CHIP SHELTON is a renowned Multi-Flutist whose performances include a variety of flutes from Piccolo to Contrabass Flute currently residing in New York City and actively performing with his own group as well as making a variety of guest appearances internationally. He has just released his latest CD “Flute Bass-Ics” on October 17, 2003 featuring legendary bassist RON CARTER and his current group, on Arizona-based Summit Records. Chip is also a noteworthy composer himself and many of his recordings were self penned compositions. Other recent Shelton CD releases include: “A labor of Love” and “3 Flutes Up” featuring pianist Onaje Alan Gumbs and Guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, as well as “More What Flutes 4” featuring pianist Roy Meriwether. Recent Shelton live appearances included Birdland in New York City, Soft Note in Oakland California, Nomme International Jazz Festival in Estonia and A-Trane in Berlin Germany. Some of flutes he uses are Concert Flute in C, and Bb Flute D’Amor (both custom-fitted for End-Blown play in saxophone-like position); as well as Contra-Bass & Bass Flutes, Alto Flute in G, Ethnic Wood

At age 20, Chip received a “calling” to become more focused musically. He made a personal commitment to structure his life to include rigorous daily music practice, and continues that lifestyle today. While a dentistry major at Howard University in the late 1960's, Chip jammed with notables like Donny Hathaway, Sherry Winston, and Lloyd McNeil, connected with Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen, and led his own straight-ahead jazz quintet, the “DMZ Revisited”, in which he played Piano.

At age 24, Chip Shelton, motivated soley by the desire to become a better musician (and armed with a dental degree for staying-power), made New York home. He studied and/or performed during the 1970's and early ‘80's with Bill Barron, James Moody, Hank Mobley, Irene Reid, Jimmy Ponder, Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Hubert Laws, Ernie Wilkins, Joe Newman, and many others around New York and New Jersey.

Marriage and two children ensued. A dedicated family man, Chip continued to perform live alongside Greg Bandy, Peter Bernstein, Philip Harper, Herman Foster, Lou Donaldson, and TK Blue in top NY venues including Cami Hall, Town Hall, Lincoln Center Damrosch Bandshell, the Cellar, Showmans, Windows on the World, Village Gate, West End Gate, Visiones, B. Smith’s, and Avery Fisher Hall. Recordings on mostly unreleased sessions were preparation for what was to come.

In 1987 Chip Shelton began phase 2 of his New York- based quest for heightened music proficiency and expression. He studied sax and flute first with Broadway Musician Ken Adams, and then with Woodwind Innovator, John Purcell, of “World Saxophone Quartet” fame. From 1988 to 1990, Chip attended Manhattan School of Music full time as a Jazz Flute Major. He also continued private study with both, Musicianship-Specialist, Dr. Helen Hobbs Jordan (then, an octogenarian), and with the “Dean of American Flutists”, Julius Baker (then a septegenarian), who had been Hubert Laws’ teacher at Julliard. These studies culminated with Shelton performing classical pieces in 1991 for Baker’s renowned Univ. of Conn., Bridgeport, Master Class.
Circa 1992, Chip studied with Bebop Coach Barry Harris, and traveled to Oregon for a week- long Master Class with critics- choice, flutist James Newton. During these early 1990's, Chip honed his skills, performing alongside Rodney Jones, Theo Blechman, D.D. Jackson, Joel Frahm, and others. It was also during this period that Chip attracted the attention of veteran Drummer/Percussionist, turned Record Producer, Kenny Mead, a skilled and valuable liason in helping to usher the Shelton career to heightened professional levels. The mid 1990's through the early 2000's brought Record Deals, first with the Rise Up Label, then with the Japan-based Satellites Records Label, and performances with jazz luminaries like Louis Hayes, Dick Griffin, Joe Lee Wilson, Roy Ayers, Bob Baldwin, Ted Curson, Antonio Hart, Ron Carter, Onaje Allan Gumbs, Roy Meriwether, John Hicks, Calvin Hill, Ryo Kawasaki, Guillerme Franco, Lynn Seaton, Spirit of Life Ensemble, Paul Serrato, Art Lillard Heavenly Big Band, and many others at venues like Sweet Basil, Madison Square Garden, Iridium, Blue Note, Birdland, SOB’s, Tavern on the Green, Apollo Theater, Trumpet’s, Duc des Lombards, National Flute Association Conventions, and Crampton Auditorium, Howard U.

Experience in various Big Bands inspired Chip Shelton, in the mid-1990's, to Found and Lead the “World Flute Orchestra” (WFO), featuring 10 of NYC’s top flutists, including Mauricio Smith, Doug Harris, Jamie Baum, Elise Wood, Dotti Anita Taylor, Jan Leder, Ali Ryerson, and many others, plus a 5-piece rhythm section, at times including Ryo Kawasaki, Bertha Hope, Art Lillard, Eli Yamen, Daud David Williams, Tommy James, Bryce Sebastien and others. WFO has been featured at NY venues like Zanzibar, St. Peter’s Jazz Vespers, the Five Spot, and the Sunset Family Jazz Festival. A smaller contingency, featuring 5 flutes, dubbed the “Jazz Flutet” has played the Rainbow Room, Club Groove, Metropolis, Birdland, and other NY area venues.

In Summary:
Chip Shelton, nicknamed by an admiring fan, “Chocolate Chip”, serves up his own chocolate-tasty flavor of soulfully diverse jazz; and, audiences can’t get enough of the Coltrane- inspired energy boost they experience, once consumed. The Chip Shelton performance energy has caused some of his accompanying musicians to dub him “ the hardest working man in show business”, a distinction once reserved for R&B icon James Brown. Now, in the 2000's, with expanded musical landscapes and horizons, within the multi-artful genre categorized as jazz, Chip Shelton performances incorporate multi-instrumental diversity, elements of vocal expression, and body expression/dance to resurrect the type of pulsating drive and audience- participation that have characterized many of our most memorable concert experiences.

Recordings include:
“Christmas Is My Time of Year” (ca.1985);
“Plan Your Dreams” (1992);
“Flute Bass-ics”, feat. Ron Carter (1994);
Spirit of Life Ensemble: “Feel the Spirit” (1994);
“A Labor of Love” (1995);
Paul Serrato: “Neon Palm Tree” (1995);
“3 Flutes Up” (1998);
Ryo Kawasaki: “Cosmic Rhythm” (1999);
“More What Flutes 4" (2000);
Paul Serrato: “More Than Red” (2001).

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