Chris Ball is an independent composer and multi-
instrumentalist living in Colorado. His music is used daily
by Harpo Productions for the most popular day time
television talk show in America and also used in the prime
time specials Harpo produces. Starting in January 2008,
many of Chris' contemporary jazz songs from his "Monterey
" CD began to also air on The Weather Channel.
He started writing music and performing in bands as a
teenager but earned his first real "break" as a writer when
he began composing music for a small production/record
company in the 1990's. In 1999, Chris had a hit on
children's radio from the "Play It Cool Records" "Jungle Jazz
Joint Jam" CD, the first of 2 award winning "Play It Cool
Records" recordings. In 2002 he released the straight
ahead jazz CD "Sonal Anu,'Sleep Drum'" to critical acclaim
and his composition “Little Web” from the CD received an
Honorable Mention in the 2002 John Lennon Songwriting
Contest. In 2003 Chris joined Atlantic Records platinum
selling group “Firefall”, best known for their late 70's hits ”
You Are The Woman”, ”Just Remember I Love You”,
“Strange Way” and "Cinderella". He has toured extensively
with Firefall, traveling throughout the US and into Canada
and Japan, playing sax, flute and keyboards.
Over the years, Chris has been hired as a session
musician for dozens of recordings ranging in style from rock
to jazz, new age and Celtic music to worship music. He has
worked as a professional arranger, composer, co-producer,
vocalist, band leader and music director.
After spending several years in the 90's and early 2000's
focused more on his craft as a studio and live musician,
Chris began to refocus on his writing career in 2005. He
quickly landed Harpo Productions as his first major client,
supplying the television giant with music in a wide variety of
styles. What has followed has been a whirlwind of
successes, establishing himself not only as a prolific writer,
but as a deeply emotional one. Chris has hundreds of
placements on television each year.
In 2008, Chris released his debut smooth jazz CD,
"Monterey". Over the years, he has worked in many different
musical styles, but one form of music has always been the
center of who he is as a writer and performer -
contemporary jazz. With the release of "Monterey" we finally
get to experience this writer and performer in his own
element. As a musician, Chris is a true multi-
instrumentalist, playing saxophones, various other
woodwinds, keyboards and guitars. As a writer, his range of
compositional style is broad, including television credits for
orchestral pieces, funk, rock, Americana, ethnic and world
beat music, inspirational music, new-age music, drama,
suspense, action and more. Regardless of the style, the
constant is his professionalism in his writing and in his
approach to job at hand. It is these characteristics that have
brought Chris the success he has achieved thus far. And it
is these characteristics that will take him even further.