Musical Theater with Chris J.

Enumclaw Music

I teach guitar and bass in my local music store which is active in my surrounding community.

5th Ave Theater

I am a primary bass player at the largest theater in the state of Washington. the next show I am hired for is Afterwords.

Blue Wave Band

I learn 40 songs per gig, two gigs per week in the summer booking season. All are learned by ear, memorized, without rehearsals, and the keys could change if the singer feels like they are having vocal fatigue or basically any other reason depending on how they are feeling that day.

Unity in Lynnwood

Our band makes a positive and real impact in people's daily lives.

Andy Coe Band

The Andy Coe Band is the most important steward of the Grateful Dead music and legacy in the Pacific Northwest. Jerry would be proud of the work we do. We don't recreate the past, we evolve as music evolves through the generations.

Royal Caribbean

Directly after college, playing in a 9-piece orchestra on the largest cruise ships in the world is where I put my skills to the test in some very high pressure situations. If an orchestra member didn't play at a high level, they were sent home the following week, yikes! We played seven days a week with 2-4 gigs per day ranging from, dance sets, background music (we called these mall sets), parade sets with costumes and choreography, and hosted a midnight jam session as our work outside the theater. Inside the 2000-seat theater we played two shows per night, six nights a week, in a setting similar to playing in a late-night TV show band. Guest headliners were twice a week. We would have one rehearsal (day of performance) to learn an entire show, sight-reading charts in various amounts of disarray to support each guest, highlighting their strengths, and covering their weaknesses. Guests in our circuit included Bowser (from Sha Na Na), The Osmonds, The Coasters, The Drifters, Nelson, and Mickey Dolenz from The Monkees. There were two production shows per week with singers/dancers/costumes playing medleys of styles ranging from musical theatre to current pop hits. Two variety shows per week involved playing a large number of 15 second songs and reacting quickly to changes on the fly. These shows opened and closed each weekly cruise and included backing up comedians, high energy orchestra features, and cheap gags to make memories for the guests. Side jobs included working the rock wall, and high speed jet-ski tours off the coast of Haiti.

Village Theater

My first paid gig was in the Kidstage program at Village Theatre in 1998. My friends and I produced 3 successful shows which naturally progressed to the mainstage where I have played 40+ mainstage shows, 10+ new works on the small stage, and many workshops and readings along the way. I am an integral part of this theater. A solid foundation (bass player) is important to a quality production, and I have been the primary Village Theatre bass player for two decades. I was the associate music director on the first reading of Tony award winning Million Dollar Quartet. I have worked closely with Brian Yorkey and Stephen Schwartz, as well as countless others who helped build this theater. This theater is my home, and each of us helped this place become the 2nd largest theatre in WA state.

University of Washington

Studio

I have been teaching private upright and electric bass lessons for 22 years now and I recently added guitar, ear training, and music theory to the classes I offer.

University of Washington

Bag End

A labor union representing professional musicians in the United States and Canada. Founding in 1896 as the successor to the "National League of Musicians," the AFM is the largest organization in the world representing the interests of professional musicians.

Native Proficiency