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Bassist
Christopher Dean Sullivan 
The critically acclaimed Bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan is well traveled throughout the U.S. and abroad. He is the recipient of various New York State Congress, Senate, Assembly and Municipality Arts awards, and a highly versed bassist of many musical languages: Jazz, Funk, Reggae, Latin, Fusion, Caribbean, Indian, African, Eurocentric perceptions, and more.
Christopher started his career in Pittsburgh , PA. He went to Germany for a few years and came back to Pittsburgh. While in Pittsburgh he honed his craft as a bassist during his time with the Jazz Workshop Inc., under the direction of Harold Young Sr.. Chris became the bass and music theory instructor, for the Jazz Workshop Inc. During his time span in Pittsburgh, Christopher Dean Sullivan produced and hosted his own Warner Communication Award winning television show “The Tree of Arts Alive”, which became a component of The Jazz Workshop Inc. The award was presented for the best in culture and arts programming. Mr. Sullivan continues to work and collaborate with the Jazz Workshop Inc. He quickly became known for his own unique approach to playing the electric bass. He form commercial groups that would go on to open up concerts for such groups as the Ohio Players, the Barkeys, New Birth and others. Chris performed with the notables of the Pittsburgh, PA region; Joe Harris (Dizzy Gillispe), Roger Humphries (Horace Silver), Nathan Davis (Pitt University), Nelson Harrison (Count Basie), J. C. Moses (Eric Dolphy), Geri Allen, Jothan Callins (Sun Rah) and others for a number of years before relocating to New York City. “Christopher Dean Sullivan, an experienced bassist with versatile styling.” ~ Leonid Auskern, Jazzquad Christopher’s discography is varied, covering 45’s, albums and CD’s. Christopher Sullivan has appeared in TV commercials and movies; the original “Dawn of the Dead”, and “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh”, as well as photo shoots for magazines, such as Vanity Fair with Grammy Award winner Janet Jackson. Chris Sullivan continued to received various New York State community and arts services, municipal, congressional, NYS Assembly Merit, and Senate Proclamation awards, as well as the New York State Orange County Arts Council Champion for the Arts Award. While residing in the New York region Christopher Dean Sullivan has had the opportunity to shared the stage in performance and/or record with Archie Schepp, Sheila Jordan, Carter Jefferson, Yusef Lateef, Odean Pope, Freddie Hubbard, Billy Hart, Christian McBride, Stanley Jordan, Horace Parlan, Carl Grubbs, Irene Reid, Jon Faddis, Vanessa Rubin, Eddie Henderson, Bob Gluck, Charli Persip, Henry Grimes, Pete Seeger, Grant Green, Roy Campbell, Horace Parlan, Della Griffin, Barbara Sfraga, Pucho and the Latin Soul Brothers, Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Stanley Turrentine , Johnny Lytle, just to name a few. Chris’ discography is vast in genres. From the jazz traditional art forms to open free style expressions, as well as Latin jazz, Poetry/Spoken Word driven, contemporary and commercial genres. "...Sullivan supports with underpinned emotive interaction…" “Before long, piano and sax head off into almost opposite directions, with Sullivan often the only sonic connection…”~ Doug Simpson, Audiophile Audition Christopher Dean Sullivan now leads his own music ensembles, as well as being involved in various recording projects, performing traditional jazz, producing tributes, original compositions, and contemporary music with jazzy R&B and Latin Jazz mixtures. 
”Chris is one of the most dynamic musical professionals in the business. He has an unmatched bassist talent and quality production ability." ~Aquanetta Ferry Godmother Productions”
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“... Sullivan plays not just the upright bass strings but the bass itself, throwing himself into the performance not to draw the spotlight, but to impart a palpable joie de vive to go with his rhythmic, rippling (think Charlie Haden, somewhat) bass tones." 
“…Sullivan’s a bassist whose authoritative and bluesy bending’s of the notes honor his affection for legends such as Slam Stewart as well as Ray Brown.”
~ Steve Monroe, Jazz Journalists Association “Christopher Dean Sullivan makes a strong case for his essential presence in the ensemble with, yes, some ostinatos but also with an openly free interactive melodic sense that goes perfectly well with the wide-ranging ideas expressed by his bandmates.” ~ Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Music Review |
Biography
