About Chris

1997:
Wake Forest University, trombone scholarship

1997- 2000:
East Coast touring w/ Daddy Catfish. Shared stage with Doxy’s Kitchen, Hobex, Agents of Good Roots (toured with Dave Matthews), Lake Trout, Maceo Parker

2000-2002
R&B touring group with trumpeter brother Mike Strange @ The Elbow Room, Da Funky Phish

2001-2004
Rock/soul group CYRUS  - album released “You Can Park on My Street”; performances at @ Lion’s Den (now Sullivan Hall) and Acme Underground

2002
Skyelab Studios (www.skyelab.com/) with Artie Skye, world-class producer and songwriter for Madonna, James Taylor, Mya. Developed songwriting / production chops

2005
Hooked up with producer / guitarist Brian Forbes & Gallery Recording Studios (http://www.thegalleryrecordingstudio.com/), began performing with his hip-hop / rock project The Nillaz. Performed at The Continental et al., while recording and producing projects from the Gallery studios and his new home project studio

2009
Earned a Master’s Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications at Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY.

2008, 2009
Kotchy (www.kotchy.com) : electronic / hip-hop / experimental artist signed to Civil Music, a U.K. – based record label. http://www.youtube.com/user/cdstrange#play/uploads/3/SG3frMP_-eI
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/sep/08/kotchy
http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/Kotchy/music

The Juicy Grapes (www.thejuicygrapes.com): folk /soul band based in CT, touring appearances included The Gathering of the Vibes, Wormtown Music Festival, in support of their latest CD, “For Sale”. Recent appearances include shows in New Brunswick, New Jersey at The Old Bay Restaurant , The Acoustic Cafe and a live radio appearance at WPKN radio in Bridgeport, CT.
http://www.jambase.com/artists/20759/The-Grapes
http://cdbaby.com/cd/juicygrapes

The Nillaz (www.thenillaz.com) : Hip-hop / hard rock project based in Brooklyn, NY. All over New York, including Galapagos, The Continental and Pianos, Le Poisson Rouge, as well as the Warped Tour and on AOL video
http://video.aol.com/video/the-nillaz/1998937
http://www.reverbnation.com/thenillaz
http://www.ourstage.com/fanclub/thenillaz

Wachichoo (home/facebook page: wachichoo.com ) (Twitter:  @Wachichoo ) : Newest project with members of  The Nillaz.  Set to tear it up wed. Aug.12 at Wicked Willy’s on Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village.

Latest Production work:
Supreme Life Productions (Atlanta, GA – based producer who manages R&B sensation Prema Lanay and Steelo, the #1 rapper in Fukuoka, Japan) Duties include: remix of Prema Lanay’s dancefloor hit “He Beats Me” and keyboard work on Steelo’s songs from his upcoming 2010 CD release.

Current gear:
My Brain, Korg MS-2000 synth, Korg Kontrol 49 Midi Controller, Korg M1 synth (my first pro synthesizer), Nord Electro, circuit-bent Casio SK-1, Wurlitzer 200A electric piano, Ableton Live, Propellerheads Reason, Mac Book Pro, Digital Performer,