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Born in Manchester 1971, the Powell family emigrated to the South Island of New Zealand when Chris was just 2 years old. His first musical memories were indeed whilst in NZ when as a pre-schooler he took great fascination in a tour of the workings of the school chapel pipe organ! Upon the family's return to England in 1977, this fascination was further nurtured by the commencement of organ and piano lessons as well as many hours spent as a keen chorister right throughout his schooling. By the time he was 16, he was already in demand to play for concerts and dances in the East Lancashire/West Yorkshire area which ultimately led to the realisation of his ambition to join the team of organists at the world famous Tower Ballroom, Blackpool. Chris enjoyed two happy Seasons there playing the mighty Wurlitzer and electronic organs and has been fortunate to give several performances for both concerts and dances on that most famous theatre organ over recent years.

From his first appearance at Blackpool, invites quickly poured in from both near and far for recital appearances. These rapidly saw Chris in demand to travel to all corners of the British Isles including the Channel Islands and Isle Of Man. He also broadened his experience to include work in the commercial sector of the industry during this period. Chris performed roadshow and stand work for both Farfisa and Orla during the early nineties. There also came chances to work with a number of celebrities during this period. He was very honoured to have been asked to play for events in Blackpool with the Princess Royal and former labour Party Leader; Neil Kinnock, as well as providing musical accompaniment to scenes in the T.V. programmes the 'South Bank Show' which was profiling Thora Hird and also 'The Big Breakfast' with Keith Chegwin. Radio appearances have been numerous both on local radio stations in the UK; New Zealand and Australia as well as many tracks of his recordings being featured on BBC Radio 2's 'The Organist Entertains'.

A major highlight of the mid nineties was an invitation to perform a series of theatre organ recitals in the land of his youth, New Zealand. No one would have guessed that this hugely successful tour would have led to an invitation to spend 12 months as Resident Organist of the fabulous 'Baycourt Theatre', Tauranga which is home to a superb 2 manual 10 rank Wurlitzer originally installed in the Deluxe Cinema, Wellington.

The 12 month contract took up the whole of 1996 and combined weekly concerts with teaching, music for dancing and playing for silent movies on the Wurlitzer as well as touring to different locations around New Zealand to give concerts. Chris notched up a number of firsts that year, including providing the accompaniment on Wurlitzer to a complete production of the 'Merry Widow' staged at Baycourt.

A return to the UK in 1997 saw the commencement of an intensive programme of visits to organ societies (both pipe and electronic), keyboard Festivals and dance halls throughout the UK. There is now a steady and regular pattern of performances throughout England, Wales and Scotland as well as accompanying Islands. Chris has now returned to New Zealand five times since 1996 as well as recently giving two hugely successful tours in Australia. Another is planned for 2002 including an American theatre organ debut in Seattle. Visits to mainland Europe are also common with concert weekends in Holland during 2000/2001, several concerts in Zurich, Switzerland in recent years; Italy and Germany also having been countries visited with electronic organ.

The recording of several cassettes and CDs is also a major part of his musical life. Chris has recorded 7 best selling albums to date with his latest featuring the Wurlitzer organ of the Karrinyup Community Centre, Perth, Australia. This exciting opportunity coincided with his concert there in August 2000. The large hall of the community centre creates a wonderful acoustic, which lends itself so well to the lively Blackpool style of playing. In fact, it is very easy to confuse this instrument for the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer when all the stacker chairs and tables are removed from the hall! Chris was fortunate to have recorded 2 albums whilst ensconced in New Zealand during 1996. The first of these featured the lifelike orchestral sounds of the Yamaha EL90, which was loaned to Chris throughout the period of his contract by Yamaha New Zealand. The second came as an invitation to record a residence Allen Computer theatre organ in the home studio of Bill Koke of Auckland. This instrument has been tailor made to suit its surrounding with special Omni-directional speakers. The effect is very realistic indeed and the instrument mimics its genuine pipe cousins very well. In a similar vein, a further invitation came in 1997 to repeat the exercise, this time in Zurich, Switzerland. A long time friend and contact of Chris, Joe Bechter, cordially asked Chris to record a CD on the revolutionary Rodgers 360 and W5000 instruments. These American built organs (now under the canvas of the Roland Corporation) represent the last word in pipeless technology. The most recent electronic organ CD has proved to be a real best seller both in the UK and Germany. Called 'Crazy Rhythm', it features the stunning sound of the Roland Atelier AT80R with a mainly orchestral programme to suit everyone.

He has also produced performance and registration disks on behalf of Orla, The Yamaha Club, ARiEL Club and Roland Atelier Owners Club. One of his three most recent Yamaha Club disks (A Tribute to Reginald Dixon) outsold all of its contemporaries at the time of release. He also has written several articles for such magazines such as Keyboard and Organ Cavalcade, Organ Times and Organ £ Keyboard World Magazine.

Chris married his wife, Marie in May 1998. A former Yamaha Music School teacher, they now run their own promotions company in rural Leicestershire where he can be contacted.

His current touring instrument in the UK is the Roland Atelier AT80SL(ak) organ which is on kind loan from Roland UK. This organ is quite unique in having an extended lower manual of some 6 1/2 octaves which makes it ideal as a 'virtual' piano keyboard within an organ... Complete with brass damper pedal, it gives a totally new dimension to modern organ technique. The sounds within the Atelier are second to none and are quite prolific in the simulation of vocal sounds with a 'jazz scat' setting which allows the user to replicate a jazz singer with some 4 or 5 different syllables depending on the velocity of the keyboard being struck. Also, operatic style voices make for a welcome addition to the industry standard 'choir'voices, which have been a major feature of instruments since the early 80s.

Now a few words from Chris himself

I was fortunate enough to have been invited to play piano for the then Labour Party Leader, Neil Kinnock's 'Welsh Night' in the Winter Gardens at Blackpool in 1990. They provided no sheet music whatsoever and it provided me with much consternation when trying to pick out a basic accompaniment by ear for obscure Welsh songs that I had never, ever heard of! Very embarrassing when your own Father is a Welshman!! It must have done the trick, though, since within weeks, I was deputising in the Tower Ballroom on both pipes and electronics. I had a very 'cunning' practical joke played on me upon my first ever Wurlitzer appearance there, in that the powers that be decided to re set all of the pistons with the most awful sounds imaginable and turn off the power supply to the lift motor! There was no feeling of Blackpool magic on that particular morning! More recent stints on that organ have been more uplifting, to pardon the pun!

I must admit to have been very fortunate to have played many times in Australasia. Indeed, my shows in New Zealand and Australia next year will constitute my 8th time in NZ and 3rd in Australia.

[ Alongside is shown the opulent Capri Cinema instrument in Adelaide where Chris is to play later this year. ]

I am also highly delighted to have received an invitation from the ATOS Puget Sound Chapter to perform a theatre organ recital in that particular corner of the US. It must be said that the organ scene in those 'down-under' parts is unusual in that the majority of the public concerts and paid for recitals are almost exclusively given on theatre pipe organs or for theatre organ groups. There are dozens of organ clubs/societies, but these are mainly for the benefit of home players who wish to share their hobby with friends and associates who have similar interests. There are very few organ clubs that promote public concerts on electronic organ. Marie and I spent 12 months in Tauranga, New Zealand back in 1996 where I was employed by the local concert to play their 2/12 Wurlitzer on a regular basis. This was intermingled with outside performances on Yamaha EL90 as well as using the latter alongside the vintage pipe organ. We had a major evening concert at least once a month and often brought in a 'guest' artist from outside of the organ scene. Some of my fond memories of these events included backing Tammy Jones of 60's pop fame and the emotions of playing to 650 people on the occasion of my last public recital there in December 1996. Tremendous!

A strange case of 'sharing the stage' occurred in the later half of 1996 when NZ folklore hero/author and 'bush man' Barry Crump passed away. They had his Funeral at the theatre and broadcast the event live on National Television. I can vividly recall playing 'How Great Though Art' with a coffin besides the console and an ashen nose and 'bush' hat in my peripheral vision! Most odd! New Zealand is a very laid back country where time almost stands still. Australia is much more frenetic in its pace and the high standards of organ concert promotion and the upkeep of their theatre organs is quite something special. Every one of their pipe instruments is first class and would no doubt kindle a new interest in such instruments in those who have only heard some of our poorer such organs in the UK. They don't only brew good Aussie lager down there!

I'm now very happy to be playing the Roland Atelier (AT80SL) on the circuit on contract with Roland UK. I'm quite indebted to the help given by both Tim Flint and David Thomas in setting up this 'modus-operandi'. I'm thoroughly sold on the sheer scale of possibilities which the instrument is now giving me as well as an incomparable depth of sound.

I very much enjoy giving special shows with other organists and the regular concerts with good friend Michael Wooldridge continue to flourish as well as several joint events with Brett Wales - another great friend of ours. I'm very happy to be being employed by my Father ( Chairman of Lincoln Electronic Organ Society) to give a joint special concert with Brett for them in March next year. Talk about complicated arrangements!

Finally, the single most 'poignant' moment in my short organ career must surely have been marriage to Marie in May 1998. Glyn Madden was our organist in Church and gave a splendid performance, as ever, but included in his musical talents a beaming grin for just about all of the service! Who said that going to Church was dull!