Chris Merz is the Director of Jazz Studies at UNI. He directs award winning UNI Jazz Band One, coordinates the combo program, and teaches other jazz-related courses as well as applied saxophone and Music of Our Time: Jazz Styles. He is also the director of the UNI Combo Camp, an annual event for high school jazz students and music educators which takes place in June.

He has toured four continents with members of the Brubeck family, including Dave Brubeck. He has performed with many of the giants of South African jazz, including Barney Rachabane, Winston Mankunku Ngosi, Hugh Masekela, and Joseph Shabalala (Ladysmith Black Mambazo). He has played lead alto saxophone with several East Coast big bands, including the Cecil Bridgewater Big Band. His own projects include the X-tet, a 12-piece big band, and Equilateral, a sax/bass/drums trio (often augmented by the addition of Brent Sandy, trumpet), who appeared at the Iowa City Jazz Festival in 2001. He performs frequently with Des Moines organist Sam Salamone.

He has several compact discs to his credit, including his newest effort, Also Not Pictured... featuring his group, Equilateral, a chordless quartet. He also leads the 12-piece professional ensemble, the X-tet, about whose release, Mystery is My Story, Dave Brubeck wrote," I am very pleased with this wonderful band. Naturally I would admire a group like yours that, to me, is a grand extension of what we were doing...when we were the 'new thing' ". He has received commissions from university and high school jazz ensembles throughout the country. His compositions and arrangements are published by UNC Jazz Press. He is also a highly sought after guest soloist, clinician and conductor at university and high school jazz festivals nationwide.

He currently resides in Cedar Falls with his wife, Jill, and their two sons, Benjamin and Matthew.