Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7

His flagship ensemble, Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7, was assembled in 2013 and held a nearly 6-year residency every Friday night at Kansas City’s Green Lady Lounge.  This seven piece unit focuses on funky, rhythmic soul-jazz that harkens back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, a time when Lou Donaldson, Jimmy McGriff, Charles Earland, Grant Green, Lonnie Smith, and a host of others packed dance floors and venues along the “Chitlin Circuit”.  The Boogaloo 7 has released two 45 rpm 7-inch vinyl singles and two full-length LPs on Sunflower Soul Records, a label established by Hazelton in 2014 that produces soulful recordings with unashamedly old-school, analog vibe.

For nearly 10 years, Chris served as the organist at “The Historic” Centennial United Methodist Church in the 18th & Vine Jazz District of Kansas City, MO – a church that was once home to Count Basie and Charlie Parker.  He is happily married to the love of his life, Erica, and together have a 2-year old daughter named Evelyn and 1-month old son named Jaxon.