Charles Walter "Chuck" Flores (January 5, 1935 – November 24, 2016) was an American

jazz drummer Jazz drumming is the art of playing percussion (predominantly the drum kit, which includes a variety of drums and cymbals) in jazz styles ranging from 1910s-style Dixieland jazz to 1970s-era jazz fusion and 1980s-era Latin jazz. The techniques an ...

. One of the relatively small number of musicians associated with

West Coast jazz West Coast jazz refers to styles of jazz that developed in Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a subgenre of cool jazz, which consisted of a calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music relied rel ...

who were actually from the West Coast, Flores was born in

Orange, California Orange is a city located in northern Orange County, California, United States. It is approximately north of the county seat, Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. Orange is unusual in this region because many of the homes in its Old Town District ...

, and grew up in Santa Ana. He is best known for the work he did with saxophonist

Bud Shank Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and thro ...

in the 1950s, and for his two-year stint with

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roo ...

, from 1954 to 1955, but also performed and recorded with such musicians as

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretati ...

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active ...

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

Al Cohn Al Cohn (November 24, 1925 – February 15, 1988) was an American jazz saxophonist, arranger and composer. He came to prominence in the band of clarinetist Woody Herman and was known for his longtime musical partnership with fellow saxophonist ...

, and

Shelly Manne Sheldon "Shelly" Manne (June 11, 1920 – September 26, 1984) was an American jazz drummer. Most frequently associated with West Coast jazz, he was known for his versatility and also played in a number of other styles, including Dixieland, ...

, who had been his drum teacher. Manne and others considered Flores an underrated drummer. In later years, Flores became a highly sought after and renowned educator whose students included

Danny Seraphine Daniel Peter Seraphine (born August 28, 1948) is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer, and film producer. He is best known as the original drummer and a founding member of the rock band Chicago, a tenure which lasted from ...

Chad Wackerman Chad Wackerman (born March 25, 1960) is an American jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer, who has played with Frank Zappa and Allan Holdsworth. He has worked as a band member, session musician, sideman, and bandleader. He is the older brother o ...

, John Wackerman,

Brooks Wackerman Brooks Wackerman (born February 15, 1977) is an American musician. He is the current drummer of heavy metal band Avenged Sevenfold, which he joined in 2015. His first album with Avenged Sevenfold was ''The Stage'' (2016). He was previously th ...

, Ray Mehlbaum, Pete Parada, Jamie Wollam, Jose Ruiz, and Zack Stewart. Flores was a longtime faculty member at Musicians Institute in Los Angeles.

Discography

As leader

* ''Flores Azules'' (Dobre, 1976) * ''Drum Flower'' (Concord Jazz, 1977)

As sideman

With

Laurindo Almeida Laurindo José de Araújo Almeida Nóbrega Neto (2 September 1917 – 26 July 1995) was a Brazilian guitarist and composer in classical, jazz, and Latin music. He was one of the pioneers in the creation of bossa nova. Almeida was the firs ...

* ''Latin Guitar'' (Dobre, 1976) * ''New Directions'' (Crystal Clear, 1979) * ''Virtuoso Guitar'' (Crystal Clear, 1977) With

* ''The Woody Herman Band! Part 1'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''The Woody Herman Band! Part 2'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''The Woody Herman Band! Part 3'' (Capitol, 1954) * ''The Woody Herman Band!'' (Capitol, 1955) * ''Road Band!'' (Capitol, 1955) * ''Blues Groove'' (Capitol, 1956) * ''Jackpot!'' (Capitol, 1956) * ''Hey! Heard the Herd?'' (Verve, 1963) * ''The Third Herd Vol. 2'' (Discovery, 1982) With

* ''

Modern Art Modern art includes artistic work produced during the period extending roughly from the 1860s to the 1970s, and denotes the styles and philosophies of the art produced during that era. The term is usually associated with art in which the tradit ...

'' (Intro, 1957) * ''The Art of Pepper'' (Omegatape, 1957) * ''The Art of Pepper Vol. II'' (Omegatape, 1958) * ''Omega Alpha'' (Blue Note, 1981) With

* '' The Bud Shank Quartet'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * '' Jazz at Cal-Tech'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * '' Bud Shank Quartet Featuring Claude Williamson'' (Pacific Jazz, 1957) * '' Flute 'n Oboe'' (Pacific Jazz, 1957) * ''The Swing's to TV'' (World Pacific, 1958) * ''

Holiday in Brazil ''Holiday in Brazil'' (also released as ''Brazilliance Vol. 2'') is an album by saxophonist Bud Shank with arrangements by Laurindo Almeida released on the Pacific Jazz label.Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M.World Pacific Album Discograp ...

'' (Vogue, 1959) * '' Latin Contrasts'' (World Pacific, 1959) * '' Slippery When Wet'' (World Pacific, 1959) * '' Blowin' Country'' (World Pacific, 1959) * '' Bud Shank Plays Tenor'' (Record Society, 1962) * '' Brasamba!'' (Pacific Jazz, 1963) * ''Live at the Haig'' (Choice, 1985) With others *

Toshiko Akiyoshi is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in ''Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. In 1984, sh ...

Lew Tabackin Big Band, '' Long Yellow Road'' (RCA 1975) * Conte Candoli, Russ Freeman, Art Pepper, '' Mucho Calor'' (Andex, 1958) * Neshama Carlebach, ''Soul'' (Sameach Music, 1996) *

, Bill Perkins,

Richie Kamuca Richard "Richie" Kamuca (July 23, 1930 – July 22, 1977) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. Musical career Kamuca was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and, like many players associated with West Coast jazz, grew up in the ...

, ''Three of a Kind'' (RCA 1956) *

, Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca, '' The Brothers!'' (RCA Victor, 1956) * Dick Collins, ''Horn of Plenty'' (RCA, 1955) * Dick Collins, ''King Richard the Swing Hearted'' (RCA Victor, 1955) *

Gil Fuller Walter Gilbert "Gil" Fuller (April 14, 1920, Los Angeles, California – May 26, 1994, San Diego, California) was an American jazz arranger. He is no relation to the jazz trumpeter and vocalist Walter "Rosetta" Fuller. In the 1930s and 1940s, F ...

, '' Night Flight'' (Pacific Jazz, 1966) * Floyd Huddleston, ''Happy Birthday, Jesus'' (Dobre, 1977) *

, ''The Manne We Love'' (Eastworld, 1979) * Dodo Marmarosa & Lorraine Geller, ''West Coast Piano Touch'' (Vantage, 1992) *

, '' The Great American Songbook'' (Atlantic, 1972) * Shorty Rogers, ''A Live Jam Session Recorded at the Rendezvous Ballroom'' (Jam Session 1979) * Cy Touff, ''His Octet & Quintet'' (Pacific Jazz, 1956) * Cy Touff, ''Keester Parade'' (Pacific Jazz, 1962)

References

*Feather, Leonard. ''The Encyclopedia of Jazz'' (Horizon Press, 1960)

External links

* Chadbourne, Eugene. "Chuck Flores" (Web site ''allmusic'')br>"Chuck Flores" (Web site ''Drummers Unlimited'')
1935 births 2016 deaths American jazz drummers West Coast jazz drummers Jazz musicians from California People from Orange, California People from Santa Ana, California 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Drummers from California {{US-jazz-drummer-stub