Chris Cheek was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He began playing the alto-sax when he was 12. Chris was fortunate to have a solid public school music program as well as a supportive family. He had both good educational and performing experiences right from the beginning. Chris was a member of several local Jazz and Blues groups, including the Bob Kuban brass and Willie Akins, who were both saxophonists. Chris moved to Boston to study at Berklee College, where he was a student of Joe Viola, Herb Pomeroy and Hal Crook. Chris moved to New York in 1992. He has since recorded and toured with Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra and The Bloomdaddies. Chris has played with Bill Frisell and Lee Konitz, Bill Frisell, Bill Frisell, Carla Bley and Tom Harrell. He also recorded with Frank Carlberg, Eliot Zigmund. Kurt Rosenwinkel, El Muchacho, Kurt Mehldau, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Brad Mehldau. Cheek is also a member of the Brooklyn Boogaloo Blowout’s Rudder, Steve Swallow’s Quintet and Guillermo Klein’s “Los Guachos”, as well as the newly formed Axis Saxophone Quartet with Josh Redman and Chris Potter. Chris has also recorded four albums as the leader of Fresh Sound Records. He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY. from www.chrischeek.net
