Nicknamed “Big Skin” early in life, Chris Saunders is a prolific singer-songwriter, cornet and flugelhorn player. He has fronted and performed with many bands over the span of 40 years cultivating a style that has been described as, “One foot in the Blues and the other in Jazz, Rock, Blues, and Experimental music. He is a pinch of Howlin’ Wolf and a dash of Tom Waits.” He cites the music of Louis Armstrong, Dr. John, Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Billy Eckstein, Mel Torme, Captain Beefheart, and Jimmy Witherspoon as fundamental to his development as a vocalist, trumpet/cornetist, songwriter, writer, and artist. His immense reservoir of soul and soaring melodic mastery are exquisitely seasoned with his wry sense of humor – both on and off the stage. His gift of stage comedy and his oblique improvisational abilities are true crowd pleasers.
Mostly in the local SF Bay Area scene, Chris has shared the stage and recording studio with headliners and sidemen including Michael Bloomfield, Tom Waits, Sons of Champlain, Ed Kelly, Tony Riparetti, Big Skin Band, Shanti, Les McCann, “Ramblin” Jack Elliot, Charlie Miller, Jay Thomas, Vernon Black, Michael Blakeman, Kit Walker, Paul McCandless, Celso Alberti, Jack Gates, David Motto, Andy Ostwald and many other wonderfully talented Bay Area musicians. Chris started whistling at 11 months and performing by age 10. He performed at the Fillmore in 1967 and impressed Bill Graham, and still cherishes the moment Howlin’ Wolf and his band shook his hand offering high compliments and words of encouragement.
Chris has 6 recordings available in CD or download format. His current 2025 release is a departure from his past Soul, Jazz, R&B, and Blues Projects with an all-original music release, “Broken Wheel”, now available as a CD and for digital purchase or streaming.
In 2020 the Chris Saunders Band recorded “Dancing with the Widow St. James,” which is a mix of 5 original songs composed by Ken Cook and Chris Saunders and a variety of 5 unique cover songs. In 2016 the Chris Saunders Band recorded “Outside My Window.” The title track, “Outside My Window,” is an original composition (Saunders-Cook) and is a partial departure from most of Chris’s earlier original recordings with songs by artists such as Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Percy Mayfield, Eddie Harris/Gene McDaniels and Herbie Hancock. Chris Saunders Band was comprised of Michael Aragon (drums), Ken Cook (piano), Rob Fordyce (electric bass) and Luis Carbo (percussion) and Chris Saunders (vocal and cornet).
Additionally as noted in the Discography, there are 3 other all-original projects, “Crazy Memory” (2008) with Kit Walker, “Sandancer” (2004) and “Moon Over Tuesday” (1999).