Results for "Pawling, NY"

Chris Kelsey

Born: June 5, 1961

In the 1990s, soprano saxophonist Chris Kelsey was a fixture on the Downtown New York scene, his fiery yet lissome horn lighting up the neighborhood’s bars and galleries—most notably the Knitting Factory, then the world’s epicenter of experimental music. He also chronicled the scene as a journalist, writing and reviewing for Cadence, Jazziz, JazzTimes, and more. His pen was as fearless as his music.

Then, in the early aughts, Kelsey stepped away.

The cultural aftershocks of 9/11 were a devastating blow to the Downtown scene. Venues like the Knitting Factory wilted and died. Kelsey’s live appearances became rare. By the late 2010s, he had stopped writing about jazz entirely. Many assumed he’d left the music behind.