I play solo, singing and playing acoustic guitar and rack-harmonica.
The Killdevils is a band that plays songs by Jake Haller and myself as well as old blues, motown and assorted americana: Jake Haller on piano and vocals, Jeff Keithline on bass and vocals, Matt McLaren on drums and Chris Monti on electric guitar and vocals.
Chris Monti Acoustic Band: Steve Jobe on viola, Bob Asprinio on bass and mandolin, Chris Monti on guitar, harp and vocals.
The Yams, playing fiddle-tunes and traditional songs: Katie Maginel-fiddle, Keith Heyward-banjo, Kate Katzberg-guitar, Bob Asprinio-mandolin, Chris Monti guitar+harmonica.
I am a member of The 'Mericans and I also occasionally have the pleasure of playing with The Providence Wholebellies.
Past musical ventures include association with such irreputable outfits as Third Story Congress, Low School, The Blue Toad Flax, The Architecture Band, Franz Schubert and Pals, and Brown Sugar and the Promised Land.
Influences
John Coltrane, Peter Matthiessen, Louise Erdrich, Thelonious Monk, Don DeLillo, Paul Geremia, Jerry Garcia, Rachel Ede, Albert King, David Haller, Bessie Smith, Mark Rogers, Robert Johnson, Cormac McCarthy, Eddie Van Halen, Erin McKeown, Frank Black, The Pixies, Elmore James, Pink Floyd, Barry Lopez, Led Zepplin, Ali Akbar Kahn, Iron Maiden, Elvin Jones, Phish, Miles Davis's 1950's and 60's bands, Rumi, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Sharock, Franz List, Dave Van Ronk, Alec Redfearn, Charlie Parker, Ani DiFranco, Jack Kerouac, Frank Zappa, Pete Seeger, Huck Finn, Gary Snyder, Howlin Wolf, Architects, Providence, Amherst St., the Bizzle
Chris Monti's Calendar
I am a writer and a singer. My original material covers a lot of stylistic ground. Some old time folkiness, some country-blues, some African music, some rock and roll, some hippie music , some Indian music, a lot of improvisation. I play acoustic and electric; I fingerpick, flatpick, use open tunings and play slide. I also play harmonica, banjo, mandolin, dobro, piano and kazoo. In the last few years I've played a lot at Nick-a-Nees with the Killdevils (now electric with Jake Haller, Jeff Keithline and Matt McLaren); toured Florida with Paul Geremia; played with my acoustic band (Steve Jobe on viola and Bob Asprinio on double bass); played traditional music with The Ballad of America Band and the Wholebellies and recently with The Yams with Bob Asprinio, Katie Maginel, Keith Heyward, and Kate Katzberg; picked up the mandolin and banjo; Joined The 'Mericans on rhythm acoustic, banjo and mandolin; continued as president, secretary and janitor of CMO Records; moved about 8 times; recorded a live electric record that may never see the light of day; recorded an acoustic record that may never see the light of day, and went jogging like 3 times. My most recent album is Locust Grove. It was recorded live in the studio: Just me playing acoustic guitar and harp and singing. Eleven original songs. The first CD Swampland Flowers is a little more eclectic for instrumentation. There is some solo acoustic stuff but also some fiddle, some multi-tracked guitars, and some full band tracks. I have a lot of unreleased material that I am trying to find the best way to distribute.
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Hope to see y'all tomorrow night (Thursday, July 9) for the free outdoor concert at The Everyman! 311 Iron Horse Way (off Valley), Providence, 02908. 7 p.m. to dusk. www.everymanri.com
I am looking foward to seeing you in all your glory again...I have been cranking you locust grove CD on balmy Maine days while cruising with the windows down...it makes me smell the mud of spring! Thanks for all you do!
haha, thats almost as bad as asking if you're still playing guitar, yes, i am, and i've also started teaching a friend. i got another acoustic at guitar center on sale for 50 bucks on friday, it was such a great buy i couldn't pass it up. its a silvertone. it has really nice sound im sure the whole lot of them were defected somehow,but whatevs, i can't find anything wrong with it, so it's fine for me
thanks for playing "jesus on the mainline" "by special request". I'm sad i missed jake's version of "caldonia". I asked him to play that. You're probably the only "louis jordan cover band" in the southern ne area.
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