Chris Anderson (February 26, 1926 – February 4, 2008) was a jazz pianist, and an early musical influence on Herbie Hancock. In 1960, a young Hancock heard Chris Anderson play; he later said, "Chris' music has affected the core of my music very deeply. After hearing him play just once, I begged him to let me study with him. Chris Anderson is a master of harmony and sensitivity. I shall be forever indebted to him and his very special gift."
Chicago-born Anderson, had ‘fragile bone disease’ and visual impairment at birth, and was raised in a foster home. He loved music, and as a child he spent lots of time listening to tunes on the radio. With a natural ear for picking out melodies as well as harmonies, Anderson began teaching himself to play piano. Intuitively, he knew he was a musician.
Before finishing high school, Anderson was already performing jazz in local South Side bars, while holding down a job in a record store, where he he first discovered the music of Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, and Art Tatum, igniting what would later become Anderson's lifelong love affair with jazz.With only one semester shy of finishing High School, Anderson went out on the road with guitarist Leo Blevins, a major part of the Chicago scene, who mingled with many jazz greats of the era. Through Blevins, Anderson forged an important connection by playing with Sonny Stitt .Later, Anderson played Pershing Ballroom concerts with Charlie Parker and Howard McGhee, two of which events have been preserved on record.
At the young age of 18, Anderson became totally blind. Despite his impairments, he performed for over 2 decades in Chicago clubs, with icons Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Max Roach, Stan Getz, Johnny Griffin, and Roland Kirk. Anderson collaborated with and inspired numerous other Chicago musicians including: Wilbur Ware, Clifford Jordan, Von Freeman, Billy Wallace, George Coleman, Wilbur Campbell, Harold Maburn.
In 1961, Anderson toured with Dinah Washington, ended up in New York City, and decided to stay. He remained active and was highly regarded by his fellow musicians. He had a special personal and musical relationship with Billy Higgins. Anderson was the featured soloist at Barry Harris's annual concerts; he performed at Bradley's, the Village Vanguard, the Jazz Gallery, and Smalls. He also made a number of recordings, and musical archives, which live on.
Anderson passed away in New York on February 4, 2008, 3 weeks short of his 82nd birthday.