Chic Street Man

Chic Street Man is a uniquely talented artist with an international following. Chic Street Man is also a musical ambassador for peace and human rights who has spent more than thirty years as a performing artist. He transcends cultural and attitudinal barriers by bringing home his message of realistic optimism to his audiences through acoustic bluesy ballads, funky rhythms and jazzy up-beat originals.

Chic Street Man's workshops use the stage to empower professionals, CEOs, students, speakers, managers, marketing and promotion specialists, public relations, athletes, media personalities, customer service, all entertainers, and technical support teams. These highly interactive workshop use storytelling, music, and theater techniques to create a dynamic place for participants to strengthen their ability to connect with others.

Why We Love Chic...
Chic saw the two worlds of psychology and music converge while working as a psychodramatist at the Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Carmel, CA. Time and time again the doctors, patients, families and staff would say "The best therapy we ever get around here is when Chic brings his guitar to work." So, Chic began developing educational materials designed to strengthen communication skills based on a performer's perspective. Chic's one-on-one or group coaching considers the performance and delivery aspects of speaking in public. Chic is a master at guiding and encouraging others to express themselves with charm, confidence and humor.

Chic incorporates a variety of musical forms all of which have roots that can be traced back to the ancient African tradition of storytelling with call and response. The stories are used for the purpose of spinning a tale, but always to instill in the listeners the spirit of an honorable life and the value of living in harmony with others; and to inspire them to make positive contributions to society.

Chic's guitar is a natural extension of his body. He uses it and his voice to create music that transcends barriers of culture and attitude. His songs explore a love for people, music and the planet and allow the audience to feel, laugh and think about themselves in relationship to the world around them. Chic Street Man has the rare ability to engage all audiences; adults, teens, children, seniors and entire families to make them laugh, think and feel good inside

More About Chic Street Man . . .
Chic is a celebrated communications facilitator and has presented for many organizations, including The Young President's Organization (YPO) in Austria, Switzerland, Australia and the USA. Chic Street Man has been a featured performer throughout Europe, including the Montreaux Jazz Festival and the United Nations Human Rights Center in Geneva. He was the composer for George C. Wolfe's theatrical production Spunk.

Chic is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz with a B.S. Degree in Psychology. He served as Head of the Department of Psychodrama at a Community Hospital in Carmel, CA; the Executive Director of the ECHO – Fair Housing program in Hayward, CA; and the instructor of a class titled The Creative Process at Occidental College in L.A. before deciding to focus exclusively on his music.

Chic's lyrics focus on the positive alternatives while entertaining in a spirited manner. His music transcends cultural barriers through acoustic bluesy ballads and funky upbeat originals.

He has been a featured performer at the Paleo Festival, the Montreux and Bern Jazz Festivals in Switzerland, the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, and the United Nations Human Rights Center in Geneva. He recorded his first album in Paris, France in '75 and later settled in Santa Barbara, CA where he founded Chic Street Man's School of Performing Arts. Chic composed the music and starred in the off-Broadway hit show, Spunk, adapted by George C. Wolfe for which he was awarded the NAACP Theater Arts award and the Audelco award. He composed the score and starred in the Berkeley Repertory Theater's production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle and the Cleveland Playhouse's world premiere of Touch The Names–Letters to The Vietnam Veteran's Memorial. He was a contributing author, performer and musical arranger for the Denver Center Theater Company's It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues. He was the Arranger, Musical Director and Composer for the McCarter and Berkeley Repertory Theater's production of Zora Neale Hurston's Polk County, where he also won the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critic's Circle Award for Musical Direction. Chic was Professor Slick in Pullman Porter Blues at the Seattle Rep, Arena Stage in DC and the Goodman Theater in Chicago. He was a featured performer in the Milwaukee Rep and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park's presentation of Low Down Dirty Blues, Search: Paul Clayton at the Martha's Vineyard Playhouse and has appeared in the films Triple Bogey and Hangin' With The Home Boys. Chic has several album releases, including Guns Away, Everybody Be Yo'self, Beau-ti-ful, Lullablues and Sidewinder. Chic was the subject of a DVD/Documentary Chic Street Man – Passin' The Blues Along.

Chic is on faculty at the Seattle Conservatory of Music and the Heifetz International Music Institute in Staunton, VA.