My Music
a selection of my own albums and projects.
“People ask me what kind of music I make and I say... weIl, I have 16 solo albums to date with an eclectic blend of Americana, Alt Rock, Blues, Acoustic Pop, Roots Gospel, Ambient, Jazz, Folk and Worship Music. The answer doesn’t satisfy everybody but as Bing Crosby once sang, DON’T FENCE ME IN!.”
The Maverick Saints
Song of the Maverick Saints
I have grown very fond of the unsophisticated and heartfelt recordings of Mississippi John Hurt, Ry Cooder and early Andre Crouch... and in a way, I have become their disciple. For there is, I believe, a soul connection in the sound of gospel in its purest form; when innocence and vulnerability overcome cleverness. It’s like the sound produced by friends sitting on a porch, singing and making music together.
The instruments used during these recordings were predominantly of an acoustic nature and thus, getting my hands back on my favorite old guitars, mandolin, dobro, banjo and Ukulele, then having my friends play their own 'old-world' instruments, was a lot of fun. I hope, while listening to the songs that you get as much solace and peace, hope and joy as we did in writing and recording them.
You Got Wings
A collaborative project featuring a bunch of new Chris Falson songs accompanied by the very soulful community known as Rhythm Gospel & Blues: Featuring Linda McCrary Fisher, Alfie Silas, Pattie Howard, Vonciele Fagget, Angela Williams, Chuck Heat, Jamie McCrary, Charity McCrary, Rondez Rolle, David Raven, Sandra Stephens, Sam Sparro, James Bowen, John Andrew Schreiner, Danny Ybarra, Jonathan Flaugher, Tony Green and a truly amazing gospel choir that has performed and recorded with Beyonce, John Legend, Elton John, Andre Crouch and many more.
Live Versions
From Various Albums
Chris Falson
My first solo album as a singer/songwriter. It was produced by Robert Vaughn (Island Records) and engineered by Keith Walker (Crowded House, Midnight Oil, Elton John). The band who played on the album featured Jeff Crabtree (Zebra Collective), Ty Kerehi, Neville L’Green, Richard Fowler, Jackie Brigstock, Barry Leef, Chris Mousa & Erana Clark; Recorded in Sydney @ Paradise Studios and Mixed @ Signature Sound in San Diego by Mike Harris, the album was released by Broken Records in 1992.
The single Good People received steady rotation on radio stations around the US and the the album remains a favorite of my die hard music fans.
Rescue Me
Originally produced to be a gift for those struggling with pain or sickness, Rescue Me is a journey of rest, belief and healing, both inner and 'outer’. Thanks to John Sideropoulos from 3 Ring Circus for all the support and, the artwork and to my dear friends Tony Green, Esse Constantini, Sandra Stephens, David Raven, Sam Sparro, Danny Ybarra and Hank Linderman for your generosity and wonderful musical contributions. Recorded @ Ear Gallery Studios.
Chris Falson & The Amazing Stories
Recorded live in 1995 (along with a companion DVD of concert footage) the album features the original lineup of the Amazing Stories (musicians and singers (David Raven, Linda McCrary Fisher, Chariya Bissonette, Charity McCrary, Tom Scott, Neville L’Green, Rob Mathes, Danny Ybarra, Lew Rusko from the bands of Andre Crouch, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and the soundtrack to Disney’s The Lion King).
Thanks to David Raven, John Nau, Linda McCrary Fisher, Chariya Bissonette, Charity McCrary, Tom Scott, Neville L’Green, Rob Mathes, Danny Ybarra, Lew Rusko and Tom Clark.
“Just imagine Chris Rea singing R&B flavored worship songs with black gospel backing vocals and you’re there...”
A Tree by the Water
A follow up to the successful ‘Chris Falson and the Amazing Stories’ album this is a bluesy, rootsy gospel-worship album featuring many of my most popular gospel-worship songs, many of them written while attending Joy Fellowship, a street corner Gospel Church in LA.
“Filled with Chris’s subtly brilliant acoustic and electric guitar work, and songs that range from gentle ballads to bluesy rockers and soulful Gospel, it continues Falson’s groundbreaking role in expanding the boundaries of modern worship music. ”
Prisoner of Hope
April 2004 we, The Oxygen Thieves (Chris Falson, David Raven, Lew Rusko, Neville L’Green, André Bégert, Michael Campion, Hank Linderman) camped out at Honky Abbey Studios just off the Miracle Mile, filling every available space with electric and acoustic noise makers. All the songs were tracked live…. with minimal overdubs. As a collective we wanted the album to sound as true and organic as our concerts and so, we have left alone the very raw human aspects of jamming, the natural ambiance of city traffic and bird life and of course the occasional slamming of doors and creaking of chairs.
The Making of a Man
A collection of songs and recordings made for various network TV shows. The tracks sat around ‘on the shelves’ for years and, as there was a common sound and ‘vibe’ (the tracks were all recorded at the Shed with Chris Rich as engineer, David Raven on drums, Neville L’Green on bass and John Nau on keys) we decided to package them together in one complete album. The record cover is a photo of me aged 19, performing at the Musicians Club, Sydney, circa 1979.
Flesh & Bone
“Straddling six-string genres with ease (jazz, folk, spiritual and country) with songs that nod to John Martyn, Nick Drake and Bert Jansch, Falson never loses a sense of his own songwriting identity and you quickly get the impression that you are in the hands of a master. Falson gladly credits the other performers, writing that the recording “features the lovely and sensitive performances of Tony Green on upright bass, Susan Constantini Green on acoustic piano and Danny Ybarra on percussion”, each bringing contributions to the mix that combine to make a tremendously listenable whole. ”
“ Strange though it may seem I feel quite naked and vulnerable performing on my own and yet it is often during these occasions strumming to my own voice that I experience a unique sense of peace and freedom. During a season of rest (which really means I had no work) my friend Chris Rich called up to say that he had a few days open in his studio. I explained the idea of a quiet album and he said, “let’s do it!” Days later, armed with a few guitars, I drove over to The Shed and in two very lazy days we recorded and mixed this album. Mostly new with a few old favorites, these are some of the songs that I like to sing to myself when in pursuit of ‘the quiet’.”
The Quiet
Use Words If You Have To
Use Words is an Instrumental album of songs and pieces of music I like to play when creating my own 'quiet' space for prayer and meditation. The title is taken from the famous line of Francis of Assisi "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words"
I recorded all the parts in our living room… my intent was to use whatever I had in the house and as I had recently borrowed a lovely old Banjo from Hank Linderman I was able to add an Americana feel to some of the pieces. For percussion I played a small hand drum that someone had given me. I made up a few shakers out of soda cans 'half-filled' with brown rice (organic of course... you can hear the difference)... and then using my voice, my assortment of acoustic guitars, an old bass, a broken tambourine. While my desire was to 'stay organic', for a few brief moments I played my old analog synth to add some of the Sigur Ros air.
For Dreamers Only
My first solo Instrumental album began with a 6 track cassette released 1989. Two more tracks were added and the project was re-mastered in 1995. Recorded with many of the musicians featured on my earlier albums this is the ideal “turn out the lights, sit in you favorite chair, close your eyes and forget about your problems” album. Whenever possible I like to feature a set of contemplative music in my concerts and because music without words help the dreamers to find solace.