PROJECTS:

CHRIS WELLER (SOLO)

[mostly] Tenor and [some] Bass saxophone — original material that implements the use of circular breathing, singing while playing, effects pedals, and more.

HANGING HEARTS

Rooted in Chicago’s rich tradition of forward-thinking jazz and experimental music, Hanging Hearts is a progressive trio that thrives at the intersection of energy, groove, and improvisation. Led by saxophonist Chris Weller and featuring Cole DeGenova on keyboards and synth bass alongside Quin Kirchner on drums, the band channels the city’s history of musical innovation. Melding jazz with rock intensity, electronic textures, and avant-garde sensibilities, Hanging Hearts embodies the genre-blurring ethos that has long defined Chicago’s creative music scene.

'Where’s Your Head At,' the forthcoming album from the trio is set to release in June 2025 via Ropeadope Records. Whether drawing from post-bop, punk, free jazz, or electronic minimalism, Hanging Hearts delivers music that is both visceral and cerebral—music that speaks to the head, the heart, and everything in between.

DAVE KING / CHRIS WELLER

The duo of Dave King (The Bad Plus) / Chris Weller (Hanging Hearts) is a MidWest collaboration (USA) that performs free improvisations, original compositions, and interpretations of their favorite songs.