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KRISTEN CHANDLER BIOGRAPHY
Kristen Chandler is a singer/songwriter of a raw and soulful character, and
her emotive vocals are definite and original. Through her repertoire of
original works, soul, funk, jazz, R & B and blues, she captivates every ear
she reaches. Her songwriting seeks to expose the beauty and depth of
humanity, life and death. The originality of her melodic compositions appeals
to people of all ages. Kristen is known for her charisma, good nature, and
positivity; these qualities shine through her music, and her live performances
are each powerful and epic. She has mastered the art of balancing strength
and tenderness in her singing. As multi-instrumentalist Dan Kruse has
stated, "If you are in the room and you're not captivated, then you are not
listening."
Kristen grew up in Maize, Kansas. Her drive for music began at a young age,
and her virtuosic vocal abilities were evident very early in her life. Though
she studied piano, her focus and soul have always been centered in her voice.
By the time Kristen was eleven years old she was performing for large
audiences. She started formal vocal training when she was 14, and two years
later she began studying under international vocalist Arthur Marks. With
over sixteen years experience recording and performing an extensive list of
genres, Chandler has a resume to be reckoned with. Performing in formal
vocal ensembles, choirs, musical theater, garage bands, concert venues and
blues clubs throughout her childhood and school years, she is seasoned in
almost any performance environment. Kristen began singing professionally
at the age of 14, working for a musical entertainment company until she
graduated from high school in 1997. She soon left the Midwest for the
Northwest, settling in Eugene, Oregon in 1998.
By 1999 Kristen was recording and performing with artists including
Ancient Youth, Jahkumba, Apple Gabriel, Vibe Nation, and Norma Frazier.
She and music partner Michael James Zimmerman were married in 2000.
Kristen began performing as "Kristen Chandler" making appearances in 2001
while continuing to perform and record in collaboration with many artists.
In 2003 she began performing with Michael throughout the Pacific
Northwest. The Eugene Saturday Market began featuring Kristen Chandler
with varied orchestrations, and it soon became a favorite performance venue
for Kristen and her fans. She was soon hired on as a regular performer at the
Jo Federigo's Jazz Club in Eugene, OR in the Spring of 2004. While the fan
base continued to expand Kristen and Michael brought additional musicians
into the group. Rusty Morris began playing percussion, and Jeremy Gibons
was brought on playing bass guitar.
Kristen released her debut independent album 'bird' in February of 2006. The
album was recorded at ETC Studios in Oregon during 2005, then it was
mastered by Sarah Register at The Lodge in NYC. The release of the album
was met with enthusiastic reviews. Radio stations like KLCC began playing
the CD as word of the debut CD spread. Now the album can be heard
circulating local and international radio play lists throughout the US, UK,
France, Germany, and Belgium.
In the summer of 2006 Kristen and Michael moved to Arizona. Soon after
their first few performances in the Southwest, Ryan Smith began playing
bass and guitar with them in live performances. In February 2007 Dan Kruse
joined the group on drums and percussion. The name Thousand Gathered
was decided upon. Kristen and the band are now composing and arranging
the third extended play CD.
The release of 'Sweet Inside' fueled a tour of the Pacific Northwest in the
summer of 2007. Kristen Chandler and Thousand Gathered are currently
performing in the Southwest region of the US.
Check the News Updates area for current happenings.
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