Chris Standring is a British-born, Los Angeles-based guitarist who has become a pillar of contemporary and smooth jazz. After studying at London's Guildhall School of Music and moving to the US, he initially explored the intersection of jazz and hip-hop with the trio SolarSystem.
This rhythmic foundation informed his solo debut, 'Velvet' (1998), which established his identity as a melodicist with a deep affinity for 1970s soul-jazz aesthetics. His sound is characterized by the use of a Benedetto archtop guitar, providing a signature warm, 'fat' tone that avoids the thinness often found in contemporary pop-jazz. Standring is notable for his commercial success on the Billboard charts, particularly with the 2010 hit 'Bossa Blue,' which demonstrated his ability to integrate Latin influences and orchestral arrangements into a radio-friendly format. Critically, he is respected for maintaining high technical standards and a 'live' feel within highly polished studio productions. His influence web connects the classic soul-jazz of George Benson and Wes Montgomery to the modern 'smooth' era of peers like Norman Brown and Chuck Loeb.
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, serene (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, serene (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, sunday_morning (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, serene (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, sunday_morning (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, sunday_morning (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, serene (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, serene (subgenre)
Shares smooth jazz, jazz fusion, instrumental_only, sunday_morning (subgenre)
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