Christos Rafalides (; born 1972, Kozani, Greece) is an acclaimed jazz vibraphonist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Since moving to New York, Rafalides has performed with Randy Brecker, Victor Lewis, Chaka Khan, Joe Locke, Antonio Sánchez, Steve Hass, Donny McCaslin, Ronnie Cuber, Ravi Coltrane, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Mike Stern, and Ron Afif among many others. Rafalides has toured extensively throughout the world both as a leader and guest soloist. Some highlights include performances with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis, a tour with the Charles Mingus “Epitaph Band' featuring bassist Christian McBride and conductor Gunther Schuller, a recording with the Harmony Ensemble of NY of Henry Mancini’s “Peter Gunn” featuring Lew Soloff, a tour through India and China with Dario Boente, a guest faculty member at the Zeltsman Marimba Festival, and an Artist Residency at the “Music Village” in Greece. Christos has led his group 'Manhattan Vibes' at many of New York City's top venues including the Blue Note, the 55 Bar, the Jazz Standard, Smoke Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Background Christos Rafalides began playing music at an early age after the influence of his older brother who played the piano. At age fourteen he began studying classical percussion, and by twenty he had begun working with orchestras around Greece. Rafalides claims he had initially intended to pursue a career as a classical percussionist, until one evening when he heard pianist George Cables in a group with Billy Cobham, “here was this guy, playing with his shoes off, conveying so much feeling through his instrument... I knew I wanted to be able to express myself like that." Rafalides remarked about the event citing this as the moment decided to pursue a career as a jazz musician. In the early 1990s Rafalides received a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and moved to Boston where he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree studying under Ed Saindon. Following this he moved New York City to achieve a Master's degree and study with acclaimed jazz vibraphonist Joe Locke at the Manhattan School of Music. During this time Rafalides began to perform within the New York City jazz scene alongside artists including Ravi Coltrane, Antonio Sanchez, Donny McCaslin, Hector Martignon, and Ron Affif. Rafalides began a recurring band project in the early 2000s named ManhattanVibes. ManhattanVibes sought to combine Latin and other world musical styles imparted by