Chris Karan (born Chrisostomos Karanikis, 14 October 1939) is a Britain-based Australian jazz drummer and percussionist of Greek descent.

Life and career

Karan was born in 1939 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Karan played in the Three Out trio with Mike Nock and Freddy Logan in Sydney in the early 1960s. After moving to London in 1962, Karan became the drummer in the Dudley Moore Trio; he toured and recorded with Moore for many years, including the trio's appearances on the TV series Not Only But Also and the soundtrack of the 1967 movie Bedazzled. Their association continued until Moore's last major public appearance at Carnegie Hall in New York City in 2001. With Roy Budd he was a member of the Roy Love Trio and performed on the Get Carter soundtrack. Karan has worked with the Yardbirds, Michel Legrand, Lalo Schifrin, Charles Aznavour, Stanley Myers, Basil Kirchin, Tony Hatch, Jackie Trent, Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Jerry Goldsmith, Jerry Fielding, Pat Williams, André Previn, Richard Rodney Bennett, Barry Tuckwell, Carl Davis, Henry Mancini, the Beatles, the Seekers and Roy Budd. He toured with John Dankworth and Cleo Laine, the Bee Gees, Caterina Valente, Dusty Springfield, Lulu and the Swingle Singers. He was a member of the Harry Stoneham group, which provided the musical backing for the Michael Parkinson shows on BBC-TV. He has worked with Katie Melua, along with putting out albums of his own. Other than drums he has an interest in percussion styles of the world. He plays the tabla on some albums, having studied the instrument under the Indian musician Alla Rakha.

Discography

As sideman

With Mike Batt With Roy Budd With Dudley Moore With others