Justin Chart

Justin Chart (born 1959 or 1960)[1] is an American singer-songwriter, producer and performer of improvisational jazz. He is best known for "Los Angeles the Song", a song dedicated to the city of his birth.[2] Chart has released fifteen albums in a career spanning five decades.

Justin Chart
Chart performing in 2014
Background information
Born1959 or 1960 (age 63–64)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
  • Jazz
  • rock
Occupation(s)
  • Musician
  • songwriter
Instrument(s)
  • Guitar
  • piano
  • saxophone
  • vocals
Years active1985–present
LabelsUniversal Music Group
Website

Early life

Chart was born in Los Angeles, California, to a musical family, and played piano, clarinet, and saxophone as a youth.[3]

Career

Chart released Colorstorm (2020), followed by Colorstorm IV (2021) and Colorstorm VI (2021). Colorstorm was recorded live, in one session in Los Angeles. The album, which consists of group improvisational pieces, was recorded in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Every performance on was the only version of that particular work, and no editing or overdubbing was done to change the group's improvisational offering.

"Los Angeles the Song"

In 2012, Chart wrote, sang and produced "Los Angeles the Song", dedicated to the city of his birth. He created twelve different versions of the track, accompanied by music videos: "Los Angeles La Cancion", "Los Angeles Dance Angeles", "Los Angeles Latin", "Los Angeles Word", "Los Angeles Voice of the World" and "Los Angeles a City Alive."

In "Los Angeles Voice of the World", Chart performs together with 40 singers and three rappers from all 25 of Los Angeles' sister cities. The cast sang in 28 different languages spoken by people on six different continents, as a gesture to L.A.'s multicultural flavor.[3] The videos of the song feature scenes from L.A. including the Venice boardwalk, downtown Los Angeles, and ethnic neighborhoods.[4] "Los Angeles Dance Angeles" has a Latin beat and features Chart's daughter Tali on keyboard.[4] "Los Angeles Word" features black-and-white Wild West photos of orange groves, dusty roads and horse-drawn carriages in the early years of L.A., juxtaposed with modern automobiles.

The various versions of "Los Angeles the Song" have garnered more than 11 million views on YouTube and attracted notice from public officials.[5][2] Chart was awarded the Artisan Appreciation Award in July 2014 by L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who praised his ability to capture "through song for people to enjoy and understand this passion for the city we all call home."[3]

Discography

Albums[6]
  • The February Feeling (1993, remastered and released in 2017)
  • Return of the Knight (1995, remastered and released in 2017)
  • Los Angeles: An Anthem (2017)
  • All That Is Just (2018)
  • The Jammiest Bit O Jam (2019)
  • Colorstorm (2020)
  • Colorstorm IV (2021)
  • Colorstorm VI (2021)
  • Intuition (2021)
  • Live in Los Angeles (2021)
  • The Scarlet Jazz Room (2022)
  • The Midnight People (2022)
  • Keep the Blue (2022)
  • Avenue (2023)
  • Prosper (2023)

Personal life

Chart has a daughter, Tali.[4]

References
  1. Lopez, Steve (February 27, 2013). "Let's Hear Your Ode to L.A." The Los Angeles Times. p. A2. And then there's Justin Chart, 53, who loves his native city with all his aching heart.
  2. "Justin Chart equips his Alto and Baritone with a Syos mouthpiece". syos.co. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
  3. Yang, Catherine (August 24, 2017). "Musician Justin Chart releases love songs to L.A." Daily Trojan. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  4. "Justin Chart Sings About His Love Of Los Angeles On Youtube". SM Mirror. June 3, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  5. "Justin Chart". Breedlove Guitar Company. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  6. "Justin Chart". Spotify. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
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