Jazziz Magazine
Guitars On Fire Contest
April 1996
Dante Sawyer - Author
New orleans based musician Christopher Cortez has recorded three albums in the last three years. territorial Imperative, Because I said So, and Unmasked. And while only the first of the three has been released by a label (Vital records), Cortez is hopeful that the latter two projects will find homes in the near future. His winning tune “Different Strokes,” which appears on Unmasked, features trio-mates Danny Infante on bass and Noah Shaye on drums. While Cortez loves writing, arranging, and recording, he says he also can’t get enough of playing out. “Its almost like a religion,” says Cortez. “I mean, when you’re up there improvising you have an opportunity to say something without words that’s never been said before. There is a magical thing that happens when the band is listening, and you’re listening to the band, and the audience is listening to you and the band, and this love just starts to circle around the room. Its like a fucking drug, man. You get hooked on that so fast.
At the time of this interview, Cortez was beginning what he hoped would be a long term series of quartet gigs at Treasure Bay Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.