The SYNERGY Project is a compositional open music collaboration of sight,sound and set design by artist Amir Bey and saxophonist Saco Yasuma
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AWARDS
2006 Certificate of Special Congressional Regonition of Outstanding and Invaluable Service to Community
2005 Boys and Girls Club of America ~ Outstanding Service in the Arts Award
2005 Certificate of Special Congressional Regonition of Outstanding and Invaluable Service to Community
2005 City of Newburgh, NY Certificate of Regonition for Dedication of Supporting the Arts
2005 Orange County Executive Certificate of Regonition for Contribution in the area of Arts
1996 City of Newburgh Artist Appreciation Award, Newburgh. NY
1990 NAACP Staff Advisor Award, Woodbourne Correctional Facility, NY
1990 Award for Outstanding Commitment to Activities to Enhance the Hispanic Community, Woodbourne Correctional Facility, NY
1981 Award for Excellence in Community Television Programming for Arts and Culture. Pittsburgh Time Warner Communications, (TCI Cable,) Pennsylvania
Influences
..."Chris Sullivan, a bassist whose authoritative and bluesy bendings of the notes honor his affection for legends such as Slam Stewart as well as Ray Brown"~ Steve Monroe, Jazz Journalists Association.
....”Sophisticated Lady receives a swinging treatment, calling forth a sweet bass solo from Sullivan”~ Philip van Vleck, BILLBOARD critics choice
..."Sullivan plays not just the upright bass strings but the bass itself, throwing himself into the performance not to draw the spotlight, but to impart a palpable joie de vive to go with his rhythmic, rippling (think Charlie Haden, somewhat) bass tones".~Mark Keresman, jazzreview.com
..."Sullivan plays elaborately embellished bass lines"~ Jeff Stockton, All About Jazz
..."Chris Sullivan is an accomplished bassist with a difference -- known for soulfully interpreting and creating a wide range of music, he's guided by a personal philosophy of getting to the heart of things. This "heart" is accessed first of all by intensive listening -- to himself, to the elemental structure of a tune, to the soul of his fellow musicians, and to his own quest for the purest, more direct expression of sound and feeling".~ Dr. Judith Schlesinger Columnist, AllAboutJazz
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On The Passing Of Freddie Hubbard
Freddie Hubbard not only was — he still is, as others before him — the inspiration of the generation in the course of its growth through the time period of now. His innovative expressions vibrate a sound of peace, assurance and continual elevation within a structural groove. As a young musician I would study Freddie. I would learn the tunes he performed on and break them — theoretically — apart. Freddie Hubbard became the school of study for many of my students, along with John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Archie Shepp and Yusef Lateef. My reverence as well as my study of Freddie Hubbard have come full circle with his passing.
I met Freddie many years ago at Pitt University, in Pittsburgh PA, where he was conducting a clinic and performance. I met him again very recently in NYC when we both played on alto saxophonist Floyde King’s latest project. That was to be Freddie Hubbard’s last recording. Also on that recording were Jeff “Tain” Watts, Laura Kahley, Mamoru Takahashi, Noriko Kamo, Hideo Kitawga and Tom Baker. Floyde King, who was a former student of mine, started a music collaboration with Freddie and produced the independent session in July, 2008. The last tune, the only piece I performed on, is an open form piece entitled "Free". As I sit back feeling and listening to this particularly expressive composition, I find myself reflecting on the 1960 Ornette Coleman Free Jazz release on Atlantic Records, "a collective improvisation of the Ornette Coleman Double Quartet" with Freddie Hubbard, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, Billy Higgins, Scott LaFaro, Ed Blackwell and Eric Dolphy.
I feel very much honored within a beatifical realm to have been able and capable to perform with the masterful spirit of Freddie Hubbard. Of him the Evolution of the American Classical Music Art form shall continue to revolutionize...you digg
In Memory of Freddie Hubbard who has passed on;
For You continued to formulate and innovate Our American Classical Music...and like the Vibration of the Water Fall...
The Spirit of Your Sound is Placed within the Great Gift to the World...
Thank You Freddie Hubbard...My Brotha' and Vibrational Mentor
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Christopher Dean Sullivan has developed a program that he facilitates within the New York State School System through a 501c(3) NYC Organization called L.E.A.P., Learning through an Expanded Arts Program. Chris's program is called E.V.O.L.V.E.. It's focused objective is Character Development and Conflict Resolution through the Psychology of Sound and Vibration, How the vibration of various sounds subliminally affects...It serves all ages of the youth, parents, administators, teachers, supporting staff and the like.
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Chicago, IL born, raised in Pittsburgh, PA, Artisan Bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan is a renowned highly versed bassist of many musical languages: Jazz, Funk, Reggae, Latin, Fusion, Caribbean, Indian, African, and Eurocentric perceptions, rock, country, and more. Chris is well traveled throughout the US, the Caribbean Islands and Europe. He has shared the stage with Stanley Jordan, Pete Seeger, Archie Shepp, Charli Persip, Yusef Lateef, Grant Green, Horace Parlan, Joe McPhee, Sonny Simmons, Cecil Payne, Joe Lovano, Roy Campbell Jr., to name a few, and led his own ensembles within the U.S. and abroad which opened for such national commercial acts as The Barkays, Ohio Players, New Birth, The Trinairs, The Moments and Sam and Dave. Chris Sullivan can be heard on various records and CDs from jazz and blues to acoustic folk, funk and gospel. His discography includes Live in New York (Black Saint / Soul Note) with reedist Michael Marcus and drummer Codaryl Cody Moffett, Language of Swans (Drimala) with reedist Joe Giardullo and soundrhythium Michael T.A. Thompson, Under the Moon (A440 Music Group) with Barbara Sfraga, Paul Wertico, John McLean, Kevin Patrick, Stepping Around the Giant (C.I.M.P./Cadence) with Carl Grubbs, Odean Pope and Newman Taylor Baker, Word Riffs with poet Golda Solomon, Timelessness Frozen in Time (SyncTimiCity) - a collaborative project featuring Barbara Sfraga, Michael T.A. Thompson, Mala Waldron and Allen Won and the compilation release A Mother’s Heart (Sound Visions Media Group) with Sheila Jordan. Sullivan is on various unreleased recordings, such as the July 2008 recording with Freddie Hubbard, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Floyd King and Noriko Kamo.
Chris Sullivan also performs with the Cotton Club All Star Orchestra and has toured with various 50's/60's groups: the Marcel's, The Drifters, Sharelles and many others. Also an actor, Chris can be seen in the movie Dawn of the Dead, as well as TV commercials and magazines (most notably a Vanity Fair photo shoot with Janet Jackson by Annie Leibowitz.) He has produced and hosted his own Warner Communication award winning television show The Tree of Arts Alive where he produced performances and conducted interviews with Max Roach, Roger Humphries, Chic Corea, Stanley Clark, George Duke, Robert Bell ( Kool and the Gang), Patrice Rushen, Larry McGee, The Whispers, Chaka Chan, Lenny White, The Pittsburgh Repretory Theater, Betty Carter, to name a few. In recent years, Chris Sullivan has received various community and arts services municipal and congressional awards.
Christopher Dean Sullivan's approach is heartfelt and is accessed first of all by intensive listening — to himself, to the elemental structure of a tune, to the soul of his fellow musicians, and to his own quest for the purest, more direct expression of sound and feeling.
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Renee Marie~Martin, Notable Innovative Vocalist, has placed the words of Lift Every Voice into the melody of The Star Spangle Banner. Though there were mixed reviews of this innovative mixture of Pride, Honor and Stability for Our Nation, the applause of the attending crowd was evident in it's acceptance of the intertwine. I'm confident that this has many rethinking our position towards ourselves as the Americans We Are and no longer the minority within Our Country, rather of the Majority of Americans within Our Country...you digg,...Tell me what you feel... peace
Strange day. After watching a documentary about streakers suffering from over exposure, I took a nap. It was a short one. I woke up a midget. At first I was freaking out, jumping around, trying to reach the wall phone. It tired me out. So I sat on a foot stool and placed my face in my hands wondering why this had happened to me. In the middle of self-pitying I started noticing how much fun it was to kick and swing my feet. I was smiling again, and found myself running through the house at full speed... wrestling with my now giant puppy. Oh, the joy! I hadn't had so much fun in years! We laughed and played and laughed until we both fell asleep exhausted on the living room floor. Then I woke up and ruined the whole damned thing.
I digg! You're doing great things, both in music and in education. I think your focus on character development makes a real difference in re-educating students (and other educators) to be responsible for understanding what they express and to be thoughtful and conscientious before doing. Keep on taming the beast.
Hi Mr Sullivan, Thank you very much. I appriciate your words. What made me ad you as friend at first, is the possitiv energi you show on your picture)Interesting music I have to say as well. K.O
Christopher, Many thanks for your kind remarks! Looking forward to getting back to your site and listening after work. I've got a feeling it's gonna be exceptional. Thanks again for taking the time to listen and for accepting my friend request.
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