The Music Man
Providence resident Chris Monti uses his guitar to bring soothing vibes to local hospital patients . By Sophia Failla
PHOTOGRAPHY ( TOP TO BOTTOM ): PAM MURRAY ; RICK FARRELL ; COURTESY OF CHRIS MONTI ; COURTESY OF KYLE MACDONALD / LIFESPAN .
Chris Monti knows the healing power of music ; how it connects us in mysterious ways and calms the mind and soul .
That ’ s why the longtime musician takes part in the Healing Arts Program at Lifespan , using his guitar to bring songs to patients at Rhode Island Hospital , Hasbro Children ’ s Hospital and Bradley Hospital .
“ All this , me saying how great I am at this , it ’ s just because I love it ,” says the Providence resident . “ I feel so lucky to have this skill set … [ and to ] have this way of really directly helping people , in a very small way . The goal is really just to ease people ’ s stress .”
When he ’ s not playing West African and Caribbean tunes with the Chris Monti Band and rock , surf and blues with the Devilfish , you ’ ll often find Monti strolling down hospital hallways , strumming his guitar , the music trickling down the halls and into patients ’ rooms .
Hospitals can be tense and stressful environments , especially on the children ’ s floor , Monti says . He hopes his music helps patients , their family and staff members relax .
If a patient and their family invite Chris into their room , he ’ ll play a tune and then try out different songs to see how they respond . He lets the patient lead the conversation and the overall vibe .
Monti ’ s love for music started as a child in East Greenwich , when he first heard his father play “ Rock Around the Clock ” on the guitar . He knew
LEFT : Chris Monti plays on stage and in right then he wanted a local hospital for to be a musician . patients and staffers . ABOVE : Monti ' s His first teacher newest album , taught him to learn on Pandemic Baby . his own . He ’ d search out musicians , like blues and folk singer Paul Geremia and harmonica player Chris Turner , studying their hands as they played . The pair even taught him to play the harmonica , which he often incorporates into his own music .
He also credits Zen meditation as an influence . After he was introduced to it in the ’ 90s , meditation has helped bring balance into his life — the silence and tranquility of sitting still smooths out the jagged edges of screaming guitar solos and shouting into a microphone on stage .
Both his music education and Zen meditation are essential for him as a performer , he says .
“ I had this crazy music education that I couldn ’ t have gotten from school ,” Monti says . “ It made me the musician I am today .” chrismonti . com
20 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MARCH 2023