Chris Abrahams (born 1961 in New Zealand) is a Sydney-based pianist, best known for his jazz work.
He first came to public attention with the formation of the Benders in the early eighties. During this time Chris released two solo piano albums "Piano"(1984) and "Walk"(1986).
In the late eighties he teamed up with Melanie Oxley and this has been an ongoing partnership that has produced four albums thus far - "Resisting Calm"(1988), "Welcome To Violet"(1992), "Coal"(1994) and "Jerusalem Bay"(1997). They are currently working on a new release.
Chris is perhaps best known for his work in the minimalist trio The Necks. The Necks was formed in 1987 and has produced eight albums. In recent years they have toured extensively both in Australia and Europe to considerable critical acclaim.
In 97 they composed the music for the Australian feature film "The Boys", and in 2000 they composed the music for the three part ABC documentary series "In The Mind Of The Architect".
He has also played with Peter Blakeley and The Resurrection, Silverchair, Jackie Orszaczky and The Godmothers, Mephisto Waltz (with Ed Kuepper), Midnight Oil, The Whitlams, Crow and Gondwanaland, and is an in-demand session musician in Sydney.
Solo discography
Piano (Hot HTLP1014, 1985)
Walk (Hot HTLP1025, 1986)
Glow (Vegetable/Vitamin VEGE001, 2001)
"Streaming"(Vegetable Records VEGE002, 2003)
"Thrown"(::ROOM40:: RM409, 2005)
Discography with Melanie Oxley
Resisting Calm (Spiral Scratch, 1990)
Welcome To Violet (Remote/MDS, 1992)
Coal (Remote/MDS, 1994)
Jerusalem Bay (Remote, 1998)
Blood Oranges (Vitamin, 2003)
"Abrahams relentless and steady patterning started to metamorphose the nature of the piano, the upper chords sounding like a distant locomotive hoot, and then an accordion weaving in and out of a shimmering bank of flutes". The Wire, UK 2001
"... Abrahams sustained an interlocking two-handed trill... leaving the piano notes pelting in the room like hail". Gail Brennan, Sydney Morning Herald
Chris Abrahams (born 1961 in New Zealand) is a Sydney-based pianist, best known for his jazz work.
He first came to public attention with the formation of the Benders in the early eighties. During this time Chris released two solo piano albums "Piano"(1984) and "Walk"(1986).
In the late eighties he teamed up with Melanie Oxley and this has been an ongoing partnership that has produced four albums thus far - "Resisting Calm"(1988), "Welcome To Violet"(1992), "Coal"(1994) and "Jerusalem Bay"(1997). They are currently working on a new release.
Chris is perhaps best known for his work in the minimalist trio The Necks. The Necks was formed in 1987 and has produced eight albums. In recent years they have toured extensively both in Australia and Europe to considerable critical acclaim.
In 97 they composed the music for the Australian feature film "The Boys", and in 2000 they composed the music for the three part ABC documentary series "In The Mind Of The Architect".
He has also played with Peter Blakeley and The Resurrection, Silverchair, Jackie Orszaczky and The Godmothers, Mephisto Waltz (with Ed Kuepper), Midnight Oil, The Whitlams, Crow and Gondwanaland, and is an in-demand session musician in Sydney.
Solo discography
Piano (Hot HTLP1014, 1985)
Walk (Hot HTLP1025, 1986)
Glow (Vegetable/Vitamin VEGE001, 2001)
"Streaming"(Vegetable Records VEGE002, 2003)
"Thrown"(::ROOM40:: RM409, 2005)
Discography with Melanie Oxley
Resisting Calm (Spiral Scratch, 1990)
Welcome To Violet (Remote/MDS, 1992)
Coal (Remote/MDS, 1994)
Jerusalem Bay (Remote, 1998)
Blood Oranges (Vitamin, 2003)
"Abrahams relentless and steady patterning started to metamorphose the nature of the piano, the upper chords sounding like a distant locomotive hoot, and then an accordion weaving in and out of a shimmering bank of flutes". The Wire, UK 2001
"... Abrahams sustained an interlocking two-handed trill... leaving the piano notes pelting in the room like hail". Gail Brennan, Sydney Morning Herald
