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Chef Chris has been a main stay on the Detroit/Ann Arbor Blues scene since the early nineties. His performance has been described as an emotional roller coaster ride of biblical proportions. He plays blues harp with gusto, and his singing is disarming and intense. He once passed out on stage after delivering a particularly insane scream that shocked the crowd into a hip shaking, beer drinking feeding frenzy!
To date (July 2009) he has released four cd’s with three different bands. All of which have enjoyed extensive airplay locally as well as nationally on various A.M. and F.M. stations including XM and Sirious satellite radio. The music on these discs features many of Chef Chris’ original music and his spin on classics such as The Rolling Stones “Sympathy for the Devil” and Johnny Cash’ “Folsom Prison Blues.”
Chef Chris tunes “Average Girl” and “You’re Going To Jail And Your Car Is Too, appear on three different nationally distributed compilation cds.
In 2001 and 2002 Chef Chris and his Band The Nairobi Trio won both the Detroit Battle of the Blues Bands and the prestigious International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis TN. A result of winning the IBC earned them the title “Best Unsigned Blues Band” in the world. They toured the south, and Midwest extensively for a couple years playing marquee blues gigs such as the W.C. Handy Awards (2002), and The King Biscuit Blues Fest (Helena AK.)
Billboard Magazine and cd duplicating giant Discmakers also named Chef Chris and his Nairobi Trio a top ten independent artist in 2003. They were also a feature artist with five other bands at the Independent Music World Series In Nashville TN.
From 2004-2006 Chef Chris played and recorded with The Blue Plate Specials. Their main gig was house band at the Northfield Roadhouse where Chef Chris was also held down the duties as head Chef.
During this period they released the cd “Horny Farm Girl” at the Roadhouse in April of “06 to a huge crowd of blues and bbq lovers and then the band pretty much disbanded at that time. The groups lead guitarist Brett Lucas was in heavy demand for his services with The Thornetta Davis Band and Kelly Hunt. He would later join Bettye Levette’s band and appeared on Conan O’Brien, and Austin City Limits. Also drummer Julianne Van Slyke started touring with Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones. Backing up top harmonica players Kim Wilson, Billy Boy Arnold and several others.
Currently Chef Chris performs with The Rumpshakers. He formed the Band with Dylan Dunbar sometime in 2007. Dylan was a regular fill in for Brett Lucas of The Blue Plate Specials and after a few months of playing together Chef Chris and Dylan began to forge a new sound. The result is the blistering Rumpshakers. The band features no base player and is described as a raucous.
Joining Dylan and the Chef in the band is Danny Muggs of the rock band "The Muggs," and Jack “The King Of The Wild Frontier” Schneider on drums.
On May 1st the band released its debut CD “Urban Decay” on the Funky D label. The album features more of Chef Chris’ original tunes and the collaboration of musical ideas between Chef Chris and Dylan Dunbar. The CD is available at gigs, The Boogie Woogie BBQ, and itunes.
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