops or samples. He explains why playing a piece in one stretch matters to him, and recalls recording Lost in Wasted Time in one take. The story is his own account of his working method.
Where can I listen to Chris Dair online?
Every album page has direct links to its Spotify and Apple Music releases. YouTube links lead to a relevant available video or Chris’s official channel at youtube.com/@chrisdair. Streaming availability and any subscription requirements are set by each service and can vary by country.
Where can I read Chris’s stories about other musicians?
The Stories section includes Chris’s recollections of Rory Gallagher, meeting Bukka White, and playing one of Jimi Hendrix’s Martin guitars at Noel Redding’s home. It also includes his thoughts on great guitarists, his Gibson RD Artist and the work involved in playing solo guitar.
Are press portraits and a biography available?
Chris’s biography and career highlights are on the About page. The Photos section includes marked press portraits that editors and promoters can download directly. The press and reviews pages provide further background on his recordings and playing.
Where can I find live dates and booking information?
The Live & booking page carries announced public dates and performance enquiry information. For a venue, festival, private performance or recording project, have the proposed date, location and a short description ready. Technical requirements and expected audience size are also useful when discussing a live performance.