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"Without music, life would be a mistake." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Christian Sands grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, and later moved to the nearby Orange. He started playing the piano at a very young age, and took lessons from the age of four; he commented that "I grew up with it in the house, in the classroom and on stage so it has always been a huge part of my life".
Sands was mentored by pianist Billy Taylor, who allowed the teenager to close one of the sets that Taylor played at the Kennedy Center. Sands went on to study at the Manhattan School of Music. The school's Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, led by Bobby Sanabria, recorded the album Kenya Revisited Live in 2009; it was nominated for a Latin Grammy.

After graduating, Sands joined Inside Straight, one of bassist Christian McBride's bands; they have toured internationally.

Sands became a Steinway artist in 2012. In 2014, Sands cited as influences McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Garrett, and Marcus Roberts, because "They're coming from the tradition of bringing people into the music, but also moving it forward into new directions". In the same year, Sands became an American Pianists Association Jazz Fellowship Awards Finalist.

Featured on

Embracing Dawn
Christian Sands
Embracing Dawn (vinyl)
Christian Sands
Christmas Stories
Christian Sands
Christmas Stories (vinyl)
Christian Sands
Out Here (vinyl)
Christian McBride Trio
Vessels of Wood and Earth
Dan Wilson
Be Water (vinyl)
Christian Sands
Be Water
Christian Sands
Facing Dragons
Christian Sands
REACH
Christian Sands
Live at the Village Vanguard (vinyl)
Christian McBride Trio
Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival
Superband
Live at the Village Vanguard
Christian McBride Trio