Biography

Recently named by Wynton Marsalis as one of the top five jazz musicians under 30 to watch, Chris Pattishall is quickly generating a powerful presence in the jazz world. Combining “an impressive technique and a true jazz feeling,” (Spike Wilner, Small's Jazz Club) Pattishall embodies a music that is at once intelligent, soulful and joyous.He has appeared with Wynton Marsalis, Jon Hendricks, Jimmy Heath, Donald Byrd, George Coleman, Billy Hart, Jamey Aebersold, Wycliffe Gordon, Fred Wesley, Steve Wilson, Steve Nelson, Billy Kilson, Bucky Pizzarelli, Russell Malone, Mark Whitfield Sr. and Rafiq Bhatia.

Pattishall has toured internationally as a leader and sideman, presenting original music as well as inventive readings of a broad range of jazz repertoire. Recent programs have presented distinctive interpretations of the music of Nat “King” Cole, Fletcher Henderson, and Mary Lou Williams.

Active as both a pianist and composer, Chris holds an ASCAP Young Jazz Composer’s Award, and participated in the Kennedy Center's Betty Carter Jazz Ahead Program and the Ravinia Festival Stean’s Young Artist Program.

Pattishall is an engaged music educator, teaching privately and at William Paterson University. Chris also conducts masterclasses with high school jazz ensembles throughout the United States, and he regularly presents masterclasses on jazz and its socio-historical context in the New York City public school system.

Pattishall currently resides in New York City, where he performs at many of the city's renowned jazz clubs including Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Small's, Iridium, Smoke, the Kitano and The Blue Note. He holds a B.A. in Jazz Studies (Magna Cum Laude) from Florida State University and a M.M. in Jazz Performance from William Paterson