Official Christafari Website - Biography

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Full Name:

Robert George Cressey

Birth date:

8/21/81

Instrument/role in band:

Keyboardist

Brief testimony:

I was raised Catholic by a loving family and upon moving back to the United States in 1996, attended a Catholic high school. I was unimpressed and saddened by the confusion that ran rampant among both teachers and students concerning their faith and it dawned on me that perhaps 2% of all Catholics I had met actually understood and lived their faith. When I moved to college I had the fortune of living with some quality roomates who were raised Christian but also read books concerning their faith and challenged themselves to understand their faith deeper. Inspired by their passion for God, selfless love, and ability to live their faith without compromise, I knew I had found the truth. This is not a dramatic tale of instantly coming to the Lord; it is a process that happened over years and reshaped a faith I already had.

Favorite verse:

1 Cor 12:12

Favorite food(s):

French, Mexican, Italian

Musical influences:

Are you serious? Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Miles Davis, Jump With Joey, Dr. John, James Booker, Chopin, Beethoven.....too many musicians to mention.....Jackie Mittoo, J.S. Bach, Toto. Every musician I have ever played with influences me in some way, whether they are a master or not. (I'm not saying I can play like them, but I do understand something about their playing and try to incorporate or appreciate it). Sometimes it is only a thirty second glance at a band's keyboardist, or a passing conversation with a certain musician. Every musical experience influences me in some way.

Hobbies:

uh, music? Going to school? Reading about U.S. History or musicians or religion or some good fiction. Cooking. Watching the San Diego Padres.

Brief Bio:

Bobby Cressey was born in San Diego California where he lived the first ten years of his life. He then moved with his family to Scotland where he spent his early adolescence eating fish and chips and playing video games. He moved to Los Angeles back in California in the middle of high school and has been culturally confused ever since. It was during that time that he started to really study the piano, and has since grown to love many musics of the world. He is finishing up a degree in Structural Engineering at the University of California in San Diego which he will most likely never use, because his real passion is for music. He can however design a prestressed concrete bridge. He came to be in Christafari when the band sent out an E-mail to all its fans letting them know they needed a new keyboardist for their European tour in 2003. This E-mail came to the attention of Hugh Defrance, who in turn told Bobby, who didn't really know about Christafari at the time. Later Hugh would join Christafari as their guitarist.

What were the last 5 CDs that you put in your disc changer?:

Mamani Keita's Electro Bamako (courtesy of the lovely Avion Blackman Mohr), Jive Express's Cutting Deeper, Beethoven's first four sonatas, Herbie Hancock Takin Off, Bob Marley's Exodus

What's your favorite verse in the Bible and why?:

One of my favorites anyway: Job 38 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: "Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements? Surely you know!...." And the trade continues for three chapters. God is rebuking Job after 30 chapters of Job complaining and wallowing in his suffering. I like it because it is the ultimate smackdown verse from God. It slaps sense into the reader and completely dismantles pride.

What is your philosophy of stage ministry? Is there any one message that you always want to leave with your audience?:

Don't idolize any Christian artist. I have discovered that they are just as human as anyone, if not more so. I have met many Christian artists that take themselves so seriously that they don't see their blinding pride and their closemindedness. Personally I think that being on stage can be a very bad situation for people who start to love themselves with so many people shouting and cheering for them every night. You cannot waver in your thankfulness to God and never take anything for granted.

and the webmaster says "Amen".

Can you name three things that you wish that you knew when you first got started doing music?:

Jazz is not the "best" music in the world. It's not that simple. Like many other jazz musicians, I thought I could play anything if I played Jazz. That's not the case. (in fact I can barely even play jazz!) Because I can play jazz it doesn't mean I understand or can play reggae, and vice versa. Each music should be given the respect it deserves, from Metal to Bluegrass to Samba.
Relaxation is critical to playing music. If you are not relaxed your fingers will not do what you want them to and will get in each other's way. For longer sets, if you are not relaxed, you will wear yourself out before the end. Trust me, you need to relax.
Don't think that you are that good or better than everyone, because there are more than a fistful of guys out there you could take you apart on your instrument in nothing flat. Keep it in perspective, strive to improve and be humble about it.

and here comes another "Amen" from da webmasta.

What are the three things you enjoy most about touring? And least?:

LIKE:

The awesome thrill of performance and having a spiritual impact on people's lives.
Being fed constantly and taken care of.
The opportunity to meet new people and see new places.

DISLIKE:

The unhealthy lifestyle of sitting around and eating.
20 hour layovers in Stanstead airport (and uncountable other traveling nightmares)
The immediate tendency to take things for granted such as the kindness of promoters, the ability of everyone to speak English, and the fan's appreciation.

Do you prefer being in the studio or on the road?:

I love different aspects of them both. Provided you are prepared for the studio (and not writing the songs in the studio which is the biggest waste of money in the world unless your record label is paying for it), nothing compares to the sensation of sitting at a freshly tuned piano and listening through quality headphones as you play something that will be preserved forever.

On the road however, you get to do all the fun things I mentioned above! Playing live believe it or not, there is more of an opportunity to cover up your mistakes. In addition, you get to meet some great people, and if I said touring was an unhealthy lifestyle, the studio is undoubtedly worse, because all you do is sit around. Okay I need to go for a walk.