Christian Sylvester Sands (born May 22, 1989) is an American jazz pianist and composer. His third album for Mack Avenue Records, Be Water, was released in 2020 and received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Instrumental Composition category for the song "Be Water II".
Life and career
Sands in Denmark, 2015
Sands was born on May 22, 1989.[1] He grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, and later moved to the nearby town of Orange.[2] He started playing the piano at a very young age, and took lessons from the age of four; he commented that "I grew up with it in the house, in the classroom and on stage so it has always been a huge part of my life".[2]
After graduating, Sands joined Inside Straight, one of bassist Christian McBride's bands; they have toured internationally.[7]
Sands became a Steinway artist in 2012.[8] In 2014, Sands cited as influences McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, and Marcus Roberts, because "They're coming from the tradition of bringing people into the music, but also moving it forward into new directions".[2] In the same year, Sands became an American Pianists Association Jazz Fellowship Awards Finalist.[2]
His composition "Be Water II" was nomincated for a Best Instrumental Composition Grammy Award in 2020.[9]
Discography
An asterisk (*) indicates that the year is that of release.
As leader
Year recorded
Title
Label
Personnel/Notes
2002*
Footprints
Stanza
Trio, with Jeff Fuller (bass), Jesse Hameen II (drums)
2004*
Harmonia
Stanza
Trio, with James Cammack (bass), Arti Dixson (drums)
2007*
Risin'
Christian Sands
With Michael Asseta (bass), Jesse Hameen II & Ryan Sands (drums), Josh Evans (trumpet), Bill Evans (sax)
Most tracks trio with Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums); some tracks trio with Nakamura (bass), Marcus Baylor (drums); EP; Jennings tracks in concert
2018
Facing Dragons
Mack Avenue
With Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Jerome Jennings (drums), Marcus Strickland (sax), Keyon Harrold (trumpet), Caio Afiune (guitar), Cristian Rivera and Roberto Quintero (percussion)
