Originally from St. Louis, Chris Cheek currently resides in Brooklyn. During his time in New York, he has played and recorded with a number of people including Paul Motian, Steve Swallow, Tom Harrell, Guillermo Klein, Wolfgang Murthshiel and Dave Berkman. He has been a member of Paul Motian's "Electric Be Bop Band" and "The Bloomdaddies", a group he co-leads with Seamus Blake.

He has toured extensively, through the United States and Europe with those and other bands playing in a variety of groups in New york. Cheek leads his own band, performing his original compositions. He has recorded four albums for Fresh Sound New Talent: "I Wish I Knew", "A Girl Named Joe", "Vine", featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel and Brad Mehldau, and in the celebrated album "Blues Cruise."