Jazz Drummer

Dave Weckl

noreply@blogger.com (Jazz) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:46:00 +0800

For more than 25 years, Dave Weckl has developed and maintained a reputation among fans, peers, and the international music community as one of the great living drummers. For this, he has received numerous accolades and honors; Modern Drummer inducted Dave into their Hall of Fame and named him "one of the 25 best drummers of all time."

But these honors, in addition to many more bestowed by the music community, are the product of Dave's undying commitment to making great compositions. Dave's incredibly dynamic and diverse drumming, which has inspired musicians worldwide, is built on a solid foundation of knowledge and respect for music.

Born in St. Louis Missouri, January 8th, 1960, to a mother who loved music and a father who played the piano as a hobby, Dave started playing drums around the age of 8.

During his high school years, Dave received many awards from the NAJE (National Association of Jazz Educators) for outstanding performances in his high school's competition-winning jazz band. He was involved with numerous local groups from a very young age while studying with St. Louis-area teachers Bob Matheny and Joe Buerger.

At age 16, Dave began to work professionally with local pop and jazz groups. In 1979, he moved to the East coast to study music at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. At just 19 years of age, Dave was getting recognized.

While playing the club scene in New York City with a band called Nite Sprite, Dave started to receive accolades from established studio musicians such as Steve Kahn, Michael Brecker, and especially drumming great Peter Erskine. It was Peter who recommended Dave for his first 'big gig' in town with a group called French Toast, forerunner to the Michel Camilo band, which has been recorded quite extensively over the years.

From this group, legendary bassist Anthony Jackson recommended Dave for the prestigious Simon and Garfunkel reunion tour in 1983. After this tour, it was not long before Dave was regularly being called for radio and TV jingles, sound track sessions, and top recording dates with such artists as George Benson, Peabo Bryson, Diana Ross, and Robert Plant, to name a few.

In 1985, Michael Brecker suggested to Chick Corea that he look into Dave's services for his new Elektric Band. That was the beginning of a seven year relationship with both the Elektric and Akoustic Bands, where nine recordings and three videos were produced, including a Grammy for the first Akoustic Band release.

The Elektric Band showcased Dave's cutting-edge drumming and innovative use of electronic and acoustic drums, bringing him world-wide recognition. Though the Elektric Band went on a 10-year hiatus in the early '90s, the band is once again touring from time to time. It also released a 17-part conceptual album entitled "To The Stars" in mid-2004.

As a solo artist, Dave has recorded and produced nine recordings to date, including GRP/MCA solo releasesMasterplan, Heads Up, and Hardwired. In 1998, Dave realized his long-time goal of forming a world-touringband. The Dave Weckl Band released five studio records, including:Rhythm Of The Soul, Synergy, Transition, Perpetual Motion, and Multiplicity. The band also released a hot live album, LIVE (and very plugged in) and a compilation of DWB and instructional videos entitled The Zone.

More recently, Dave has enjoyed taking on more sideman work. He regularly joins guitarist Mike Stern, Chuck Loeb, and Oz Noy, among others. When off the road, Dave keeps busy with session and production work at his home studio in Los Angeles. He also teaches at the annual Drum Fantasy Camp. Additionally, Dave has many instructional video/DVDs and play-along packages on the market.

A constant student of the art of drumming and music, Dave gives back every chance he gets through clinics and classes all over the world. Of teaching, Dave says:

"It is my goal to inspire as many young (and not-so-young) people as possible to want to play music, whether it be on drums or another instrument. With all the negatives in the world today, I feel this is my way of contributing a positive action toward spiritual happiness, which music can be a big part of, if you let it. So parents, if your child has a talent for music, please allow them the opportunity to develop that talent!"

Of course, a guy this busy does need to get around town efficiently. A fan of automobiles, Dave stays on schedule by driving a 335 horsepower Audi S4. And, he'salways on the lookout for something faster!

But beyond all the recording, producing, touring, teaching, working with companies he endorses to build better products, and tearing up the highway every now and then, Dave's passion is spending quality time with his daughter, Claire, Sophia (his Golden Retriever), and friends.

This is what all the hard work is for - the inspiration to keep doing it - and that perspective is probably Dave's biggest asset.

Dave Weckl: Back to Basics
Vic Firth Signature Series -- Dave Weckl
The Dave Weckl: The Next Step

Dave Weckl Band Live: & Very Plugged in

Master Plan

Vinnie Colaiuta

noreply@blogger.com (Jazz) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:06:00 +0800

Vincent Colaiuta is a highly regarded drummer based in Los Angeles. Originally from Brownsville, Pennsylvania, he began playing drums as a child and received his first full drum kit from his parents at the age of 14.

After attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a year, Colaiuta relocated to Los Angeles and made a mediocre living playing with lounge bands. His break came in April 1978 at the age of 22, when he auditioned for Frank Zappa, an audition that involved performing the notoriously difficult piece entitled “The Black Page”. The audition was successful and Colaiuta went on to work with Zappa as his principal drummer for studio and live performances. Colaiuta's performances on Zappa's albums Tinsel Town Rebellion, Joe's Garage and Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar are considered by many drummers to be among the most astounding ever recorded. Joe's Garage was named one of the top-25 drumming performances of all time in a 1993 Modern Drummer article.

After leaving Zappa, Colaiuta went on to work with a long list of notable rock and pop artists, including Gino Vannelli, Joni Mitchell, Barbra Streisand, Sandy & Junior, Clannad, Wang Chung, Chaka Khan, and Jeff Beck. He has also appeared with many notable jazz musicians, including Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Haslip, Quincy Jones, the Buddy Rich Big Band and Buell Neidlinger.

In 1990, Colaiuta successfully auditioned for the drum spot in Sting's touring band in support of his album The Soul Cages. Colaiuta remained as a member of Sting's band for the next seven years. He declined the offer to go out on the road for the Brand New Day tour in 1999 due to the unusually grueling amount of time that Sting prefers to cover the globe. Colaiuta's studio work with Sting can be heard on Ten Summoner's Tales (1993), Mercury Falling (1996), three songs on Brand New Day (1999) and two songs on Sacred Love (2003). In September of 2003, Vinnie returned to Sting's touring lineup in a brief promotional tour of Sacred Love, but once again declined the offer to participate in the world tour.

Colaiuta released a self-titled solo recording in 1994, and still remains one of the most in demand studio musicians playing on countless albums[2], film soundtracks, TV and radio jingles. His dedication to self-improvement is legendary: Dom Famularo, a famous drum educator and Colaiuta's friend, once told a story about Colaiuta opening his door while practising on a drum pad; after a few minutes of a chat on the door step, Colaiuta said: “I'm such a bad host, I haven't offered you anything! Do you want a pad?”

Colaiuta has won a total of 18 'Drummer of the Year' awards from Modern Drummer magazine's annual reader polls. These include 10 awards in the 'Best Overall' category. Colaiuta was inducted into the Modern Drummer “Hall of Fame” in 1996. The publication also cited Colaiuta as being the most important drummer of our time.

More recently, Colaiuta recorded and toured with Faith Hill, recorded with the thrash metal outfit Megadeth on their album The System Has Failed, and has most recently toured with Jeff Beck and Herbie Hancock.

In 1990, Colaiuta teamed up with the Zildjian Cymbal company to create the A Custom line of cymbals,[3][4] based on the world's best-selling A Zildjian cymbals. These bright, fast-decaying cymbals can be heard on Sting's Ten Summoner's Tales and countless other recordings, often mixed with K Zildjian and K Custom models. In photographs from the UnReel Drum Book, it is clear that Vinnie's kit used on the recording of Randy Waldman's first solo title “Wigged Out” features a ride cymbal bearing the iconic K logo on the underside, suggesting that Vinnie uses cymbals from his private collection (as the only cymbals with the K underside logo date back to the 70's and early 80's) for recordings.

Colaiuta endorses Gretsch Drums and has his own signature kit. He often uses USA Custom drums in Europe and his signature drums in the US and the far east, but recently used the New Classic line of drums when touring with Herbie Hancock and the Renown Maple series live with Jeff Beck.

noreply@blogger.com (Jazz) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:49:00 +0800

Biography

Born: April 9, 1945
Steve Gadd, b. Rochester, New York, April 9, 1945. Uncle, a drummer in the army, encouraged him. Drum lessons from age seven; sat in with Dizzy Gillespie at 11. Studied music at Eastman College, Rochester, playing in wind ensemble and concert band, and at nights in a club with Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara.
After college, drafted into army and spent three years in a military band. After the army, gigged and worked with a big band in Rochester. 1972, formed a trio with Tony Levin and Mike Holmes, going to New York with it. The trio fizzled out, but Gadd began to work extensively as a studio musician.
He also played with Corea's first Return to Forever. 1970's and 1980's, toured internationally, recorded with Paul Simon and with Al Di Meola's Electric Rendezvous Band. By the end of the 1970's Gadd was the most in-demand and probably the most imitated drummer in the world.
In Japan transcriptions of his solos were on sale, and all the leading Japanese drummers were sounding like him. Chick Corea commented, “Every drummer wants to play like Gadd because he plays perfect... He has brought orchestral and compositional thinking to the drum kit while at the same time having a great imagination and a great ability to swing.”
In September 2003 Gadd was honored by Zildjian with an American Drummer Achievement Award.
In 2007 Steve Gadd moved from Rochester to Arizona....

Steve Gadd Master Series DVD
In Session, Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd Up Close
Zildjian 22" Steve Gadd Cymbal Bag
Vic Firth PSGWB Steve Gadd Drumsticks Pack
Vic Firth Steve Gadd Wire Brush
Vic Firth Signature Series -- Steve Gadd

noreply@blogger.com (Jazz) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 01:05:00 +0800

Karl Latham ( drum )

Biography :

Born: June 9, 1961

Karl Latham was born in Trenton, New Jersey and grew up in a musical family. Inspired by his brother Rick, (no relation to the Rick Latham), Karl started playing the drums at the age of 7.
Karl has performed with a wide spectrum of notable performers such as the Johannes Mossinger NY Trio along with special guests Joe Lovano, Bob Malach and Don Braden, The John Lee Quartet, Slide Hampton, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis (guesting with John Lee), Claudio Roditi, The Fantasy Band Karl has taught private lessons and master classes for many years.(including Dave Samuels, Chuck Loeb, Marion Meadows, George Jinda, John Lee, Dave Valentine), Wolfgang Lackerschmid, Randy Brecker (guesting with Wolfgang Lackerschmid Quartet), Johnny and Edgar Winter, Michal Urbaniak, Bob Malach, Jasper Van't Hof, Attila Zoller, Ed Cherry, Cameron Brown, Kermit Driscoll, Charlie Elgart, the Shirelles, Dan Wall, Arturo O'Farrell, Gordon James, Keith Marks and many other of artists performing in the NYC area.
In addition to his New York based projects, he has toured Europe extensively since 1993 in many of Wolfgang Lackerschmid's groups along with John Lee, Cameron Brown, Belden Bullock, Georg Wadenius, Ed Cherry, Michal Urbaniak, Attila Zoller and numerous other musicians.
Reknowned bassist Kermit Driscoll and Karl joined the Johannes Mossinger NY Trio in 2001. Together they have appeared on numerous tours as well as four recordings with the group. The most recent release “Nu Love” features special guest Bob Malach.
Karl recieved a B.S.S. from Ohio University and studied music performance at Rutgers University, Ohio University and Berklee College of Music. Karl's formal musical training includes private lessons with Gary Chester, Freddy Waits, Michael Carvin, Joe Morello, Joe Cusatis and Muzzy Mizzioni. While in college, Karl won second place in the 1983 Carmine Appice National Drum Battle.
Karl is “tri-coastal” spending a good deal annually in Europe and California with his primary residence in the northwest New Jerey area. Karl is an Adjunct Professor at Passaic County Community College and County College of Morris. Karl teaches privately as well both in NJ and abroad.

Karl is a proud endorsee for Yamaha Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Evans Drumheads, Vic Firth Drumsticks and Factory Metal Percussion.

Home: Sparta, NJ