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June, the Solstice and summer adventures

Greetings everyone – The Bates Update continues to lurch and stumble along in its fragmented, sporadic pace. I get to it when I can as I find it hard to balance all my life activities with promoting myself. Anyway… Jazz Fest just concluded and it was incredible to see so many people out and about…

Music is awesome. Music is universal to all cultures. Music is a language that trancends our speaking. Music is the unifying force of our conciousness. Music is a healing force. Music is vibration unfolding in linear time. We are all vibrating. Music = Life. thanks – cb

Greetings fine people! Thank you to all who came out to the Red Planet with Bill Carrothers CD release event over the last two nights. It was spectacular to see everyone and truly an honor to make music with Dean, Jay and Bill. I’m a lucky guy! If you were not able to get to…

Ever so slowly I’ve been getting back towards feeling like writing updates and promoting myself again. It’s a challenge to keep up with my home life, play music at the highest level I can and do all the necessary upkeep on my chaotic freelancing lifestyle. I have to admit I’ve also been weighed down by…

Ladies and gentlemen. Boys and girls. Welcome my friends to the show that never ends. In light of recent events I’d like to talk about duality for a minute. Two Parties. Love & Hate. Black & White. Cowboys & Indians. Richer or Poorer. Sam & Dave. War & Peace. Lip sync or live? An eye…

Well I’m just here working, playing and living life. No excuses other than life is busy and I don’t feel like devoting time to promoting myself when I could be not promoting myself. Family time is precious. Chores are never ending. Music kicks my ass every day. That’s enough to keep me busy. Add in…

The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is the highlight of the summer for me! It is a hugely popular outdoor festival held in St Paul with performance stages spread across the city but centered in Mears Park in the vibrant lowertown district. I’ve played many gigs at the festival and every year I get to hear…

Well, well, well. All right, all right, all right. I’m way behind in the updating of my constituency and I apologize. This is in no way brought on by any one else except myself. So, now that we’ve cleared the air let’s get to it. Lots of things happening this summer and this update takes…

March came in like a Lion in my world. I’m cruising along working on my music and gigs, taking care of my family and household. When BAM – a part time job appears that’s close to my house, fits neatly into my available dad hours and it’s in the music industry. So, apologies true believers…

Just finished two spectacular days recording with the Bill Simenson Big Band. It has been very satisfying to hear it all coming together so clearly on all these original pieces written by Bill. I’ve been playing with him for over three years now down at Jazz Central and I have to say that the incubation…

“Chris Bates ‘Good Vibes Trio’ - Over the past few years, Bates has been on fire, playing in multiple bands, showing up on MPR podcasts, emerging as a leader and making two exceptional albums: 2012's ‘Chris Bates' Red 5: New Hope’ and now this. - Pamela Espeland - MinnPost

“With Red 5, Bates puts the bass in a new light.” – David Cazares, State Of The Arts

“…bassist Chris Bates’ album “New Hope” stands out like the Hope diamond among this year’s local CD gems.” -Tom Surowicz - Star Tribune

“New Hope is a stunning nine-song collection charged with emotion and a heartfelt ambition to let the music be fulfilling in and of itself.” - Natalie Gallagher - City Pages

“Speaking of Bates, he proves his vitality on the murky “Chance, Love, Logic” with his urgent lines pushing the ensemble…” - Jay Collins - Cadence Magazine

“‘Let’ starts with a pseudo-classical melody showcasing Chris Bates’ beautiful arco bow work” - Return of Slide Huxtable

“…on Kelly Rossum’s ‘Line’ bassist Chris Bates plays a critical role in holding together the loose limbed sound of the ensemble; his sound is elastic and spacious, present but not obtrusive. - Jeff Dayton-Johnson - All About Jazz

“The Bates Brothers are endowed not merely with well-honed chops but with an exquisite sensitivity to one another’s labors that could only come from living and playing together for twelve or more years. This is definitely not a recording that could have been made by a quickly assembled cast of all stars.” - Samuel Chell - All About Jazz

“Chris Bates’ ‘Solid Liquid’ is a highlight of the album, combing expressive Ellington voicings in the winds with bass and percussion underpinnings akin to the support the Maestro once received from the likes of Blanton and Greer.” - JazzTimes

“Then the wonderful quartet ‘How Birds Work’… even when Chris is standing still, he’s not standing still, he’s up on the balls of his feet, swaying, smiling, nodding his head, dancing with his bass.” – MPLS/St Paul Magazine

Chris Bates
3054 Boone Ave N
New Hope, MN 55427 USA

612-306-6781
[email protected]

Chris Bates

June, the Solstice and summer adventures

A quick note

DeBates continues….

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UPDATE Doublebates at Jazz Festerooni! OHHH mac vouti!

Bates Update Vote for Summer

Sorry mates, I’m late, for this important Bates Update

Bates Update Feb 2015