About Chris Schwartz
Chris Schwartz is an accomplished jazz guitarist and educator based in the New Jersey/New York area, known for his warm tone, melodic improvisation, and thoughtful, patient approach to teaching.
Performer
As a performer, Chris has appeared at some of the region’s most respected venues, including The Blue Note, Symphony Space, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, The Count Basie Theater, The State Theater, and The Two River Theater. He has shared the stage with such luminaries as Jon Faddis, Paquito D’Rivera, Don Braden, Bruce Williams, Conrad Herwig, and Ralph Bowen.
His playing draws from jazz, blues, funk, and rock, blending strong rhythmic feel with lyrical, song-centered improvisation.
Educator
Chris is a graduate of Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts in New Brunswick, NJ, where he majored in jazz studies under the tutelage of world-famous guitarist Vic Juris. He has also studied with guitar greats Bob DeVos and Chris Morrison.
As an in-demand educator, Chris has been teaching for over a decade at music schools and summer programs throughout New Jersey, including the Westerhoff School of Music and Art, The Jazz Arts Academy, and the Rutgers Extension Division. In his private teaching studio, he works with everyone from first-time players to advanced students preparing for auditions and performances.
His teaching focuses on building solid fundamentals—tone, rhythm, fretboard knowledge, and technique—while keeping lessons connected to the music students love, so they stay motivated and confident as they grow.
For information about private lessons or live performances, please visit the
Lessons
page or the
Music Clips
page.