Of course, this statement may serve as a source of confusion for the musician’s legion of fans that have scooped up over 3 million copies of his twelve albums (with eight of them going to No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart). It also may seem contradictory to the respected opinions of music critics who consider him one of the most influential jazz artists of his generation. In 2010, Billboard Magazine named him The No. 3 Top Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Decade.
Even so, Boney James, who has four Gold albums, three Grammy® nominations, a Soul Train Award and an NAACP Award nomination to his credit, says, I am just a saxophone player whose music has several different influences. Jazz is only one of them.
Chris Burns is a musician that possesses a true artifice. With a completely authentic and genuine folk sound For any skeptical draconian that does not hear Chris Burns’ it factor has evidently never seen him perform live.
Logan Lenz; Treasurer/ Event Coordinator, Rock For Hunger, ROCK FOR HUNGER
CB RADIO: In 2007 Chris, along with producer Jason Gloria, began recording what they thought would be a simple 6 song EP of acoustic guitar and vocal. What they ended up with was CB Radio, a six song mini concept album. On this record, Chris recorded acoustic and electric guitar, banjo, mouth flugel (made popular by Keller Williams) and vocals with support from Alex Eastman on bass and Erik de la Cruz on percussion (both from The Fling). CB Radio sounds like a full band project at points while keeping the intimate feel of a solo acoustic singer/songwriter.
Extra points to singer-songwriter Burns for the well-executed concept of CB Radio Burns is a commendable cross between the easy vocal style of John Mayer and the technically precise guitar technique of, say, Ani DiFranco.
Jim Abbott, Orlando Sentinel
The debut EP CB Radio by Chris Burns is an energetic acoustic album with enough hooks to carry any full-length release. The metaphor-rich lyrics and soft, boy-next-door vocals punctuate the songs, but it’s Burns’ compositions that stand out.
Jeremy Lukens, Glide Magazine
FOCUS: Chris followed up CB Radio with a single on iTUNES, Focus, which received college radio air play accompanied by a music video which won Audience Favorite at the FMF Indie Film Jam in 2008. That same year Chris was awarded Rock For Hunger’s Artist of the Year and was named Best Indie Artist in Orlando in 2009 by the Orlando Weekly.
OUT OF THE WELL: Chris has spent the last two years writing and recording. Working again with his producer Jason Gloria, the full length album, Out of the Well, is a 12 track, full band project with Chris performing both acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and vocals. Producer Jason Gloria is playing lead guitar while Alex Eastman, also featured on CB Radio, is once again on bass accompanied by Rion Smith on drums (Shak Nasti, Sam Rivers Trio, Thomas Wynn and the Believers). There are some special guest musicians on this record too, like Daniel Jordan on sax and flute (Danny Jordan and Friends, Sam Rivers), and Tommy Cooper on pedal steel (The Oak Hill Drifters, Matt Butcher).