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Chris Ayres
Chris Ayres is a highly experienced professional guitarist, performer and teacher with 37 years of playing experience. His career has encompassed a broad range of musical styles, including jazz, funk, soul, reggae, hip-hop, rock, blues, country and classical music.
Chris has developed his versatility through decades of performing, touring, recording and collaborating with musicians from diverse musical backgrounds. His previous bands and projects include Devision de Funk and the Steve Suttee Trio, performing jazz and funk; Euphony, specialising in dance music; Sub Trance, combining reggae, hip-hop and rock; Retrogression and Little Fox, focusing on disco, soul and R&B; and hard-rock groups including The Otherkind and Mistreated. He has also undertaken extensive session and theatre work.
Chris currently performs with The Dead Headz, a rock and blues band, and also collaborates with Harry Payne. Alongside his band work, he continues to perform as a solo artist, incorporating blues, jazz, country, classical and folk influences into his playing.
Chris began establishing his professional career through extensive touring, recording and live performance before graduating from the Musicians Institute in 1996. He subsequently studied Popular Music Performance at the London College of Music, with a particular focus on jazz and music theory.
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During his degree studies, Chris received coaching from leading virtuoso guitarists. During the five years he lived and worked in London, he also had the opportunity to perform and collaborate with some of the city’s finest musicians. His professional associations have included Courtney Pine, jazz guitarist Cameron Pierre and members of David Bowie’s session band.
Chris’s playing cannot be confined to a single category. His approach incorporates a wide range of styles while retaining a strong blues influence and a deep understanding of feel, phrasing and musicality. His acoustic playing reflects classical influences, while his electric guitar work moves seamlessly between rhythm and lead.
His playing is characterised by precision, finesse, passion and feel. Whether performing a delicate acoustic passage or a powerful rock solo, Chris brings a strong sense of musicality to every note. His extensive technical knowledge is complemented by an instinctive understanding of how music communicates emotion.
After leaving London, Chris relocated to Oxfordshire, where he continued to collaborate with a wide range of artists, including Julia Thomas, Al Jenkins and Jake Jacob. He has also worked as a guitarist in theatre productions, including Jesus Christ Superstar.
Chris has established an equally distinguished career as a guitar teacher and music educator. His teaching experience includes working with Southern Counties Music Service, where he served as an area manager, as well as Hounslow Guitar Ensemble, Banbury Young Musicians, Rock School, Base1 Music, Yamaha, The Music Practice, Akeley Wood School, St Edward’s School, Oxford High School, St Helen and St Katharine, Stowe School and Our Lady’s Abingdon.
Chris’s teaching is grounded in his extensive practical experience as a working musician. He is committed to helping students develop not only their technique, but also their confidence, musical understanding and enjoyment of playing. His broad experience across numerous genres enables him to tailor his teaching to each individual student, from complete beginners and developing players to advanced guitarists.
Alongside his teaching, Chris continues to perform and record regularly, drawing on the many influences and experiences accumulated throughout his 37-year career.
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