Christopher A. Garcia - Drumset, Tabla, Hand Percussion, Marimba,
                            Miscellaneous Percussion, Electronics
Chris was born, raised, and still resides in East L.A. (Never to be confused with West L.A.). His background includes performances in a wide variety of musical settings including; Jazz, Rock, World Music, traditional Mexican music, percussion ensemble, soundtracks, and cartoon music.

He attributes his musical growth to his studies with Professor John Bergamo, Pandit Tarnath Rao, Swapan Chadhouri and Leonice Shinemann where he studied tabla, while attending California Institute of the Arts on a full scholarship. Chris was also a member of the award winning Cal Arts Percussion Ensemble in 1979.

He attributes his ³style²(?) to Listening to EVERYTHING, logging in thousands of hours, practicing, rehearsing,performing and touring constantly with musicians interested in stretching and reinventing themselves throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Southeast Asia.

Chris¹ drumming is unusual in that it incorporates not only the standard rhythms and their permutations, but also a fluency with odd time signatures and sonic textures, which he seamlessly incorporates into his playing.

His fascination for New Music and Sound as well as the advent of MIDI technology allow him the possibility of combining textures that have never before been available for the percussionist in live performance. Playing tabla next to state of the art MIDI instruments and being able to blend them musically is a challenge he continually explores.

He has been the drummer/percussionist of several critically acclaimed ensembles including:
CONTINUUM - fusion for the 21st Century
THE GRANDMOTHERS RE:INVENTED
- featuring original and former members of the Mothers Of Invention including
Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada, Bunk Gardner, and Don Preston
QUARTETO NUEVO - a world music improvising chamber ensemble
THE MICHAEL VLATKOVICH ENSEMBLES - Avant trombonist
The Jihad Racy, Roberto Miranda, Christopher Garcia - world music trio
the World Music Percussion Quartet with Gustavo Aguilar, Park Je Chun, Takinojo Mochizuki,
and duets with Drummer/percussionist Alex Cline,
guitarist Nels Cline and
multi woodwinds master Vinny Golia.

REVIEWS with CONTINUUM
³Garcia, an excellent percussionist, really pushes the group, especially in the solo sections....his sparkling cymbal work  coloring the background...²
Cadence Jazz Magazine

"Where old school fusion drowned in self-indulgent displays of technical mastery, the four members of the Los Angeles based CONTINUUM play it cool. There are chops aplenty here(Christopher Garcia's clean and forceful drumming stand out, but they never get in the way of the ensemble...."
Signal to Noise

REVIEWS with THE GRAND MOTHERS - EX FZ ALUMNI

              "Garcia's drum-solo rendition of "Uncle Meat" caused jaws to drop"

SIGNAL TO NOISE

REVIEWS with QUARTETO NUEVO
Improvisers who like tight structures where you can hear everything. Musicians who bring the work of jazz composers (Jack DeJohnette, Paul Motian, Paul Carman) into their own concept, or start from scratch. Active in the region for a few years now, Quarteto Nuevo are actually a quintet featuring Alfredo Garcia, Christopher Garcia, Randy Gloss, Alan Lechusza and Ken Rosser, their debut recording is neatly titled El Musico. And their drums, winds and strings, assembled from around the world, produce sounds at once disciplined and relaxed, challenging yet easy to absorb.
QUARTETO NUEVO WAS LA WEEKLY'S JAZZ PICK OF THE WEEK

QUARTETO NUEVO
EL MUSICO
This is an intriguing set. Although there have been many types of "fusions" of jazz with other types of music, only a relatively few projects have mixed jazz with World Music from foreigh countries. Quarteto Nuevo's music goes through quite a few different moods yet remains gentle, subtle, melodic and often rhythmically complex Lechusza's reeds are in the lead much of the time but the interplay between the members of the rhythm section are well worth listening to closely.
LA JAZZ SCENE - SCOTT YANOW, DOWNBEAT/JAZZTIMES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

One of the larger quartetos (six members) out there now Quarteto Nuevo comes from a rhythmic sensibility as might be expected from a drummer-led band. But it is not your usual hit-you-over-the-head snares and tom-toms. For this band Christopher Garcia has discarded much of the ordinary drum kit (no snares, tom-toms, or bass drums) in favor of tabla, a family of lightly struck cymbals, and a variety of oriental instruments. Much of the time Garcia and Randy Gloss carry on a dialogue, although they occasionally play against each other or individually drop out to allow the remaining percussionist a clear field. The band often plays in odd meter grooves well served by the two percussionists. The other players have also rethought their instruments, resulting in a unique but natural band sound. That the music works as well as it does (It is remarkably uncluttered.) is due mainly to how much these musicians enjoy playing together.
Christopher Garcia dedicated "With his Hat in his Hand" to his father, Don Alberto Garcia. Like much of his other music it was a piece of humility, confidence, clarity, and positive feeling--a pleasure to listen to.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ REVIEW

Quarteto Nuevo page:
http://www.liraproductions.com/Quarteto.html

Christopher Garcia page:
http://www.liraproductions.com/Christopher_Garcia.html

REVIEWS with MICHAEL PIERRE VLATKOVICH
³Garcia's playing is vibrant and alive with passion, humor and a good deal of technical prowess, not to mention the breadth of vision necessary to effectively translate  such an unpredictable stream of music. And the fact that the trio seem perfectly at home with unpredictably  and the endless world of musical possibilities it presents makes them perhaps²
The Weekly Alibi

Vlatkovich's concepts start with the very aggressive Elvin Jones-muscular beat of drummer Chris Garcia. From this foundation, the piano-less band shifts pattern and time, not in sharp angles but sure-footed movements. They hop from blues to tangos and marches, all the time the trombones are vocalizing, articulating, and encouraging discourse.
ALL ABOUT JAZZ

Selected Discography:
Alex Cline Ensemble - The Constant Flame - Mbwata
Continuum - Passages - Drumset, Tabla, Electronic Percussion
Continuum - Continuum - Drumset, Tabla, Electronic Percussion
Vinny Golia - A Gift for the Unusual (2004)  - Hand percussion, metal percussion
The Grand Mothers Re"Invented - A Grand Mothers night at the Gewendhaus,(2003) Drumset,Marimba, Electronic Percussion
The Moscow Symphony - Outcast  - Tabla
Quarteto Nuevo - EL MUSICO -Tabla, Kanjira, Electronic Percussion
Luis Villegas - Casa Villegas -  Tabla, Kanjira, Mbwata, miscellaneous percussion
Michael Vlatkovich Trio - No Zee Two S - Drumset, glockenspiel, Marimba
Michael Vlatkovich Sextet - Live In Toronto - Drumset, glockenspiel, Marimba
Michael Vlatkovich Quintet - Why Don¹t You See Me?- Drumset, glockenspiel, Marimba
Mark Weber - Obligatos For Terpsichorean Dipsomaniacs - Percussion, Marimba

Performance Credits:
folks I have performed with under their name
Gustavo Aguilar, John Bergamo,
Cal Arts Percussion Ensemble, Alex Cline Ensemble, Alex Cline/CG Duo,
Nels Cline/CG Duo,  Collage Dance Theater, Continuum,  Lukas Foss, Vinny Golia/CG Duo,
The Grand Mothers Re-Invented
(ex Frank Zappa alumni)
- Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada,  Bunk Gardner,  Don Preston
Arthur Jarvinen, Alan Lechusza's Side A/Side B,  Steuart Liebig, Roberto Miguel Miranda,  Patrick Moraz, The Moscow Symphony,  The Northern Lights Ensemble,  Quarteto Nuevo,
Bill Plake Trio, Don Preston/CG Duo, Don Preston Quartet,  Ali Jihad Racy, William Roper, Harry Scorzo, G.E. Stinson,  Luis Villegas,  Michael Pierre Vlatkovich,  Mark Weber, World Percussion Quartet: featuring Gustavo Aguilar - percussion from the Americas, Park Je Chun- percussion from Korea,
Mochizuki Takinojo- percussion from Japan,
World Jazz Ensemble,
& others


Performance Credits:
folks I have performed with
where we were both sidemen
for live performances and/or recording projects
Abhiman Khasal, Airto, Nick Ariondo, Michael Bisio, Rob Blakeslee, Bobby Bradford,
Jimmy Branley,   Bob Fernandez, Ramon Flores, Bruce Fowler, Steve Fowler, Craig Fundyga, Marcus Gerakos, Vinny Golia, Jonathan Golove, Michael Jacobsen, Eric Jorgensen, Jeff Kaiser, Klemmer, Daniel Lozano, Ed Mann, Michael Manring, George McMullen, David Mott, Andrew Pask,  Bill Plake, Bill Roper, Ken Rosser, Joe Rotondy, Harry Scorzo,  Aaron Serfaty, Ramon Stagnaro, Andy Suzuki, Anders Swanson, Dean Taba, Arturo Velasco, Tom Walsh, Ray Yslas

SELECTED PERFORMANCES
with
BU BU NA NA
M.O.C.A,Los Angeles, CA

The award winning
California Institute of the
ARTS Percussion Ensemble
OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL, Ojai, Ca
SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY, San Jose, CA
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS, Valencia, CA

ALEX CLINE - DRUMSET,Percussion, Kantele
L.A. HARBOR COLEGE MUSIC RECITAL HALL,Wilmington, CA
ANGELS GATE, San Pedro , CA
THE OPEN GATE THEATER, Eagle Rock, CA
*THE DOWNTOWN PLAYHOUSE, LA, CA - 2003
* LA WEEKLY CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK

NELS CLINE - Baritone Guitar
CAFE LARGO, LA, CA
THE DOWNTOWN PLAYHOUSE, LA, CA - JUNE 2002
THE GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL, SF, CA - NOVEMBER 2003
KNITTING FACTORY - AlterKnit Lounge, LA, CA
L.A. HARBOR COLEGE MUSIC RECITAL HALL,Wilmington, CA - FEB/2001
OPEN GATE THEATRE, Pasadena, CA - JULY 2001/FEB 2002
SACRED GROUNDS - San Pedro, CA
SILVERLAKE LOUNGE - Silverlake, CA - FEB/2001
CLUB SPACELAND - Los Angeles, CA - NOV/2003

CONTINUUM - founding member since 1987
THE ALLIGATOR LOUNGE, Santa Monica,CA
BAKED POTATO, Studio City, CA
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF THE ARTS, Valencia, CA
L.A. HARBOR COLEGE MUSIC RECITAL HALL,Wilmington, CA
ORANGE COUNTY ART AND JAZZ FESTIVAL- Orange, CA
SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL
JAZZ FESTIVAL, Santa Barbara,CA
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE, S.M.CA
U.S.C., Los Angeles, CA

THE GRANDMOTHERS RE-INVENTED -  since 2002
- featuring original and former members of the Mothers Of Invention including
Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada, Bunk Gardner, and Don Preston
FRANKFURT JAZZ FESTIVAL, Frankfurt, Germany
THE GEWENDHAUS, Leipzig, Germany
THE AVALON BALLROOM, San Francisco, CA
VICTORS BY THE BAY, San Diego, CA
1/9/04 thru 2/5/04
January 9th/Switzerland, Zurich  Moods
January 10th/ Italy-Firenze
January 11/Austria, Ebensee - Kino
January 12/Croatia, Zagreb - KSET
January 13/Germany, Nürnberg - Hirsch
January 14/Germany,Aschaffenburg - Colos Saal
January 15/Germany,Dresden - Die Scheune 8043822/www.scheune.org
January 16/Germany,Schwerin - Speicher
January 17/Germany,Erfurt - Gewerkschaftshaus
January 18/Germany,Hamburg - Fabrik
January 19/Germany,Berlin - Columbia Fritz
January 21/Norway, Bergen - Garage
January 22/Norway, Skien - Lundetangen
January 23/Norway, Oslo - Rockefeller
January 24/Denmark-Odense - Rytmeposten
January 25/Germany,Kiel - Raucherei
January 26/Germany,Bonn - Harmonie
January 27/Germany,Lorsch (bei Mannheim) - Musiktheater Rex
January 28/Belgium - Sint Niklaas - CC
January 29/UK, Brighton - Concorde
January 30/UK, Wolverhampton - The Robin www.therobin.co.uk
January 31/UK, London - The Borderlinewww.borderline.co.uk
February 01/Netherlands-Weert - De Bosuil  
February 02/Belgium, Verviers - Spirit of 66
February 03/Germany,Krefeld - Kulturpunkt. Friedenskirche/02151-668440
February 04/Netherlands-Den Haag - Paard/015-2121980
February 05. /Netherlands-Zaandam - De Kade  015-2121980

Park Je Chun Percussion Ensemble
(World Music Improvising Percussion Quartet)
The Korean Tour 2000
Park Je Chun - Percussion from Korea
Gustavo Aguilar - Percussion from the Americas
Takinojo Nochizuki - Percussion from Japan
*Christopher Garcia - Percussion from India

Duomull Hall
Strawberry Live Hall
Seoul Institute of the Arts
Sungsin University Concert Hall
Cosmos Project Hall
Chun Nyun Jazz Club
with Mi Yeun - Piano
Total Art Museum Exhibition Hall
with Mi Yeun - Piano

QUARTETO NUEVO -  founding member since 1999
L.A. HARBOR COLEGE MUSIC RECITAL HALL,Wilmington, CA
LOS ANGELES MUSIC ACADEMY - Pasadena, CA
*OPEN GATE THEATRE - Pasadena, CA - 2002, 2003
PALMETTO CONVENTION CENTER - Greenville, South Carolina
* ROCCOS - Los Angeles, CA - 2003
SACRED GROUNDS - San Pedro, CA
SANGEET - SCHOOL OF WORLD MUSIC - Los Angeles, CA
THE UNITARIAN CHURCH - Music Series - Santa Monica, CA
* LA WEEKLY CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK

MICHAEL PIERRE VLATKOVICH - member since 1991
* THE ALLIGATOR LOUNGE/ Santa Monica,CA
THE ARC/Santa Ana, CA
THE BERKELEY STORE ANNEX/Berkeley,CA
BUMBERSHOOT FESTIVAL/Seattle,WA
THE ELEPHANT BAR/Austin, Texas
THE KNITTING FACTORY/ NY, NY
THE MUSIC GALLERY/ Toronto, Canada
THE NEW SCHOOL/New York, New York
THE OUTPOST/Albuquerque,New Mexico
PITT GALLERY, Vancouver, British Columbia
REAL ART WAYS/ Hartford,Connecticut
* ROCCOS, Los Angeles, CA
W.A.G. FESTIVAL/Worcester, Massachusetts
YORK UNIVERSITY/ Toronto, Canada
* LA WEEKLY CONCERT PICK OF THE WEEK

WORLD MUSIC TRIO
with Jihad Racy - Bozouk, Oud, Nay, Mijwiz
Roberto Miranda - Acoustic Bass
L.A. HARBOR COLEGE MUSIC RECITAL HALL,Wilmington, CA
UCLA - Schoenberg Hall