Dr. Chris Morrow — Drummer, Percussionist & Educator

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Originally from Riverside, Illinois, Dr. Chris Morrow is a professional drummer, percussionist, and educator with more than two decades of experience performing, recording, and teaching. Rooted in the American folkloric traditions of rock, jazz, and blues, Chris’ career has encompassed a broad range of musical styles and performance settings, including R&B, Latin music, musical theater, marching band, and symphonic music. He has performed in settings ranging from small jazz combos and large jazz ensembles to blues, punk, and metal bands, symphonic ensembles, original projects, recording sessions, and improvised music ensembles.

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Chris holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Jazz Performance and a Master of Music (MM) in Jazz Performance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as well as a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. His principal teachers include Don Skoog, Skip Hadden, Ed Uribe, Bobby Sanabria, Peter Magadini, and Joel Spencer.

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Performance

 

As a performer, Chris approaches the drum set as both a timekeeping and interactive musical instrument. His playing emphasizes groove, stylistic awareness, improvisation, and musical interaction. His extensive experience working across different genres has given him an adaptable approach to performance, allowing him to move comfortably between the demands of jazz improvisation, blues and roots music, rock, funk, R&B, and Latin-influenced music.

 

Over the course of his career, Chris has performed with a diverse collection of artists and ensembles. His performance credits include Christian Collin, the Miles Minor Band, the Sam Cockrell Band, the Joe Di Zillo Band, The Doublewide Blues Band, The AllNighter Band, Lucca Feracota and the Sons of Chicago, Candy Foster and Shades of Blue, Goio Lima, the Men of Essence, the Chip McNeill Quartet, Andrew Duncanson and Take a Ride, Denise La Grassa, Frank Parker, Leon Lewis-Nicol, Beto Rodriguez, the New Orleans Jazz Machine, the Illinois Modern Ensemble, Owen Knap, Harry Hmura, Nigel Mack, the Jigawatt Trio, Eric Mantel, The New Fuse, Pistol Pete, Big Dog Mercer, Old Shoe, The Psycho Kid, Squai, Susan Williams and the Wright Groove, The Kilborn Alley Blues Band, among many others.

In addition to live performance, Chris has worked extensively as a recording musician. His recorded work reflects the same stylistic range as his performing career, appearing on projects encompassing blues, jazz, rock, improvisational music, and contemporary popular styles.

 

Education

 

Alongside his work as a performer, Chris has maintained a strong commitment to music education throughout his professional career. He has taught drum set and percussion to students ranging from beginners taking their first lessons to advanced musicians pursuing more specialized areas of study.

 

His experience as both a working musician and educator informs his approach to music-making. Whether performing, recording, or teaching, Chris emphasizes strong musicianship, careful listening, stylistic understanding, and the ability to adapt to the musical situation at hand.

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Selected Discography

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Christian Collin

• Heartland Confessional (2023)

• Spirit of the Blues (2015)

• American Art (2012)

• Live at Billy’s (2010)

 

Joe Di Zillo

• Bringing It Back (2024)

 

The Jigawatt Trio

• Scenes (2007)

 

Old Shoe

• Let Yourself In (2012)

• Old Shoe (2010)

 

The Psycho Kid

• Hypocrite Land (2009)