Birth name Chris Julian Irwin Years active 1979 – present | Name Chris Julian | |
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Born November 12, 1957 (age 67)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. ( 1957-11-12 ) Origin Westfield, New Jersey, U.S. Genres Film Sound, Film Editing, R&B, Funk, Soul, Rock & Roll, Swing, Jazz, Hip Hop, and others Occupation(s) Sound Supervisor and Editor, Picture Editor, Musician, Conductor, Producer, Screenwriter, Songwriter, Arranger, Composer, Foley Artist Instruments Voice, Trombone, Timpani, Guitar, Bass, Strings, Horns, Keyboards, Electronic |
Chris Julian Irwin (born November 12, 1957), known professionally as Chris Julian, is an American musician, writer, conductor, producer, arranger, composer, sound and picture editor, post supervisor and foley artist. His career spans more than three decades in the music and entertainment business. Julian has been awarded 23 Gold Records, 5 Platinum Records, and his collaborations have been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Julian won an Emmy in 2006 for his work on the TV film Flight 93. Other films Julian has worked on have won or been nominated for a variety of awards and official selections.
Contents
- Early life
- Musical career
- Calliope Productions
- BANG Music
- Grammy Award nominations
- Imagine Post
- Emmy Award
- References

Early life
Julian was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Westfield, New Jersey.
In 1975, Julian attended Syracuse University, earning a Bachelors in Science (B.S.) degree in Television and Radio Production.
Musical career
Julian is classically trained in voice, trombone, and timpani. He is a session player and arranger on guitar, bass, strings, horns, and keyboards, and, as a producer, arranges, records, and programs samples and drum loops. Julian toured as a lead singer for six years around the United States with his rock band.
Calliope Productions
In 1984, Julian, with partners Fortunato Procopio and Joe Teig, founded Calliope Productions, a New York City based production company. The studio became the center for the East Coast hip hop movement known as the "Native Tongues." Julian collaborated with hip hop artists such as De La Soul, Biz Markie, Naughty by Nature, Deee-lite, Tribe Called Quest, 3rd Bass, and P.M. Dawn, "forging a new African American roots awareness, and a progressive, brainy, 'hippy' sensibility within the hip hop community." As producer, composer, engineer, writer, and instrumentalist, Julian's work spanned several genres as he collaborated with celebrities Don Was, Manny Marroquin, Jimmy Webb, Art Garfunkel, Chaka Khan, David Bowie, Isaac Hayes, Vanessa Williams, and David Crosby. Calliope closed its doors in 1994.
BANG Music
During these same years in Manhattan, Julian was the co-owner and co-founder of BANG Music, a youth oriented commercial music production company. BANG, still operating today, continues with their original brash moniker, "We’re the commercial music company that doesn’t do commercial music." At BANG, Julian and his colleagues wrote and produced commercials for Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mercedes Benz, Anheuser-Busch, Ford, Burger King, The American Cancer Society, Procter & Gamble, Sony, and other national sponsors.
Grammy Award nominations
Julian's collaborations in the record industry have merited his clients 4 Grammy Nominations:
- Queen Latifah - Best Rap Performance, “All Hail the Queen" from the album, All Hail the Queen
- Queen Latifah - Best Rap Performance, “Nature of a Sista" from the album, Nature Of A Sista
- De La Soul - Best Rap Performance, “Me, Myself, & I” from the album, 3 Feet High & Rising
- Penelope Spheeris - Best Music Video, “That’s It” from album, Lifers Group World Tour Rahway Prison
Imagine Post
Julian's musical and technical background has allowed for major successes in the motion picture industry, where his current focus is post-production sound editing. The films he has worked on have earned over 70 major awards. His productions are centered at Imagine Post, his multi-studio post production facility in Woodland Hills, California.
Emmy Award
Julian won an Emmy "For Outstanding Sound Editing For A Mini-Series, Movie, or Special" in 2006 for his work on the A&E TV film, Flight 93.