Bio
To put it simply, Chris Conly is a fervent musician.
As a talented young guitarist versed in the blues, jazz, soul and rock, Chris has blazed his own path working as a sideman with artists like the Solomon Douglas Blues Big Band, Emory Joseph (Bonnie Raitt) and Alex Nackman (MTV, Bravo, E!). At the drop of a hat, Chris has even picked up new instruments, like the electric bass, and toured the eastern U.S. with Indie Folk gem (and fellow Maine native) Audrey Ryan.
Originally from Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Chris was a professional musician by 15, and grew up playing at weddings, in bars, and on street corners. He spent 4 years in Boston, studying at Berklee College of Music with a handful of the most innovative and legendary guitarists like David Tronzo (John Zorn, Son House), David Fiuczynski (Me'Shell NdegéOcello), and Richie Hart (Dr. Lonnie Smith). After graduating Berklee, Chris spent 2 years playing around Boston with various singers, hip-hop acts, and experimental ensembles, including an improvisation-based trio of his own. Teaching at Camp Encore/Coda in Sweden, Maine, Chris met prominent New York drummer and vibraphonist Kevin Norton (Anthony Braxton), and they have forged an evolutionary musical relationship as a duo.
In 2006, Chris moved to New York City, to propel himself into the world's most diverse music scene, where he immediately formed his own band. "The Bromantics" as they have become known, perform a tribute to Chris's unique fusion of influences, orbiting around a core of jazz and funk instrumentals. While working with local Brooklyn musicians and promoters in 2007, Chris began curating a weekly music series he calls "The Brooklyn Experiments", which continues to be a testament to the indigenous music community of Brooklyn.
