Christopher Estep, Musician

Christopher Estep is a lifelong musician whose journey began somewhere around the ages of four to six on the family piano—an instrument he still owns over 45 years later. By eleven, he had picked up a pair of drumsticks, and at sixteen, he played his first paid gig as a drummer.

Trained in jazz and rock drumming under Brian Hamada and at Roosevelt School of the Arts in Fresno, CA, Christopher has since built a rich and varied career performing and recording across genres including jazz, rock, alt rock, rock and roll, punk, reggae, ska, rocksteady, bluegrass, and rockabilly.

As a drummer, he has recorded with Band from UNCLE, The Suppressors, Motel Drive, Doc's Holiday, Saltwater, Thunderbolt 650, Blackcoats, and Belmont Sound System. He is currently the drummer for Jonny Manak & the Depressives.

As a session musician, Christopher has sat in on drums with artists including Cattie Ness & the Revenge, King Sugar, Elvis Cantu, Lance Canales & the Flood, Par Avion, and many more.

In addition to drums, Christopher plays bass, guitar, and keys. He has recorded bass (and occasionally performs live) with Sparklejet. Christopher is also part of Blackcoats, a collaborative recording project, where he plays lead guitar. He has recorded percussion and organ with Desert Union as well.

Christopher is also a songwriter, having written and recorded tracks for Belmont Sound System—including the two songs featured on this site.

Whether behind a drum kit, a guitar, or a mixing board, Christopher brings decades of experience, creative versatility, and a deep musical intuition to every project.