CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE profile picture

CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE

We Are Each Others Teachers

About Me


Congratulations Chris!!
2nd Place in World/Reggae Category
UNISONG Int'l Songwriting Contest


View Chris Bottomley's EPK
Hello everyone! Welcome to my musical world where anything goes!
FELLOW MUSICIANS! I'M AVAILABLE FOR SESSIONS/GIGS/WRITING/SINGING/BASS LESSONS!
My 3 Cd’s Brainfudge, Knotty Bits and Cerebral Lubrication are available to buy online at CD Baby You can also download my music from Apple itunes (Brainfudge), Apple itunes (Knotty Bits), and Apple itunes (Cerebral Lubrication), oremusic (Knotty Bits),emusic (Cerebral Lubrication),
andGreatIndie (Knotty Bits),GreatIndie (Brainfudge),GreatIndie (Cerebral Lubrication)
My musical fun began in England at an early age when i studied classical piano at age 6. During this time I also developed a fascination with woodwind and brass instruments, having been introduced to the recorder and its various styles. This natural curioosity led me to play clarinet for about 8 years. In Germany i played clarinet in the high-school band and we performed at various events throughout the Black Forest. I also took up tenor sax and trumpet for awhile to test 'em out which is why i probably still love and write for these instruments! I was the piano accompaniest for a 15 person singing group that toured German, Holland and Belgium and as an air force brat i have lived in Germany, the UK, Ottawa, Cold Lake, Alberta and Toronto.
By my early teens i'd had enough of classical music. I quit my grade ten piano and joined a rock band in Germany called Albatross at age 13, playing drums and singing lead vocals. I switched to bass after a couple of years c'ause i found it hard to play drums and sing lead. Now bass is my main instrument, though i love to write and play on guitar, keys, djembe and more. I guess you could call me a singer-songwriter, though i also write instrumentals in a variety of idioms. I love all kinds of music and cut my chops playing rock, funk, reggae and crazy jazz inspired creations. In my writing i love to get the body moving with some good hooks combined with a strong sense of rhythm and melodic structure. I'm into playing and collaborating with all kinds of players. Some of the other people i've performed and toured with include; The Look People, Toronto's Boogiewall Soundsystem, Vancouver's Mofunk Collective, Rich Underhill's Funk Explosion, Wayne Lavallee, Singer/Songwriter John Bottomley, The Kensington Horns, and most recently, West African percussion ensemble Ainike.
My recording career began in Toronto, Canada, in the early 1980's with a rock trio called TULPA. In the group was myself, brother John Bottomley and drummer Mike Severin. We released a single 45", "Apologize to your Mother" b..w "Mystical Dreams", a full length LP "Mosaic Fish" (Midnite Music 1985) and "Live from CBGB" (Off the BOARD Records 1986)
THE CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE BAND was started after the demise of TULPA. My first shows were at CBGB in New York followed by an opening slot for the band "Living Colour" at The Concert Hall in Toronto in 1991. The original lineup was Ian Menzies on guitar, GBS and Don Kerr on drums, Ernie Tollar on Sax, James Gray on keys and lead guitarist John Gzowski. Drummer Howie Beck stepped in for most of the early 90's and we played a bunch of amped -up shows augmented by the addition of vocalists Kathryn Rose and Jane Miller. Shortly thereafter i released my first CD " BRAINFUDGE".
I've performed live for years in Canada and the U.S. Along with legendary drummer Great Bob Scott, we have a strong band and a wicked rhythm section. Come check us out! I hope this will provide some levity to y'all 'cause we need music to lift us up.
MUSIC IS THE ANTIDOTE.
Currently working on the followup to "Cerebral Lubrication"
CEREBRAL LUBRICATION RADIO CHARTS 2005!!!! Canadian College Radio
CFCR(Saskatoon) - 1 top ten Jazz charts
CKUL(Lethbridge) - 2 top 30 charts
1 top ten jazz charts
6 top ten world charts
CJAM(Windsor) - 3 top ten jazz charts
CSCR(Toronto) - 4 top ten world charts
CFBX(kamloops) - 3 top ten jazz charts
- 13 top 30 charts
CHUO(Ottawa) - 1 top ten jazz charts
CJSW(London) - 2 top ten jazz charts
***number 6 CHART ATTACK NATIONAL JAZZ CHARTS!!!!
FESTIVALS I'VE PLAYED; NXNE, CMJ (New York), Toronto Street Festival, Nathan Phillips Square, Distillery Jazz Festival, Come Together Festival, Beaches International Jazz Festival, Heart of Texas Quadruple Bypass Festival (Austin), Amnesty International Benefit, United Way Walkathon, SkyDome Spring Break Festival , PS Kensington, Kensington Festival of Lights, Kensington Harvest Festival, Electric Eclectics Festival of Modern Music and Irritainment (Meaford,Ont), Jazz by Genre Summerfest (Toronto)
TELEVISION APPEARANCES; Global at Noon, City TV Lunch Television, The New Music
VIDEOS ; "We Can Be Better", "Stolen Land", "Seize the Day"
DISCOGRAPHY :
Tangles & Spoils (1991)
Brainfudge (1994)
Knotty Bits (2003)
Cerebral Lubrication (2004)
ONLINE SALES! Apple itunes, emusic, Napster,Audio Lunchbox

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 1/13/2006
Band Website: www.chrisbottomley.com"chrisbottomley.com
Band Members:

Chris Bottomley (bass & vocals)

Great Bob Scott (drums & giggles)

James Gray (keys & vocals)

Bryden Baird (trumpet)

Rich Underhill (sax & spirit)

Perry White (tenor sax)

Steve Donald (trombone)

Jim Bish (sax)

Donne' Roberts (guitar)


BRAINFUDGE ALUMNI

Howie Beck
Ian Menzies
Odel Johnson (Mikey Dread, Michael Rose)
TK 2000 (Boogiewall Soundsystem)
Kathryn Rose
Jane Miller
Nic Gotham
Don Kerr (Ron Sexsmith) (Rheostatics)

GUESTS ON MY RECORDINGS

Tom Walsh
Andru Branch (Halfway Tree)
Rick Lazar (Samba Squad)
Joe Allen
Jono Grant (Astrogroove)
Mike Goodridge
Ken Myhr (Jane Siberry/Cowboy Junkies)
Chris Brown (Chris Brown & Kate Fenner)
Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies)
John Bottomley
Michael White
Kurt Swinghammer
Ernie Tollar
John Gzowski
Paul Lukeman
Brit Besson
Paul Reddick (Sidemen)
Sev Micron (Tulpa)

Influences: Bob Marley, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, James Brown, Jaco Pastorius, Tulpa, Peter Gabriel, The Who, The Beatles, Jah Wobble, John Entwistle, Bootsy Collins, Sly & The Family Stone, James Jamerson, Geddy Lee, Frank Zappa, Aston Man Barrett, Bill Laswell, The Neville Brothers, Parliament/Funkadelic, Finley Quaye, Larry Graham, Jimi Hendrix, Toots, Culture, Dr Israel, Brian Eno/ Lanois....there's a lot... whew! west african drumming, classical piano, tabla/shenai music, blues, anything spirited and rhythmic...
Sounds Like: REVIEWS FOR CD "CEREBRAL LUBRICATION"

"Rythmic, electrical, modern jazz perfectly fusioned with sounds of Afro, Funk, Reggae and World Music. You feel like a time traveller on a trip to the new dimensions of modern jazz. Chris Bottomley blows up your mind with his Cerebral Lubrication!

Carl Flisch - RadioCrazy Multi-Channel Internet Radio Service - Switzerland

"Cerebral Lubrication is deep. Cerebral Lubrication is food for the mind. Cerebral Lubrication mysteriously transcends, through pulsating spongy reggae, afro-latin tinged space rock, sampled sound bites, some mighty Moog workouts, blues, downtempo, environmental soundscapes, accoustic jams, world rhythmic jazz, shades of house, township sounds, sonic experimentation, dub, rock. I love this record, my mates love this record, my mates' mums and dads love this record."

DJ EXCAVATOR - SENSE-AETHERICA - United Kingdom

"To say Chris is inventive is like saying The Titanic had buoyancy issues...."

Clay Evans - Radio Nosferatu

"I wonder if Canada really realizes the goldmine they have in bassist Chris Bottomley? This talented multi-instrumentalist has just released a double cd called Cerebral Lubrication which is mind-blowing and rhythmic. Cerebral Lubrication is one of the hottest releases by far for 2005. It's funky, with top notch production, and just simply outstanding. Great Job! 5.0 STARS "

Maurice Edwards - Evolution of Media.com

"What a great double CD. I'm in doubt if i'll leave it at the station or i'll need it at home for those hard and hot summer nights with all my neighbors listening to this brilliant mixture of rhythms. There'll be no one song from this CD on our Hit List, because ALL of the songs must be played on a daily basis."

Rafel Corbi - RPEM-FM Radio, Costa Brava, Spain

"You may think it's too jazzy for you, but if you've ever sat in the dark listening to Pierre Moerlens Gong or possibly even Mickey Hart's less irritating releases, then you're going to feel very happy here. Cerebral Lubrication takes some highlights from his earlier releases producing an epic, vital and enthralling 2CD set. A pure trip, in the best sense of the word, and something you really ought to experience."

Zeitgeist Webzine - Edinburgh, U.K.

"The new urban African heart beat. Genuine and inspired superhighway music taking us directly inside the 70's, and you can choose the Jamaican or Brazilian exit."

Scazzola Giovanni Pietro - Radio Gold Popular Network, Barletta, Italy.

"This is a terrific release by a truly outstanding musician. Top notch musicianship and writing. Outstanding!"

Jacques Emond - CKCU Radio, Ottawa, Canada

REVIEWS FOR CD "KNOTTY BITS"

"This record is a scorcher!"

David Cintron - WPRK 91.5 - USA

"Chris Bottomley's latest combines every style short of classical to come up with the sweet summery sound vodka coolers were invented for. Heavy on reggae, latin and percussion, this album is never short on variety. It's for people who are sick of the spaced-out trust fund brats at Dave Mathew's shows but who haven't yet figured out Pat Metheney."

NOW Magazine - Toronto, Canada

"He's from Toronto, but with titles such as “African Head Dub,” “Brazilian Thunder Throb,” “Belize City Bakin',” and the geographically ambiguous “World of Dreams,” this third release from producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and singer Chris Bottomley reflects an international musical vision....heady, psychedelic stuff.... tightly arranged large ensemble funk flowing full of sophistication and style"
Chris M. Slawecki - Senior Editor, AllAboutJazz.com.

"Knotty Bits has as many grooves as Stevie Wonder's record collection... a heady trip indeed."

Brent Hagerman - Exclaim Magazine - Toronto, Canada

REVIEWS FOR CD "BRAINFUDGE"

"I've got to say that Chris Bottomley's release "BRAINFUDGE" is one of the most inventive and imaginative releases i have heard this year"

Eric Cohen - WAER Jazz 88 USA

"I'm pretty sure if we look in the dictionary under "funky", Chris's name will be listed as an example! This CD will blow your mind..."

Yanick M. Theriault - CKUM RadioJ 93.5, Canada

"Chris Bottomley might be the Little Richard of Toronto hybrid funk"

Lenny Stout - Toronto Star, CANADA

"Great stuff!"

Wildman Steve Bronson - WQNR 99.9 THE ROCK - USA

"Great sound!"

Rick Phipps - KWSP The Rose 104 - USA

"We love Brainfudge here at The Upper Room Radio Show"

Gi Dussault - Upper Room Radio Show - USA

"Fantastic album!"

Alex Pijnen - BRTO Radio DENMARK

"Very good CD!"

Harry Boerman - Veluwe FM HOLLAND

"Yet another great album, full of its usual suprises, from the multi-talented CB"

Tony Bates - Highlands FM

Record Label: Partly Bent Records - owner
Type of Label: None

My Blog

RIP Hilly Krystal CBGB Owner

RIP Hilly Krystal CBGB Owner ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />  I was one of those sad to read the news of Hilly's passing the other day&.   I used to...
Posted by CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE on Wed, 05 Sep 2007 04:48:00 PST

INTERVIEW WITH THE KINGSTON WHIG-STANDARD

Shortly after his family moved to Toronto in the late 70s, Chris Bottomley scored a ticket to a Bob Marley & the Wailers concert at Maple Leaf Gardens in what turned out to be Marleys last Toront...
Posted by CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE on Fri, 09 Jun 2006 01:29:00 PST

International Radio Airplay

Hello fellow My Spacers! My CD Brainfudge is picking up quite a bit of airplay on these international radio stations lately. If you are in the vicinity of any of these stations, call 'em up and reques...
Posted by CHRIS BOTTOMLEY & BRAINFUDGE on Fri, 05 May 2006 09:22:00 PST