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Swiss Chris
Swiss Chris
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"Yamaha has the best products and service, which helps me to achieve the highest musical level daily. Yamaha rocks …"
Swiss Chris aka Christoph Daniel Flueck
Biography:
When Switzerland native "Swiss Chris" arrived in New York City via Boston 10 years ago, he set many goals for himself as a drummer/musical director/real time producer/educator. He is currently accomplishing those goals as the musical director/drummer for the five-time Grammy award winner and multi-platinum artist John Legend.

Swiss Chris has a Bachelor's Degree in Performance from the Berklee School of Music in Boston. He studied at the Drummer's Collective in New York and Dante Agostini Switzerland, where he received a 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.

Swiss studied with diverse teachers like Bob Moses, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, Kim Plainfield, Casey Scheuerell, Joe Morello, Jim Chapin and last but not least, he is still taking lessons with the Drumdoctor Dom Famularo.

When he came to New York in 1996, he started working with a local funk band 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.

He was on BET as the musical director/drummer for a featured performance with the Last Poets, Jessica Care Moore and Mums from the hit HBO show Oz. Swiss performed and/or recorded with conscious MCs like Mos Def and Dead Prez.

He 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 played at Madison Square Garden for a Mumia Abu Jamal Benefit. Swiss Chris was a musical director/drummer/programmer for Mexicano 777 (featuring KRS One and Mad Lion) and Bazaar Royal. 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.

With the release of John Legend's Get Lifted album in 2004, Swiss went on three U.S. tours, three European tours, two Australian tours and tours in New Zealand and Japan. For the Once Again album, Swiss contributed his talents on two U.S. tours, two European tours and an Asian tour.

Gear:
Acoustic Drums:   Absolute Birch Nouveau
BBD-1520T 20"x18" Bass drum
BTT-1508J 8"x7" tom
BTT-1510J 10"x7.5 tom
BTT-1512J 12"x8" tom
BFT-1514 14"x14" floor tom
BFT-1516 16"x16" floor tom
BSD-0544 14"x4" tom
WSD-13AJ Akira Jimbo Signature Snare drum
NSD-1365M 13"x6.5" Musahsi snare drum

Electronic Drums:
SKRM-100 Subkick
DTXTREME IIS

Hardware:
TH-945 bass drum tom holder
(12) CS-845 cymbal boom stands
HS-950 hi hat stand
(3) SS-940 snare stand
DFP-9315 double foot pedal
DS-950 drum throne
(2) CHH-920 remot hi hat stands
RM-GW Russ Miller Groove Wedge