"In terms of the future, my hope for music is renewed whenever I see a kid with an electric guitar, dirty converse high top sneakers and a smirk. It has to be all three of those ingredients. Two of them isn't enough. It doesn't matter to me what kind of music the kid is interested in. Seeing that kid starting the journey warms my heart. I hope that kid has some fight in him and sees it through!"

B. Christopher: 106 Miles To Chicago

Pennsylvania-based musician B. Christopher, like most composers, is not a household name. However, if you own a television, you have probably heard his music. With over 3,000 placements annually, on virtually every channel, it would be difficult not to hear his work. Like most studio musicians, his time is consumed recording. That is not to say he is a stranger to the stage. He toured extensively throughout North America for twenty years. While on a break from the road in 2002, he was contacted by the music director of ABC's "All My Children" looking for blues music. According to Christopher, "it was just the right place at the right time." As the opportunities continued to grow in the studio, it became clear that the focus needed to move strictly to recording. Inevitably, the hundreds of sessions would evolve into albums. The balance between melody, technique, composition and improvisation is not an easy one to strike. But when listening to Christopher, one would think otherwise. With an innate sense of melody, his musical offerings are sure to please even the most discerning palate. It is these qualities that helped attract some of the biggest studio musicians in the business to his work.

(Photo: B. Christopher)

Names like Nathan East, Anton Fig, Gerald Albright, Shawn Pelton, Michael Powers, Andy Snitzer, Stu Hamm, Kenny Aronoff, Bruce Katz, Studebaker John and Jerry Portnoy have all lent their talents to his recordings. His new 7-tracks album titled “106 Miles To Chicago” (2024, Guitar One Records), is a tribute to The Blues Brothers! Featuring: Eddie Testa, Anton Fig, Sharlotte Gibson, Andy Snitzer, Nick Douglas, Tom "Bones" Malone, Studebaker John, Bruce Katz, Tony Kadleck, Ryan, Keberle. B. Christopher says: “It is simply a record that I had to make as a personal marker to where I found rhythm and blues music. It was these songs that were my first stepping stone to the music of Elmore James, John Lee Hooker and Matt "Guitar" Murphy. The performances from The Blues Brothers soundtrack and live albums have had a lasting impact on me that has been sustained for decades and I suspect will be there until the end.”

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

I would say music has simply been the soundtrack to my time here more so than influencing my views of the world. It has been a lifelong commitment in practice, but not influential in my views of bigger picture type stuff. I compartmentalize things in my life pretty easily. But to be fair, there isn't a whole lot in my life that isn't touched by my addiction to music in some way.

How do you describe your sound and music philosophy? Where does your creative drive come from?

My drive comes much in the same way that eating comes to us all. It has simply been a part of my daily life for almost 40 years. I don't have many days that are not centered around music. It's not what I do, it's who I am. It has never required much drive for me, which I think is true of many lifelong musicians. I pick the guitar up because I don't know what else to do with my hands at this point.                     (Photo: B. Christopher)

"In my humble opinion, the role it plays is a reminder that something doesn't have to be pretty or complicated to be real and effective. The real stuff is normally neither. It appeals to its listeners on a gut level, not an intellectual one. It is the kind of music that garners an instinctive reaction. I don't think it is meant to be thought provoking music, but it certainly is powerful when done well."

Why do you think that Blues Brothers music legacy continues to generate such a devoted following?

I think The Blues Brothers are a part of pop culture for a few reasons. Musically speaking, the band was as good as it gets. It was a group of top tier studio musicians of the highest level. Almost all of them went on to have long careers. Second was the fun factor and the image. It is difficult for any band to have real popular success without an interesting image of some kind. I think The Blues Brothers image is as iconic as the Kiss makeup. A great band fronted by two of the biggest comedians in the world at the time of the movie release with a very identifiable look playing time tested songs really well is lightning in a bottle.

What moment changed your music life the most?

There were a few landmark moments early on in my guitar journey. The first time I saw the musician that became my guitar teacher playing was life changing. It was the first of two times that I saw a world class guitar player from 5 feet away. I vividly remember thinking at that moment that I HAVE to learn how to play the guitar...period. It was like a love at first sight moment. I can still see it in my mindseye. The blue lights with cigarette smoke swirling in them, the small stage and a red and black screaming electric guitar. It is a moment that dramatically shifted the trajectory of my life. I was completely awestruck by the power of great live music in a small venue.

The second was a blues artist named Michael Powers in New York City that I stumbled on. His music hit me like a tidal wave and still does. My best musical memories as a spectator are of him playing guitar in a tiny second floor bar in Greenwich Village with no stage. I studied him like there was going to be a test. It was quite a schooling that I will be forever grateful for.      

"My drive comes much in the same way that eating comes to us all. It has simply been a part of my daily life for almost 40 years. I don't have many days that are not centered around music. It's not what I do, it's who I am. It has never required much drive for me, which I think is true of many lifelong musicians. I pick the guitar up because I don't know what else to do with my hands at this point." (Photo: B. Christopher)

What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?

The highlights are too many to list, but if I had to come up with one it is recording with people that were heroes to me in my formative years. There were a few moments in my recording life when a musician that meant the world to me came through the studio door to record on one of my projects. It's like being a baseball fanatic and getting to play catch with Mickey Mantle. There were a few surreal moments with those musicians that I will remember until the end.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

Everything important lesson or truth in my life has either been discovered or confirmed through music. The work ethic, discipline, commitment and perseverance it takes to play well is a life lesson that is far bigger than music. I feel like when a reasonably intelligent person has worked hard to achieve at a high level in their chosen field, they are able to understand what it takes to do so in any line of work. That knowledge brings an understanding and appreciation of any success story.

It has also taught me to be unapologetically confident in my decisions. So long as the boat is moving forward it doesn't matter if the course gets a little windy, a little to the left or right is okay, but keep moving in the basic direction never losing sight of the end goal. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Lots of folks are fast out of the gate, but as soon as the wall that looks too big to pass is in front of them, they turn back. I think anybody that succeeds claws at that wall until they pass it and then does the same over and over as each new and taller wall impedes their progress.

Every success story has hundreds of failures in its trail that were learning experiences. Some were necessary but absolutely awful heartbreaks, others may have been fun but unproductive. I think you have to be able to endure short term setbacks and judgements that can be quite uncomfortable in many ways. Knowing the fastest runner is not always the smartest one is a valuable piece of wisdom in a marathon.

"I would say music has simply been the soundtrack to my time here more so than influencing my views of the world. It has been a lifelong commitment in practice, but not influential in my views of bigger picture type stuff. I compartmentalize things in my life pretty easily. But to be fair, there isn't a whole lot in my life that isn't touched by my addiction to music in some way." (Photo: B. Christopher)

Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues? What is the role of music in today’s society?

In my humble opinion, the role it plays is a reminder that something doesn't have to be pretty or complicated to be real and effective. The real stuff is normally neither. It appeals to its listeners on a gut level, not an intellectual one. It is the kind of music that garners an instinctive reaction. I don't think it is meant to be thought provoking music, but it certainly is powerful when done well.

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

I miss the authenticity and simplicity of yesteryear. Musically, I feel like I was born about 25 years late. I would've loved to have been a young adult in Chicago in the late 50's and early 60's.

In terms of the future, my hope for music is renewed whenever I see a kid with an electric guitar, dirty converse high top sneakers and a smirk. It has to be all three of those ingredients. Two of them isn't enough. It doesn't matter to me what kind of music the kid is interested in. Seeing that kid starting the journey warms my heart. I hope that kid has some fight in him and sees it through!

The relationship between music and other forms of art – such as video art, TV, and film/cinema - has become increasingly important. How do you see this relationship yourself and in how far, do you feel, does music relate to other senses than hearing alone?

I write a tremendous amount of music for TV, so I have mixed feelings about it. I write with images in mind when I am working in that environment. The music is there to support a theme or story, but when I listen to music, I don't really want a visual aid to support the experience, with the exception of The Blues Brothers. I can't listen to the soundtrack without picturing scenes from the movie. The music and the visual are really not separate entities in a musical I suppose.

B. Christopher Band - Home

(Photo: B. Christopher)