Chris Cheek
| Chris Cheek | |
|---|---|
| File:Chris cheek 06N5333sw.jpg
Cheek at Moers Festival 2009
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| Background information | |
| Born | 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 |
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
- I Wish I Knew with Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chris Higgins, 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
As sideman
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With Burak Bedikyan
- Leap of Faith (SteepleChase)
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)
