Recognized among Australia’s foremost keyboardists, Chris Abrahams has shared stages and studios with the Benders, the Sparklers, Peter Blakeley, the Necks, Jackie Orszaczky, and Ed Kuepper. His first public performances occurred with the jazz ensemble the Benders, whose three albums—E in 1983, False Laughter in 1984, and Distance in 1985—documented that period. Also in 1985 he issued the solo album Piano and joined the dance-pop outfit the Sparklers, appearing on the singles “Overworking” in October 1986 and “So Often Dreaming” in January 1987 before departing; Phil Grove then replaced him. Session contributions from those years appear on releases by Laughing Clowns, the Triffids, Ed Kuepper, the Lime Spiders, and Stephen Cummings, while two 1986 soundtracks, Illusion and Dancing Daze, likewise feature his playing. A second solo album, Walk, followed in 1987. In 1989 Abrahams formed a partnership with former Sparklers singer Melanie Oxley, resulting in the EP Resisting Calm and the two soul-pop albums Welcome to Violet and Coal. Rolling Stone magazine voted him Best Keyboard Player in 1990. Three years later he served as Midnight Oil’s keyboardist throughout the Earth, Sun, and Moon world tour. During the 1990s he also performed with the Necks, whose jazz albums on various labels include Sex (1990), Next (1991), Aquatic (1994), and Silent Night (1997).
