Swiss Chris , who is originally from Switzerland, just finished four years as Music Director and Drummer for five time Grammy winner, John Legend, one of the most talented singer/songwriters in the world today. Swiss is now moving on and doing his own solo work as producer and artists on CPR Records.
He is not just a drummer, but also an educator, activist AND a musical genius with a positive vibe and a passionate supporter for world peace.
During 2006-2007 for John’s Once Again album, Swiss contributed his talents in the studio as well as play on 2 US tours, 2 European tours, and 1 Asian tour. With the release of John Legend’s Get Lifted album, Swiss played on 3 US tours, 3 European tours, 2 Australian tours and tours in New Zealand and Japan.
Coming to New York in 1996, Swiss started working with a local Funkband lead by the Jewish James Brown, “Milo Z”. He also started working with Hip Hop Old School Legends like Chubb Rock, Charlie Brown from the Leaders of the New School, Slick Rick, Grandmaster Caz, and the Rock Steady Crew.
While in the States, Swiss Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Performance from the Berklee School of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. He further studied at the Drummer’s Collective in New York after gaining his paper at Dante Agostini in Switzerland (certificate in Contemporary Music). He received multiple awards and honors as a marching band field drummer and as a big band and contemporary jazz drummer from his homeland Switzerland as well as a humanitarian award there. Swiss has studied with diverse teachers like Bob Moses, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Kim Plainfield, Casey Scheuerell, Joe Morello, Jim Chapin and last but not least, the Drumdoctor Dom Famularo.
Swiss has been featured on BET in a featured performance as the musical director/drummer for the Ed Gordon Show with the Last Poets, Jessica Care Moore and Mums from the Hit HBO show OZ. Swiss performed and/or recorded with conscious MC’s like Mos Def and Dead Prez. Swiss was the musical director and house drummer for the legendary Lyricist Lounge. He worked for multiple fundraiser and charity events with the political activist group Earthdriver. He’s played at Madison Square Garden for a Mumia Abu Jamal Benefit (with a All-star cast). Swiss Chris was also the musical director /drummer / programmer for Mexicano 777 (featuring KRS One and Mad Lion) and Bazaar Royal (MTV appearance).
He toured Eastern and Western Europe with the legendary James ‘Blood’ Ulmer 
(Blues/Jazz). He performed at the Apollo Theater with Billy Cox (Jimmy Hendrix, Band of Gypsies) and Ladell McLinn, Jessica Care Moore and Imani Uzuri.
Swiss Chris is the founder and head of the S.W.I.S.S. Organization, Saving With Instruments, Samples and Sounds. One of the organizations programs is to collect used instruments to help in the spread of communication through music for betterment of the world.
Swiss Chris Compilation Video2
Swiss Chris 777 | MySpace Video
Television appearances included: VMAs, The Soul Train Music Awards, The Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony at Oslo, Jamaican and Trinidad Festivals, DTV Royal Albert Hall Show, Itunes Yahoo and Verizon Promotional Tours, Tyra Banks, Ellen, The View, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, Conan O’Brian, Oprah, Good Morning America, MTV Music Awards Japan, VH1 Superbowl Pepsi Smash and The CBS Early Show, Jay Leno, The View, Ellen, Custom Concert Oxygen Network, Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan O’Brian, Oprah, MTV and Grammy Appearances in the US, Europe and MTV Africa, and the Vibe Festival with Common and Kayne. and an appearence with Sir Elton John for an AIDS Benefit.
Coming concert information:
He’s playing with THE TEHRAN-DAKAR brothers for the first time at THE MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA benefit concert NOV. 16TH, 2009 at LE POISSON ROUGE (NY).
For more information on Swiss Chris, his performing and S.W.I.S.S.:
Recent interview by Think Peace Media Nov. 2nd, 2009 (interviewed by Leza Raley-Labrador)
www.myspace.com/swisschristhemanonthedrums
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=56288226
http://www.moderndrummer.com/modern-drummer-blogs/Gloria%20Gaynor
For more information on organizations and not- for- profits SWISS is associated with:
www.earthdriver.org www.sgi-usa.org
