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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 releases
Masterplan, Heads Up, and Hardwired. In 1998, Dave
realized his long-time goal of forming a
world-touring band. 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, Oz Noy, and Chris Minh Doky and
the Nomads, 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!"
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Click
here to contact Janet
Williamson for artist availability and booking
information. |
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