Chris Cheek

Chris Cheek

Cheek at Moers Festival 2009
Background information
Born (1968-09-16) September 16, 1968
Origin St. Louis, Missouri
Genres Jazz, blues
Occupation(s) Musician, Bandleader
Instruments Saxophone
Years active 1992 – Current
Labels Fresh Sound, Blue Music Group
Associated acts Paul Motian, Brian Blade
Website ChrisCheek.net
Chris Cheek, 2013
Photo Hreinn Gudlaugsson

Chris Cheek (born September 16, 1968) is an American jazz saxophonist. He has worked as a sideman on more than sixty albums in his career, and has been bandleader of four critically acclaimed solo albums.

Biography

Cheek was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. His early love of music was encouraged; his father was the director of a Junior high school band, and Cheek began learning to play the alto saxophone at age twelve. Upon graduation from high school, Cheek attended Webster University. Upon receiving a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, he studied there under Joe Viola, Hal Crook, and Herb Pomeroy, and earned his bachelor's degree.[1] He moved to New York in 1992, where he has played with Paul Motian, Guillermo Klein, Seamus Blake, Stephan Crump, Mika Pohjola, David Berkman, and Jen Chapin.

His debut release as a leader, I Wish I Knew appeared in 1997 and featured Kurt Rosenwinkel,[2] and by 2010, three more solo albums with Cheek as bandleader on the Fresh Sound label followed; A Girl Named Joe (1997), Vine (1999), and Blues Cruise, in 2005. Cheek has appeared on more than sixty albums as a session musician.[3]

Unlike many of his contemporaries he regularly makes extensive use of electronic effects on his saxophone, for example in the CDs by the Bloomdaddies or Rudder.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Burak Bedikyan

With Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra

With Guillermo Klein and Los Guachos

With Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band

References

  1. Adler, David. "Chris Cheek: Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  2. Yanow, Scott. "I Wish I Knew: Review". Allmusic. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  3. Cheek, Chris (2010). "Chris Cheek/Discography". Official Website Discography section. Fresh Sound Records. Retrieved July 17, 2010.

External links

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