Artist description Camper Van Beethoven co-founder Chris Molla combines original compositions with songs from the classic children’s repertoire and appropriate material from a wide variety of traditions including folk, jazz, country, rock, classical and world musics. Chris brings to all his work a genuine love for children, a thorough knowledge and deep love of music, and a slightly maverick enthusiasm.

Music Style Eclectic music for children. Eclectic music for adults

Artist History Chris Molla is a composer, performer, and educator who has been working with young children since 1990. After nearly finishing a bachelor's degree in music at the University of California at Santa Cruz, Chris co-founded the band Camper Van Beethoven. As a member of C.V.B., he recorded albums, toured widely, and enjoyed the status of a college-radio cult figure. After this little taste of stardom he left the band, finished that pesky B.A. degree, and went on to earn an M.A. in music composition at Mills College in Oakland, California, where he studied with such heavy hitters as Anthony Braxton and Robert Ashley. It was shortly after finishing at Mills that he stumbled into his first teaching job at an elementary school, and discovered that it was just the thing to do! Since then, Chris has taught at elementary schools and preschools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, all the while remaining active as a performer and composer in various ensembles, and as a solo artist. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and daughter.

Instruments Voice, keyboards, guitars, percussion.

Albums Roll Along, Jump Up.

Press Reviews "Christopher Molla, a founding member of Camper Van Beethoven, works with youngsters in San Francisco Bay Area schools, spreading the joys of making music and playing folk songs. His current self-produced release, Jump Up,presents light-hearted renditions of 'Old Dan Tucker,' 'The Erie Canal,' 'Sarasponda,' and other folk favorites, as wellas a sprinkling of his own modern compositions. Molla is a talented keyboardist and sophisticated composer; an upbeat, pleasant singer; and a fine acoustic and electric guitarist. His production style pays tribute to David Grisman; the folk numbers are lively and multiply stringed, and they often include mandolin, banjo, or flute. Molla is a musician who walks his talk, spending time with his young audience on a regular basis. Perhaps someday soon a creative indie label will givethis record the kind of promotion it deserves, big name or no. It's just the kind of plain-old-wonderful little kids adore."

Location San Francisco, California - USA

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