The son of an aspiring drummer, Chris grew up in a home filled with the sounds of jazz. By the third grade he had his own trap set and was playing in a Beatles cover band. Playing the sounds of the day continued on and off through high school.

In college, playing took a back seat to hosting an eclectic radio program. After a long hiatus from formal playing, Chris returned to drumming under the instruction of Abubakr Kouyate, a master West African drummer based in Houston.

Returning to the New York area with a new found emphasis on percussion, he compliments the guitar stylings of longtime friend Bill and fellow musician George in Thieves and Poets.