Today we’d like to introduce you to Christopher Hollyday.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Ever since I can remember, there was always jazz playing in my house. Jazz was a second language in my family. My father listens to Duke Ellington, Chet Baker], Dave Brubeck, Count Basye, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Charlie Parker,
I was encouraged by my entire family to start playing saxophone in the school band and when I heard Charlie Parker play, I knew that was what I want to do. Soon after, I met other musicians and made friends and eventually decided that was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Through my love for the music I began practicing many hours a day and I started attending local jam sessions in Boston Massachusetts area where I grew up. I got a few dates as a leader and asked the best musicians to play with me which included Alan Dawson, John Medeski, Nat Reeves, Ron Savage and my virtuoso trumpet playing brother Richard.
I made my first record at age 14 and continue practicing and start winning some awards etc. I was accepted and embraced by the Boston jazz community.
I moved to New York after high school and studied at the New School and lived in New York City for about four years. During this time I was signed to RCA records, together eight working jazz quartet, and traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe and South America.
During this intense time of travel I discovered the joy of teaching jazz and Wednesday economy crashed in 1992 and the money for concerts and club ticket holders dried up, I saw the writing on the wall and jumped into school again to fill some of the deficiencies I had in my music education including reading, composition, and arranging and with my experience I knew better and I got a degree in music education At Berklee College of Music, in Boston.
I met my wife there and she convinced me upon graduation to move to San Diego and you didn’t have to ask me twice to move to this paradise city region. I had already performed in Los Angeles and San Diego between the years 1988 and 1992.
I taught high school band and jazz education in San Diego from 1997 until 2013.
Eventually, I figured out that I needed to play my saxophone more and I switched to teaching privately which afforded me more time to practice and perform in San Diego. My friend Gilbert Castellanos highly encouraged me to start playing gigs under my own name and help me get started with a couple of gigs around town in 2014. I started attending weekly jam sessions regularly and playing concerts four times a year winter, spring, summer, fall and then eventually started playing every six weeks.
Last year, I felt like I got to a point of proficiency where I would be able to record and release material that was quality and I recorded Telepathy with Gilbert Castellanos, Joshua White, Rob Thorsen and Tyler Kreutel- The rhythm section at Gilbert’s weekly jam session.
Telepathy was well received, critically acclaimed and nominated for best jazz album, by Thev, San Diego Music Awards.
I am preparing to record another album with The Telepathy Quintet in late spring /early summer 2019. And attempting to perform outside of San Diego this year.
Please tell us about your art.
I play blues and bebop jazz alto saxophone. My music is rooted in the 40s 50s bebop tradition from Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Art Blakey and their direct disciples from the 50s 60s.
My saxophone is an extension of my voice. When I play jazz or blues, I try to tell a story which includes subject, content, references, riddles, jokes and various other forms of emotional expression.
The message is not as clear as the English language but I strive to tell a story or paint a picture which moves the listening audience for the musicians that I get to create the music with. It is improvisational music which is not supposed to be perfect like in life, so some moments in the music don’t work out but we don’t throw away the canvas – we just attempt to make it work and when it’s done / not working, we just stop.
Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
You have to pay the bills but you have to be true to your music too. I opted to teach high school band for 13 years at which time I certainly sacrificed my music but gained an Invaluable experience working with students and community of which I am grateful for.
Arguably, I would not have been able to purchase my home without that financial stability. If you can work for a living doing something you love – that is a miracle – find gratitude in all things. I have always been able to attach music to all of my employment whether it was teaching music in schools teaching music privately playing gigs that were not jazz related, practicing on non-Music related gigs, reading on my brakes about music. I have always tried to invest in myself and my music in some way in both good times and bad the thread of jazz music has always been constant in some way.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I recorded TELEPATHY in 2018 that record is available on my website ChristopherHollyday.com (with my updated schedule, video links, etc.) and at my live performances, and almost everywhere else you can purchase my recorded music.
I have performances coming up at the Handlery Hotel February 24 4:30pm. This is a new concert series produced by Holly Hoffman which I highly recommend to all jazz fans.
Dizzys jazz club March 30 8pm with great tennis saxophonist Doug Webb, The La Jolla Community Center fourth Friday jazz series May 24.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to perform weekly every Wednesday at San Diego Museum of Art Panama 66 auditorium with my friends and colleagues Gilbert Castellanos Joshua White Rob Thorsen and Tyler Kreutel.
I will be performing a special guest artist appearance with the San Diego State University Jazz Orchestra, Bill Yeager Director, on Thursday, April 18 5PM and 7PM shows. This is a very special concert for me because I got my master degree at San Diego State University in 2006. Aztec Proud!
I play with Big Time Operator Orchestra every SECOND Tuesday at Tio Leo’s Lounge Napa St., San Diego 7:30pm.
You will find me sitting in with blues great Whitney Shay at the Bernardo Winery first Sunday of almost every month from 4 to 5 PM.
I will play the La Jolla Community Center Fourth Friday Jazz Series, UNFORGETABLE…The Music Of Nat King Cole -Celebrating the Centennial Of Nat King Cole, Friday, May 24th 8p.
I just recorded a new album with the Brad Steinwehe’s SD Jazz Orchestra. We play at Dizzy’s Jazz once a season and at other local jazz festivals.
Other places I frequent and often am asked to sit in include the Gilbert Casciano’s Jazz Heroes session at The Westgate Hotel Friday night and Rosie O’Grady’s jam session Monday nights With Louis Valenzuela.
Contact Info:
- Website: ChristopherHollyday.com
- Phone: 760-224-7353
- Email: christopher@christopherhollyday.com
- Instagram: Christopher Hollyday
- Facebook: Facebook.com/christopherhollyday
- Twitter: AltoSaxHollyday
- Other: Dizzysjazz.com
Image Credit:
Jon Naugle Photography
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