bio

Born and raised in London, guitarist and composer Harry Christelis has become an established name on the UK improvised music scene. He is recognised as a musician with a unique and impressionistic sound, keenly focused on spacial and atmospheric exploration in his music.

Christelis’ delicate and understated approach to composing and playing has clear nods to an eclectic group of musical heroes, like Jakob Bro, Bill Frisell, John Martyn, Midori Takada, Talk Talk, Jon Hassell, Grouper, Miles Davis, and Paul Motian, among many others. He is, however, able to draw from all these influences to form a sound that is uniquely his own, fusing jazz, ambient, folk, free improv, rock, or electronic musical traditions.

Harry’s own projects are a seamless blend of these styles, and showcase his ever growing repertoire of original compositions as vehicles for expansive improvisations and interplay. His current albums to date, ‘Moostak Trio’ (2020), ’Scribbling’ (Ubuntu, 2022), ‘Nurture The Child / Challenge The Adult’ (Clonmell Jazz Social, 2023), ‘Live At Mu’ (Maps For Getting Lost, 2025), and his EP ‘Half Truths’  (Clonmell Jazz Social, 2025) have all been met with widespread critical acclaim in the UK and internationally.

Groups and musicians he performs with include: Teotima, Irini Arabatzi, Pedro Velasco, Georgia Duncan, The Magic Lantern, Strangelove, Bukky Leo, FUR, Dizraeli, Jakaboski, Leo Richardson, Mike Gorman, Andrea Di Biase, Dave Storey, and many more. Just a few of the venues that he has played include: Ronnie Scott’s, The Vortex, Wilton's Music Hall, Nell's Jazz and Blues Club, Hootananny's, and Glastonbury festival.