Chris Hodges

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Born in 1980 in Dothan, AL. Chris had always loved music and knew he wanted to be involved in it. Around age 14 (1994) he and two friends decided to form a band. At the time, however, none of them played instruments . So, after debates on who should play what, they made a way to get their instruments and were off. Chris started out with bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Neil Young, Bush, etc. But didn't actually start gigging until late 1996, playing at small, private events (you know, birthday parties and churches).After picking up Jaco Pastorious self titled disc in '97, he became infatuated with jazz. -"Ill never forget it, I almost ran out of gas on the way home because I spent my gas money on the CD"-. He was already picking up anything he could that had anything to do with bass but this sent him into overdrive. He began to study music as a whole, in depth, learning any theory or history of music he could find. With this he knew it was time to learn how to read notation. This alone set him apart from just about all the musicians around him. -"this is when I started learning that not everyone is in it for the love of music"- he learned that what he felt about music was more than just a passion or an obsession,-"music is IN me, music IS me"-. He lived and breathed music. He knew this was the life he was destined to live. This drive led him to be one of the better players in his area and was often involved with up to three bands simultaneously, performing in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida.In late 1997-early 1998, he began to devise a plan and later head up the organization of two multi-band concerts called the Festival of Faith. They both were held at Faith Baptist Church the first in August of 1998, the second September of 1999. The proceeds went to local charities and had over 10 bands perform. By 1999, he knew he had to pursue a degree in music. -"I wanted (and still want) to know everything I can about music"-. So, In the Fall of that year he started at a community college with the intent of taking any class remotely related to music. He studied music theory and performed in the Jazz Ensemble on electric bass playing shows in the fore mentioned states and New Orleans, Louisiana. He, of course, had an intense yearning to play upright but the school had only one which he could rarely get his hands on. 1999 was also the year he first ventured into the studio. Though he only recorded a few songs, it was enough for him to learn that it is a whole different world behind those foam covered walls.In the fall of 2001, he transferred to the University of Montevallo and finally got his hands on an old KAY upright.-"I played for hours a day just on upright and jammed with whoever would play with me"-. He got into the Jazz band with no problem and began performing on upright and electric with the Jazz band and on upright in the Wind Ensemble. He also had a few duo projects with the upright, playing standards and other Jazz tunes.In 2001-2002, his band, Matter of Time, ventured into the studio and embarked on a full length studio session. It was odd because he lived in Montevallo, AL the band lived in Dothan, AL and the studio was in Auburn, AL. -"We were not able to practice except on weekends so it had been a week since we had even seen each other"-. Even though he had been in the studio before, he had no idea the energy it took for an entire album . -"This time I learned ALL that can go wrong in the studio."After taking time off from school to get married ("...to the most perfect angel on earth"), he moved to Atlanta, GA to finish his studies in Music Education /Theory and Composition. Soon after his move, he connected with a solo keyboardist and got his first taste of playing smooth jazz.- "This situation taught me that I was running with big dogs now. It opened my eyes to just how much discipline (more than I was used to) it takes to keep up".- Chris later found himself with another keyboardist who got him into Avant-Garde/experimental Jazz. This changed me all together-I found that this is what I am. Writing music now just gels. I think so clear in this style. Chris was also playing with a prominent Hip Hop group, MSEIZE. I freaikin love Hip Hop. So when I found these cats, I was stoked! Those were some of the greatest shows Ive ever played. Chris writes classical pieces, too. Normally chamber music but he does have a couple of full orchestra pieces in the works. Its kind of funny, I write really weird Jazz-crazy stuff that most people will never get, but my Classical stuff is all very baroque-ish Chris found himself moving back to Dothan to finish school. He received two music scholarships and is working with some great musicians. He currently performs with the tristate Community Orchestra, two Jazz bands at Troy, and freelances on the side. He is also attempting a solo ensemble which this page represents.
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