Chris Abrahams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Abrahams
(L to R): James Waples, Mike Majkowski, Chris Abrahams
Background information
Birth name	Christopher Robert Lionel Abrahams
Born	(1961-04-09) 9 April 1961 (age 64) Oamaru, South Island, New Zealand
Origin	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Genres	Jazz experimental krautrock electronic
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Piano guitar keyboards organ
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Hot/Making Waves Vegetable/Vitamin Room40 Vegetable/MGM

Christopher Robert Lionel Abrahams (born in 1961 in Oamaru, New Zealand) is a talented musician. He was born in New Zealand but now lives in Australia.

Chris is a main member of the experimental jazz group The Necks, which started in 1987. He also worked with Melanie Oxley as a pop duo from 1989 to 2003. On top of that, he has released ten solo albums!

About Chris Abrahams

His Early Music Days

Chris Abrahams was born on April 9, 1961, in Oamaru, New Zealand. In 1980, when he was around 19, Chris started a jazz group called Benders in Sydney. He played keyboards in the band.

Benders released three albums: E (1983), False Laughter (1984), and Distance (1985). The band broke up in 1985. While he was still with Benders, Chris also played piano for another band called Laughing Clowns on their album Law of Nature in 1984.

The Necks and Melanie Oxley

Before The Necks, Chris was in a dance-pop group called The Sparklers, which formed in 1985. He played keyboards. The Sparklers released two songs, "Overworking" and "So Often Dreaming," before Chris left the group in 1987.

In 1987, Chris helped form The Necks, an amazing jazz trio. He plays piano, keyboards, organ, and guitar in the group. His bandmates are Lloyd Swanton on bass and Tony Buck on drums. Their music is often described as "abstract, improvised, jazzy mood music." This means they often make up their music as they play, creating unique sounds and feelings.

Chris has won awards for his music with The Necks. He won two APRA Awards (Australia) for "Most Performed Jazz Work" for their songs "Drive By" in 2005 and "Mosquito" in 2006. By 2020, The Necks had released 16 studio albums!

Chris Abrahams (on the right) and Lloyd Swanton playing with The Necks in 2015 in Aarhus, Denmark.

In 1989, Chris started a soul-pop duo with Melanie Oxley, who he had played with in The Sparklers. They released a short album called an extended play (EP) called Resisting Calm in 1990. For this EP, they had help from Chris's bandmates from The Necks, Tony Buck and Lloyd Swanton.

Melanie and Chris released their first two albums, Welcome to Violet (1992) and Coal (1994). Their music was called "moody, emotive soul/pop." Their next album, Jerusalem Bay, came out in 1998. In 2001, they created music for a radio show called South Island, which was about travel.

Their album Blood Oranges was released in 2003. A reviewer from The Sydney Morning Herald said that even though the lyrics were sometimes sad, they also showed strength, humor, hope, and a love for beauty.

Chris's Solo Music

Chris Abrahams released his first solo album, Piano, in 1985. It was recorded at the famous Sydney Opera House. A music reviewer said in 2017 that this album showed Chris was becoming a very skilled pianist. After leaving The Sparklers, he released his second solo album, Walk, in 1987.

His fifth solo album, Thrown, came out in 2005. A reviewer noted that Chris showed great skill and creativity in his piano playing on this album. Chris also created, produced, and arranged the music for the Australian film The Tender Hook (2008). The music from the film was released as a soundtrack album. His work for the film was nominated for an award for Best Original Music Score in 2008.

His seventh album, Play Scar (2010), was praised for pushing the limits of music and sound. His album Memory Night (2013) was described as creating interesting and easy-to-listen-to soundscapes, even when the music felt a bit dark.

Chris has also played as a session musician for many other artists. This means he was hired to play on their albums. Some of the artists he has worked with include The Triffids, Ed Kuepper, Silverchair, and Midnight Oil.

His Musical Style

Chris Abrahams' music is often described as experimental. This means he likes to try new and different sounds and ways of making music. The Necks, for example, are an improvisational trio, meaning they often create music on the spot without a set plan.

When Chris performed at an event in London, his music was called "ambient," "free-jazz," and even "industrial noise." This shows how varied and unique his sounds can be. He also worked on a project called Germ Studies where he combined the sounds of a modern synthesizer with a traditional Chinese instrument called the guzheng. This project explored how many different sounds could be made by mixing these two very different instruments.

Discography

Chris Abrahams has released many albums both on his own and with other musicians. Some of his solo albums include Piano (1985), Walk (1987), Glow (2001), Thrown (2005), Play Scar (2010), and Memory Night (2013).

With Melanie Oxley, he released the EP Resisting Calm (1990) and albums like Welcome to Violet (1992), Coal (1994), Jerusalem Bay (1998), and Blood Oranges (2003).

He has also collaborated on albums with other artists such as Jon Rose, Clayton Thomas, Mike Cooper, Clare Cooper, Lucio Capece, Alessandro Bosetti, Sabine Vogel, Magda Mayas, Arthur Rother, Andrea Ermke, Marcello Silvio Busato, Ignaz Schick, Robbie Avenaim, Jim Denley, and The Vampires.

Awards and Nominations

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards celebrate Australian songwriters and composers.

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards are Australia's main music awards, recognizing great achievements in music.

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards celebrate live entertainment and performing arts in Australia.