Chris Cheek
| Chris Cheek | |
|---|---|
 Chris Cheek, Moers Festival 2009 |
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 1968 |
| Origin | St. Louis, Missouri |
| Genres | Jazz, blues |
| Occupations | Musician, Bandleader |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1992 - Current |
| Labels | Fresh Sound, Blue Music Group |
| Associated acts | Paul Motian, Brian Blade |
| Website | Chris Cheek.net/ |
Chris Cheek (born 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.
Contents |
[edit] 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 Rosser.
[edit] Discography
[edit] As leader
- I Wish I Knew with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Higgins[disambiguation needed
], Jordi Rossy (Fresh Sound, 1997) - FSNT 022 (1997) - The Secret of the Castle with Mika Pohjola, Matt Penman, Roberto Dani (Blue Music Group), 1997)
- Announcement with Mika Pohjola, Matt Penman, Roberto Dani (Blue Music Group), 1997)
- A Girl Named Joe with Mark Turner, Jorge Rossy, Dan Rieser, Ben Monder, Marc Johnson (Fresh Sound, 1997)
- Vine with Brad Mehldau, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Matt Penman, Jordi Rossy (Fresh Sound, 1999)
- Live at Jamboree: Guilty with Ethan Iverson, Ben Street, Jorge Rossy (Fresh Sound, 2000)
- Live at Jamboree: Lazy Afternoon with Ethan Iverson, Ben Street, and Jorge Rossy (Fresh Sound, 2002)
- Blues Cruise (Fresh Sound, 2005)
- Little Things (Animal Music, 2009) with Jaromír Honzák Quintet
[edit] As sideman
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With Paul Motian and the Electric Bebop Band
- Reincarnation of a Love Bird (JMT, 1994)
- Flight of the Blue Jay (Winter & Winter 1996)
- Play Monk and Powell (Winter & Winter, 1998)
- Europe (Winter & Winter, 2000)
- Holiday for Strings (Winter & Winter, 2001)
- Garden of Eden (ECM, 2004)
[edit] References
- ^ Adler, David. "Chris Cheek: Biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/chris-cheek-p301480. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "I Wish I Knew: Review". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-wish-i-knew-r374484/review. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
- ^ Cheek, Chris (2010). "Chris Cheek/Discography". Official Website Discography section. Fresh Sound Records. http://www.chrischeek.net/Discography.html. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
