Chris is a musician/entrepreneur, founder of the Music Works NYC label, and founding member of the internationally renowned, Grammy-nominated band Groove Collective. He serves as Director of The Bowery Jazz Messengers, a 501c3 non-profit band and charity that plays at The Bowery Mission in New York City, providing a positive environment for young jazz musicians to perform & develop their craft while performing service to their community. As a musician, Chris specializes in Afro/Latin drumming and its application to Jazz and contemporary music styles. He has studied and produced music in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria and performed at Montreaux Jazz, North Sea & JVC Jazz Festivals, Red Rocks, WOMAD in New Zealand, Mount Fuji Jazz Fest, and Newport Jazz in Japan. With his band Groove Collective, he performed as support for tours with James Brown, BB King, Dave Mathews, and Widespread Panic. He is currently based in the New York area where he performs and mentors young musicians.