Why Chris Schlarb?
Here is a quick example: if you want to approximate an orchestra of instruments with a single keyboard, I am probably not the right one for the job. My best work utilizes any number of unique, real world instruments including tabla, euphonium, mandolin, marimba and upright double bass. I thoroughly enjoy working with real instruments, in real spaces, with real musicians.
If your film, video game or album requires texture and atmospheric depth, unique or unusual live instrumentation, and thoughtful arrangement, I would love to hear from you. For the last decade I have explored the ambient, jazz, folk, electronic and modern classical genres as a member of both the American Composers Forum and ASCAP.
I specialize in taking small and medium sized budgets and turning them into expensive sounding recordings. I operate my own mobile recording studio and engineer most sessions, saving time and cost.
My work can be heard on this site and read about in the New York Times, All About Jazz, Time Out New York, Chicago Reader and Pitchfork.
Record Labels
Asthmatic Kitty
Sounds Are Active
listening
The Year In Listening (2009)
If I’m completely honest, I will admit that I listen to far more music from the 70’s than any other decade. Between masterful albums from Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, The Isley Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Donny Hathaway, Brian Eno, Steve Reich, and Devo, I get most of my nourishment from music that was made [...]
The Year In Listening (2008)
I am used to feeling a certain gaping remove from most things: society at large, the greater music listening public, their trends and so on. This year was no different in that respect; I saw names rise up out of the fertile ground tilled by publicists and float above the dirt just long enough for [...]
The Year In Listening (2007)
10 (TIE). Castanets- In The Vines (Asthmatic Kitty Records)
A difficult puzzle of an album, In The Vines boasts one of the best songs of the year in “Strong Animal,” and finds Ray Raposa allowing the sun to shine on half of his face. The record twists between hideous hiss and gorgeous texture. It may take [...]
Albums in high rotation
Hum- Downward Is Heavenward
Sting- “…Nothing Like The Sun”
Bill Connors- Double Up
Herbert- Scale
makeShift:shelter- a makeShift LP
The Police- Best Of
The Isley Brothers- Best Of
Frank Zappa- Imaginary Diseases
The Gap Band- Best Of
Radiohead- In Rainbows
Joe Jackson- Night and Day
Luscious Jackson- Fever In/Fever Out
I Heart Lung- Live at Rhinoceropolis
Albums in high rotation
I have to thank Lafayette over at 4 Brothers Beats. Over the last few weeks he has gone above and beyond in sharing some extremely rare jazz, fusion and r&b records. These albums in high rotation of late reflect his direct influence:
George Duke- Faces In Reflection
George Duke- Inner Source
George Duke- The 1976 Solo Keyboard Album*
George [...]
Heart- Little Queen (Side A)
“Sylvan Song/Dream Of The Archer” is really breath-taking stuff. Unfortunately Little Queen can’t keep up the full head of steam that starts off with “Barracuda”, “Love Alive” and these two songs. For nearly twenty minutes it is, however, some of the best Led Zeppelin/Joni Mitchell soup I’ve heard.
Single tracks in high rotation
Napoleon Murphy Brock- “Patience”
The Angels Of Light- “Black River Song”
Robert Fripp String Quintet- “Hope”
Keith Fullerton Whitman- “Stereo Music for Farfisa Compact Duo Deluxe, Drum Kit”
O.C.- “Time’s Up”
Fontanelle- “Picture Start”
Isley Brothers- “Brown Eyed Girl”
Bill Withers- “Who Is He (And What Is He to You)?”