Born in Dublin, Ireland, living in Lucerne/CH

„Celebrated Swiss guitarist CHRISTY DORAN assets pertain to his indefatigable creative sparks, evidenced by his work in jazz-rock, avant-garde jazz improvisation or when tackling world music. And from a fundamental shedding perspective, he could hold his own with most if not all of the present guitar heroes.“ GLENN ASTARITA, New York (AAJ)

Christy became internationally known thanks to his collaboration in the  „electric jazz/free music“ group „OM“ (1972-82 and 2006 to present). The trio „RED TWIST & TUNED ARROW“ (1985-87, with Stephan Wittwer and Fredy Studer) and the project „DORAN-STUDER-MINTON-BATES & ALI play the music of JIMI HENDRIX“ (1990-94), (later “STUCKY-DORAN-STUDER & TACUMA / JORDI)” received rapid international recognition in the field of tension between composition and improvisation. Doran has performed countless solo and duo concerts worldwide, including with Ray Anderson, Marty Ehrlich, Fritz Hauser, Robert Dick and Yang Jing. 1997 he founded “Christy Doran’s NEW BAG” with whom he produced 8 cd’s for Double Moon Records and Between the Lines Records. 2016 he wrote a composition for “144 Strings for a Broken Chord”, 20 electric guitars, 4 electric basses and drums. In addition to OM, Doran’s current projects include „Christy Doran’s  SOUND FOUNTAIN“ (with Lukas Mantel on drums and the Argentine e-bassist Franco Fontanarrosa), Âme Sèche (with Walter Faehndrich, Remo Schnyder, Benedikt Vonder Muell), the interdisciplinary project AEROSOLS, Christy Doran Solo Guitar & Loops, „Triangulation“ (with Anna Murphy, John Wolf Brennan and Patrice Héral) as well as the guitar duo with Franz Hellmueller and his collaboration with Reto Weber’s SQUEEZEBAND and Percussion Orchestra. A new trio with Wolfgang Zwiauer/b and Lukas Mantel/dr is in preparation.  As a sideman he is engaged in several projects.

Christy Doran was awarded for many prizes, such as the Art Prize of the City of Lucerne in 2003. His name was included in the series „European Jazz Legends“ by the renowned magazine „Jazz Thing” (Berlin) in 2017. 2020 he received the Swiss Music Prize. He performs around the globe.

He wrote filmmusic, was engaged in several interdisciplinary projects, was professor at the University of Applied Science and Arts Lucerne/CH and has been giving masterclasses all over the world.

Christy Doran
Jazzgroup OM