Biography
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1969, Chris Morda grew up just outside of the City of Detroit in southern Michigan. He began playing guitar as a young teen. During this period, Chris’ father, Domenick, formed a business partnership with Michigan legend John Sinclair (blues performance artist, and former manager of the MC5 and other Michigan bands.) The pair promoted blues and jazz shows in Detroit, bringing acts to town who helped shape Chris’ developing interest in the blues as both a musical genre, and a form of self-expression. Later, Chris began studying privately with guitarist Robert Noll, former sideman in Albert Collins Icebreakers, focusing heavily on the study of the blues masters. Through Noll’s teachings, which lasted for three years, and his exposure to Detroit public radio, Chris became inspired by a great range of blues artists.
Chris moved to Seattle in the early 1990’s, and furthered his musical studies there at the University of Washington’s Ethnomusicology Program. He graduated in 1998 with a B.A. in Ethnomusicology and a Minor in Music Theory. During this period, Chris had the opportunity to study with contemporary masters of Latin American music from Venezuela, and he was also exposed to Tex-Mex music. Through his studies, he went on to develop a strong love for East Indian music, as well. Chris’ senior project at the University of Washington consisted of research on the History of Slide Guitar Traditions, and looked extensively at the development of the Indian guitar tradition. Chris also began teaching at this time, tutoring a music theory class for non music majors, as well as teaching private lessons at a music school for at-risk youth.
In the last 6 years Chris has been focusing on the Physics of Music, studying in group classes with harmonic chant teacher David Hykes. A fascination with old theories of “The Harmony of The Spheres” also led Chris to begin studying Microtonal Music Theory and begin playing lap slide, fretless, and the 12 Tone Ultra Plus Guitar. Most recently Chris has studied North Indian Classical music in the Dhrupad tradition with Uday Bhawalkar and Brandon Macintosh.
Chris has developed a playing style reflecting all of the above influences, emphasizing the emotional aspects of playing firmly rooted in traditional blues along with skills developed through a 25 year long love affair with the guitar. Chris has led a blues-rock trio, Stone Crazy Blues Band since 2004 and has performed throughout the US Pacific Northwest and more recently in New York City with this act. Stone Crazy Blues band has recorded two collections of music: Barnyard Boogie and Microstoned and has received international airplay and acclaim.