Chris Jasper
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Chris Jasper (b. December 30, 1951, New Jersey) was a member of both the legendary Isley Brothers and Isley-Jasper-Isley. He has also been a successful solo artist, with a number of his own albums. His keyboard and Moog synthesizer work was a primary ingredient of the Isley Brothers sound of the 70's and 80's.
After having jammed with neighborhood teenagers Ernie and Marvin Isley and being added on as a brother-in-law after Isley Brothers member Rudolph married Chris' sister Elaine, they were added to the band of Ernie and Marvin's older brothers' band, The Isley Brothers, in 1969.
Chris' actual first appearance on an Isley Brothers album was 1969's It's Our Thing. In 1973, Chris, Ernie and Marvin were officially added to the group. Chris Jasper's keyboard work played a pivotal role in Isley Brothers hits such as Fight the Power, Pt. 1 & 2, For the Love of You, Pt. 1 & 2, and Between The Sheets.
In 1984, Jasper and the younger Isleys left the Isley Brothers to form the splinter group Isley-Jasper-Isley. Jasper sung lead on the group's biggest hit, Caravan of Love. But their tenure ended in 1987 with Chris and Ernie going into solo careers and Marvin rejoining brother Ronald in his touring band. Chris then went solo spawning the #1 R&B hit, "Super Bad", in 1988.
After becoming a born-again Christian, Jasper released a succession of gospel albums and occasionally returned to R&B. Since the 1980s, he's recorded for Gold City Records.
