CHRIS ALCARAZ: Chris Alcaraz

Chris Alcaraz

Chris Alcaraz

© 1998 Chris Alcaraz Music (634479156229)

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Building on Tom Petty's roots rock foundation, these high-spirited tunes jangle and grind with powerful, distinctive hooks and shimmering vocal harmonies in an utterly modern, yet timeless collection of music that would get the Dead tapping their toes.

tracks

1 So Much
2 Anne
3 Gotta Say Now
4 To Your Heart
5 Do It Again
6 (After All) It's Only Love
7 No Mo' Me & You
8 The Way I Need You
9 Strange
10 Giving My Love To You
11 Try Some Understanding
12 Call On Me

notes

Building on Tom Petty's roots rock foundation, these high-spirited tunes jangle and grind with powerful, distinctive hooks and shimmering vocal harmonies in an utterly modern yet timeless collection of music that would get the dead tapping their toes. In addition to his music, Chris is also known for his wildly energetic live performances as well as his charm, sensuality and humor both on stage and off.

Chris started out in music as a four-year-old classical violinist, and has entertained audiences around the world ever since. His professional gigs began at fourteen along with a drummer and fellow Beatle nut now better known as Better Than Ezra's Travis McNabb. He later attended Arizona State University on a jazz bass scholarship and played double bass in the University Symphony Orchestra. During this time he worked with session guitarist Joey Cadrecha and keyboardist/producer Mike Broening. As an accomplished blues musician, Chris also backed blues icons Bo Diddley and Joe Houston.

After graduation, his move to Austin, Texas meant delving deeper into fundamental American musical roots and laying down grooves with players from The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Asleep at the Wheel, Junior Brown and Texas Tornados. During a show with pianist Wiley Cousins, Ernie Durawa of the Tornados called Chris to the stage where he delivered his trademark powerhouse performance. Wiley asked Chris to co-found the Well Hungarians. Chris produced their first CD, and they toured extensively in the U.S. and abroad.

Their Scandinavian agent told them: "you guys are here all the time anyway." So the group relocated to meet their growing popularity overseas. There Chris recorded again with them on his debut solo CD - written, arranged, sang, played on and produced in its entirety by him.
The CD clearly contains a mixture of back-to-basics melodic guitar-pop influences. Yet its richly satisfying sound displays a freshness and breadth that makes it far more than a combination of the artist's tastes. It's refreshingly sincere, substantial music that makes you feel good.

Press the play button, and the upbeat, spirited So Much grabs you all at once. Then it lays back with the light-hearted Anne. And by the time the feel-good pop anthem Gotta Say Now sums up the CD's overall message: "Everything's gonna be alright" , you believe it.

Throughout the recording, Chris creatively melds pop sensibilities with a genuine need to express his feelings. Witness the hauntingly forlorn atmosphere of the Chris Issak-tinged To Your Heart, the Stones-y grind of Do It Again, or the optimistic Beatle bounce of (After All) It's Only Love.

No Mo' Me & You is a swaggering, cheeky look at lost love. The Way I Need You masks another painful relationship as it cooks along with a Motown feel.
Strange sounds like George Jones on amphetamines, and pleasantly reminds you that this artist doesn't take himself too seriously.

The heartbreaking Giving My Love To You marks a return to the Americana. Try Some Understanding makes a social statement with a furious funky groove and a horn section to back it up.

The acoustic ballad Call On Me, is perhaps the most nakedly confessional. And it leaves you with a lasting introspective feeling as you take a deep breath, give a quietly definitive "yeah," and want to do it all over again. Honest, diverse, and laden with solid, unforgettable hooks, the effect is wholly positive and ultimately fulfills its guarantee to make you feel good.

Current European radio singles include: So Much, Anne, Gotta Say Now and To Your Heart. Chris still tours overseas, but is now back in the States shopping a distribution deal for his European release and an recording deal for his current demos. He wants to make it at home, and to show the bigger labels: "I did this on my own. Now give me a chance to show you what I can do with a team behind me."

reviews

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  • Sweet and beautiful
    author: Ally

    This is an awesome CD. It's really beautiful and always makes me smile. You can sing along to it or play it in the background. Either way, this is some very pretty music!

  • author: CD Baby

    Fans of Tom Petty and The Wallflowers will want to give this one a spin. This jangly, smile-inducing poppy Americana album is one that will work its way into your ears and tweak your senses. Need some great, upbeat music for the BBQ, as the soundtrack for your summer this year? We got your back.

  • This sounds like a great future
    author: Eric van den Bosch, Netherlands

    A cd with a touch of George Harrison, a bit of rock and sounding quite refined. There's something in this cd I cannot lay my finger on, but in some way I think it must be the quality of the lyrics and the music. I got a mail from Chris thanking me for buying his music, I think I must thank him for making it. When will I be able to buy a new album?

  • Fun Music with a Warm Heart
    author: Tom Richmond

    Solid Disc. This disc sounds like a new Travelling Wilbury's disc with Chris Isaaks joing the band. There is a nice variety of song styles here that fit together well with some nice contrast. If you like a few songs, you'll like them all. Chris has put together some spirited songs with a warm and playful heart. I'm anxiously waiting for the next release....this one came out in 1998.

  • author: Starlette

    This is definately fun. The songs are so sweet and entertaining. Chris has done a great job with this. He shows that he has some rare talent. Wonderful! :)

  • Chris is a very talented young man.
    author: MaryBeth Rickels

    The songs on this CD are songs that not only relate to the artist but the listeners as well. Chris' music is filled with emotion and heart felt symophone. I really enjoy listening to my CD and cant wait for the release of a new album. If you havent yet purchased a CD I promise this is one of the hottest new albums ever to hit the market and you wont regret purchasing one.

  • author: Phil Hardt

    Wonderfully wirtten and entertaining! The musical styles are varied and each song packs a powerful message that anyone can associate with! The fact that Chris wrote, played and produced this entire CD on his own is just another testament to the breadth and depth of his many diverse talents that luckily he shares so freely with all of us to enlighten and brighten our lives.

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