Chris Champion has been a guitarist for over 50 years and plays everything from jazz and blues to rock and country. He graduated from the Guitar Institute of Technology (G.I.T.) in Hollywood in 1987 and taught jazz guitar at Arizona State University from 1997-2008. He’s currently on the faculty at Dakota State University as director of band and choir.
Since moving to South Dakota in 2010, Champion has immersed himself in the local music scene as a member of various ensembles and as a solo act. He also took up singing for his regular gig at Carnaval Brazilian Grill in Sioux Falls.
One of the musicians Champion met after moving to the state was drummer Bobby Gripp. Although he was born in Sioux City, Gripp has lived in Sioux Falls for 40 years and plays in a variety of groups including Studio B Jazz. He was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Fame as a member of the country/rock band Blueberry Buckle.
As a duo, Chris Champion and Bobby Gripp dig into their varied musical interests for unique vocal/guitar/drum interpretations of jazz, bossa nova, rock, country and whatever else inspires them in the moment.
Champion and Gripp joined Jazz Nightly for a special live performance in the SDPB Sioux Falls studio on October 30, 2019
To see the entire performance and other Jazz Nightly episodes click here.