INCEPTION: 2001-2007
Christopher Worth didn’t start singing till he was 21 years old and almost a junior in college. Though he grew up in a musical family, art was always thought of as a hobby and not a job. His first forays into music were as an amateur hip hop dj beginning at the end of high school which soon morphed into a full on side gig during his next years. As your typical suburban white kid at the time he became obsessed with the modern explosion of hip hop culture and from there traced it back through its roots into blues, soul, and jazz. His voice began to emerge through his forays into music theater and then a cappella that were both inspired by his desire to perform and be on stage.
By the end of college, Christopher’s voice had arrived in some definitive way and he began writing original songs. After joining a band in the bay (‘The Animal Underground’) and trying to rough it he decided that he had started music too late to make it a career and quit to move back to Portland and pursue a job in the tech industry. Though his desires to make it a career were put on hold for the time being, the songs and the itch for performing kept coming back until he found himself riding a new wave of artists coming through Portland that beckoned him back on to the scene.
NIAYH: 2008-2012
At that time in Portland, almost everyone you met was an artist or musician, and things were more centralized with many band and art houses within walking or biking distance from one another. On a fateful day at an open mic he met a new scene of musicians including two that would soon join him to form the band NIAYH. An acronym for Now Is All You Have, NIAYH hit the ground running writing songs and convincing it’s 4th member - a bass player from Hialeah, FL - to move out to join the band. Christopher had always been something of a philosopher (this was actually his major in college), and so the idea behind the band was to use the music to promote a simple philosophical meme.
As the 4 core founding members coalesced on their first album (‘Hope’) they purchased an old school bus and modified it into a touring vehicle to hit the road. In their first year, all the members moved out of their homes and into the bus to hit the road for over 8 months. It was grueling, and though the team liked their first record many believed it had been made too fast and the band had not been allowed to discover its organic sound.
Returning back to Portland the band added two more members to round out a full six piece and set out to record a more organic self-titled EP (‘NIAYH’) which they soon hit the road to tour through all four corners of the US. It was an incredible adventure but one that left the band members spent and burnt out on return. After almost 4 full years going full speed ahead the band took a hiatus which became its end.
STREET, TRIPTYCH BEGIN: 2012-2015
Throughout the NIAYH years, Christopher had been writing material constantly, much of which was not in the vein of the band. When NIAYH broke up in late 2011 he hit the ground running on the first of what would be three albums that form ‘The Identity Triptych.’ At the same time, he had begun street performing almost daily as a mode of making extra income and honing his craft. There he met a wild bucket drummer from Portland - Phil Bondy - who he would partner with on many adventures as ‘Worth & Bondy’ and who would become the drummer in his band.
Street performing and the adventures that ensued played a primary role in the first of the 3 concept albums - ‘Six Foot Soul.’ Even before the album came out, Worth & Bondy hit the road for their first street performance tour across Europe where they sold burned copies as demos of the album. This soon led to meeting a booking agency and coming back for what would be the first in 9 tours through Europe over the next decade.
Through the recording of ‘Six Foot Soul’ the first iteration of the WORTH band formed. At the time, Christopher had been performing just under this moniker but as the sounds expanded the project seemed to expand as well to include other members. The full band toured Europe in support of Six Foot Soul and came back to record the second of the concept trilogy - ‘Two’ - immediately after before hitting the road again in the states and Europe again.
2022 and on
As Worth & Strain continued to delve deep into their duo project, Christopher kept writing on his own and came up with nearly 90 songs to cut down from for his next album. The break from band life had been sufficient and with the duo project rolling ahead it came time in May 2023 to begin tracking. In addition to this being Christopher’s most ambitious record yet, this also served as the culmination of his and David’s production duo (which had been forming throughout this period as a means of having full control over their own soundscapes). Recorded live at Christopher’s studio (The Rhududu in Portland, OR), ‘Levity’ represents an arrival at a fully formed sound and new level of songwriting for Christopher, one he has been honing for over 20 years at this point. The album is slated for release Fall 2025.
Christopher continues to go by WORTH as his moniker for electronic vocal collaborations, but as of this year has moved all of his solo work under Christopher Worth.
Collabos Continue, Tryptich finish: 2015-2019
Throughout the NIAYH years, Christopher had been writing material constantly, much of which was not in the vein of the band. When NIAYH broke up in late 2011 he hit the ground running on the first of what would be three albums that form ‘The Identity Triptych.’ At the same time, he had begun street performing almost daily as a mode of making extra income and honing his craft. There he met a wild bucket drummer from Portland - Phil Bondy - who he would partner with on many adventures as ‘Worth & Bondy’ and who would become the drummer in his band.
Street performing and the adventures that ensued played a primary role in the first of the 3 concept albums - ‘Six Foot Soul.’ Even before the album came out, Worth & Bondy hit the road for their first street performance tour across Europe where they sold burned copies as demos of the album. This soon led to meeting a booking agency and coming back for what would be the first in 9 tours through Europe over the next decade.
Through the recording of ‘Six Foot Soul’ the first iteration of the WORTH band formed. At the time, Christopher had been performing just under this moniker but as the sounds expanded the project seemed to expand as well to include other members. The full band toured Europe in support of Six Foot Soul and came back to record the second of the concept trilogy - ‘Two’ - immediately after before hitting the road again in the states and Europe again.
Worth & Strain: 2018-PRESENT
Still a bit burnt out on running a full band and with no solid partnership project in place, Christopher happened to meet David Jacobs-Strain around the campfire at Oregon Country Fair. The two hit it off and soon started playing together and working on two Eps - “Rhududu Sessions Vols. I & II.” These dual EP’s feature songs written by each writer with the beginning of some co-wrotes as well. Released in 2020, Worth & Strain were about to hit the road for Europe when the pandemic hit and were forced to switch courses.
Since 2020, Christopher and David have been hard at work on their first full length Worth & Strain record - “Xavanadu” - which comes out February 2025. Unlike Rhududu Sessions, Xavanadu is a deeply conceptual album which features almost all co-writes and a fully developed sound.
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The story in stages
Beyond the timeline
Christopher Worth is known for his unique style of bohemian blues. His most recent album, "Pardon Me," is the third and final piece in a trilogy titled "The Identity Triptych," which began with his first two records, "Six Foot Soul" and "Two." Produced by Steve Berlin (Crash Test Dummies, John Lee Hooker, Los Lobos), "Pardon Me" spans a wide range of genres and styles and is tied together by melodic songwriting, potent lyricism, and Christopher's powerful voice.
Written and recorded over 6 years, "The Identity Triptych" explores concepts of self-love, romance, and transcendence within the frame of modern folk and pop/r&b music. Each record weaves together a mix of songs and interlude pieces to take the listener through a musical and conceptual journey. The interludes feature vocal samples composited into mosaics of poetry to tell a greater story between the music. Ultimately, the trilogy is intended to be accompanied by full-length animated films.
Since the completion of "The Identity Triptych," Christopher has performed as a duo (Worth & Strain) with David Jacobs-Strain (Eugene, OR) at various West Coast US festivals, as well as in a vocal-based trio with Jenni and Amanda Price of Acoustic Minds. Christopher and The AM just recorded a six-track EP called "Sliver" (out 6/10/23), featuring a variety of fresh material presented in a minimalist but expansive production.
"Sliver" is a beautifully intimate and refined window into his work and represents a departure from the more fully produced material. Recorded live at the Rhududu in just one day, "Sliver" focuses on Christopher's vocals and guitar/keyboard, supported by the rich harmonies of Acoustic Minds. From the opening track ("Shadow") through the end ("High Hopes"), the EP delves into darker themes of loss, death, and unrequited love before emerging at the end in a place of lightness and freedom. These three vocalists have been singing together for over a decade now, evidenced in the tightness and dynamics of these performances. It is refreshing to hear the depth of these songs performed with such minimal production.
Christopher also recently finished tracking his next full-length record, "Levity," which is slated for release in mid-2025.
He has opened for international acts such as Allen Stone, Everlast, and Ron Artis II, and was one of the Friday night headliners at Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival (pre-pandemic). His songs, timeless and captivating, are tied together by the power and purity of his voice.
CONTACT
Christopher Worth
