Los Angeles musician Christopher Esse is releasing the third album from his four-piece rock narrative Resonance Part 3: Trillionaire Zero. This is the penultimate chapter of the gripping tale of the battle against ultra-capitalism. Part 4: A New Way Out is set to release some time in 2020.

Christopher Esse describes RESONANCE as “the story of our future”. The first album, John Doe Saves the World, shows the struggles we face as an out-of-control ultra-capitalistic system threatens humanity. John Doe goes from apathy to despair to anger throughout the course of the album, finally proposing a peaceful, technological solution. But will it work?

Digital Rain, the title of the second album, is Esse’s catch-all phrase to describe the toxic flood of information that drowns out rational thoughts and actions. Human agency thus erodes away, being replaced by political, social, and commercial propaganda. We find John’s childhood friend, Terry Mack, as a successful champion of ultra-capitalism whose tactics come back to haunt him. His journey of awareness exposes a world beset by digital propaganda that corrupts free will.  

In this third album, Trillionaire Zero, We’re taken decades into the future and are introduced to a key figure in the rest of the story. Simon Simon is the world’s first trillionaire. His questionable inheritance and secret knowledge of an imminent horror convert him into a would-be saviour, but will his extraordinary scientific solution really work?

Influenced by everything from jazz to classical music to rock giants like Pink Floyd and David Bowie, RESONANCE is a musical tour de force that Esse hopes will one day be adapted into a stage musical. Profits from the sale of RESONANCE albums will go toward his Charitable Gift Trust aimed at helping musicians in need.

Growing up in a small suburb just outside NYC, Christopher Esse found listening to music as a salve during a difficult adolescence. Certain songs sent tingles down his neck and tears down his cheeks. For some time he felt challenged to make music of his own even though he hadn’t touched a piano since quitting piano lessons as a child. Finally, at 20 years old, he couldn’t resist any longer. In the summer of 1980 Esse set up a Yamaha cassette deck and Radio Shack microphone and started making songs.

After moving to Los Angeles in 1988, he had to face reality. He worked a regular job, got married, had kids, etc. Despite being away from music for so long, being a good husband and father will always be a highlight of his life. But by 2007 Esse’s burning desire to live out his music dreams returned. This time he needed to pursue it full time. Thanks to the support from his wife, kids, and their piano teacher he was able to do so.