Dave Weckl (born January 8, 1960, in

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

) is an American

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

drummer and the leader of the Dave Weckl Band. He was inducted into the ''

Modern Drummer ''Modern Drummer'' is a monthly publication targeting the interests of drummers and percussionists. The magazine features interviews, equipment reviews, columns offering advice on technique, and information for the general public. ''Modern Dru ...

'' Hall of Fame in 2000.

Biography

Weckl started playing his first set of drums at age 8 in his spare room along with records. He later played in the living room, sometimes with his father on piano. Weckl studied at the

University of Bridgeport The University of Bridgeport (UB or UBPT) is a private university in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States. The university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. In 2021, the university was purchased by Goodwin Unive ...

. Starting out on the New York fusion scene in the early 1980s, Weckl soon began working with artists such as

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the ...

Michel Camilo Michel Camilo (born April 4, 1954) is a Dominican pianist and composer. He specializes in jazz, Latin and classical piano work. Background and career Camilo was born into a musical family and as a young child showed aptitude for the accordion ...

Robert Plant Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the rock band Led Zeppelin from its founding in 1968 until their breakup in 1980. Since then, he has had a successful solo ca ...

, and Anthony Jackson. He was with the

Chick Corea Elektric Band Chick Corea Elektric Band was a jazz fusion band, led by keyboardist and pianist Chick Corea and founded in 1986 in New York City. The band was nominated twice at the Grammy Awards. The sixth band album, a tribute one named ''Chick Corea Elektric ...

from 1985 to 1991. During this time he performed on many albums and also appeared with Corea's Akoustic Band. He said he "augmented his work with Corea by continuing his session work and appearing often with the

GRP All-Star Big Band The GRP All-Star Big Band was a contemporary big band assembled in the late 1980s by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen, the founders of GRP Records. The band played new arrangements of popular jazz pieces from the 1950s and 1960s. Its albums '' GRP Al ...

". Weckl has released a series of instructional videotapes. His first recording as leader was in 1990 – '' Master Plan'', for GRP. This was followed by ''Heads Up'' in 1992, and ''Hard-Wired'' in 1994. Later on, Weckl recorded and toured with guitarist

Mike Stern Mike Stern (born January 10, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist. After playing with Blood, Sweat & Tears, he worked with drummer Billy Cobham, then with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1981 to 1983 and again in 1985. He then began a solo career, re ...

Discography

Dave Weckl: * 1990 – '' Master Plan'' ( GRP) * 1992 – ''Heads Up'' (GRP) * 1994 – ''Hard Wired'' (GRP) Dave Weckl Band: * 1998 – ''Rhythm of the Soul'' ( Stretch) * 1999 – ''

Synergy Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts (i.e., a non-linear addition of force, energy, or effect). The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' f ...

'' (Stretch) * 2000 – ''Transition'' (Stretch) * 2001 – ''The Zone'' (Stretch) * 2002 – ''Perpetual Motion'' (Stretch) * 2003 – ''Live (And Very Plugged In)'' (Stretch) * 2005 – '' Multiplicity'' (Stretch) * 2019 - '' Live in St Louis at the Chesterfield Jazz Festival 2019'' (Autumn Hill) Dave Weckl and Jay Oliver: * 2014 – ''Convergence'' The Dave Weckl Acoustic Band: * 2015 – ''Of the Same Mind'' * 2016 - The Dave Weckl Acoustic Band - Live DVD

As sideman

With

Bill Connors Bill Connors (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz guitarist who was a member of Chick Corea's band Return to Forever. After leaving Return to Forever, he recorded three acoustic albums and then four electric albums as a leader/soloist." ...

*''Step It'' (Pathfinder, 1984

985 Year 985 ( CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theophanu and her mother-in-law Adelaide at an ...

With

Gerry Niewood Gerry Niewood (April 6, 1943 – February 12, 2009), born Gerard Joseph Nevidosky, was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist who worked often with Chuck Mangione. Like Mangione, Niewood was born in Rochester, New York, and graduated from the ...

*''Share My Dream'' (DMP, 1985) With

*''Upside Downside'' (1986) With

Chuck Loeb Charles Samuel "Chuck" Loeb (December 7, 1955 – July 31, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist and a member of the groups Steps Ahead, Metro and Fourplay. Early years and education Loeb was born in Nyack, New York, near New York City. At ...

and

Andy LaVerne Andy LaVerne (born December 4, 1947) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and educator. Education and musical career Born in New York City, LaVerne studied at Juilliard School of Music, Berklee College, and the New England Conservat ...

*'' Magic Fingers'' (DMP, 1989) With

Aziza Mustafa Zadeh Aziza Mustafa Zadeh (; born December 19, 1969) is an Azerbaijani singer, pianist, and composer who plays a fusion of jazz and mugham (a traditional improvisational style of Azerbaijan) with classical and avant-garde influences. Biography Azi ...

*''

Always Always may refer to: Film and television * ''Always'', a 1985 film directed by Henry Jaglom * ''Always'' (1989 film), a 1989 romantic comedy-drama directed by Steven Spielberg * ''Always'' (2011 film), a 2011 South Korean film, also known as ''O ...

'' (Columbia, 1993) With

Steve Khan Steve Khan (born Steven Harris Cahn; April 28, 1947) is an American jazz guitarist. Career Steven Harris Cahn was born in Los Angeles. His father, lyricist Sammy Cahn, "loved to hear any and all versions of his songs". He took piano lessons as a ...

*''Public Access'' (GRP, 1991) * ''J.K. Special'' (Lipstick, 1993) With the

*''

'' (GRP, 1992) *''

Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live! ''Dave Grusin Presents GRP All-Star Big Band Live!'' is a jazz album by the GRP All-Star Big Band. Track listing Personnel * Dave Grusin – piano * John Patitucci – bass * Dave Weckl – drums * Gary Burton – vibraphone * Tom Scott � ...

'' (GRP, 1993) *''

All Blues "All Blues" is a jazz composition by Miles Davis that first appeared on the influential 1959 album ''Kind of Blue''. In the original liner notes, pianist Bill Evans describes the piece as "a 6/8 12-measure blues form that produces its mood throug ...

'' (GRP, 1995) With Dave Grusin *'' The Gershwin Collection'' (GRP 1991) *'' Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story'' (GRP 1997) With Nick Levinovsky *''Special Opinion'' (Butman Music, 2013) With

Chris Minh Doky Chris Minh Doky (born 7 February 1969) is a Vietnamese- Danish jazz bassist. He is the younger brother of jazz pianist Niels Lan Doky. He released his first album, ''Appreciation'', in 1989 four years after picking up the instrument. As a side ...

* ''CMD & The Nomads'' (Red Dot, 2014) With School of the Arts featuring

T Lavitz Terry "T" Lavitz (April 16, 1956 – October 7, 2010) was an American keyboardist, composer, and Record producer, producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead (band), Jazz Is Dead. Biography Born on April 16, 19 ...

* '' School of the Arts'' (Magnatude, 2007) With Omar Faqir: * 2018 – Pulse Album ''Now & Forever & Giant Sticks''

Videos

* 1988 – ''Back to Basics'' (DCI music) * 1990 – ''The Next Step'' (DCI music) * 1993 – ''Working It Out: Latin Percussion I'' - With Walfredo Reyes, Sr. (DCI music) * 1993 – ''Working It Out: Latin Percussion II'' - With Walfredo Reyes, Sr. (DCI Music) * 2000 – ''How to Develop Your Own Sound'' (Carl Fischer publishing) * 2000 – ''How to Practice'' (Carl Fischer publishing) * 2000 – ''How to Develop Technique'' (Carl Fischer publishing) * 2015 - Flies on The Studio Wall / Convergence Behind The Scenes (DVD, Bluray)

Books

* 1988 – ''Back to Basics'' * 1992 – ''The Next Step'' (Manhattan Music) * 1994 – ''Contemporary Drummer + One'' (Manhattan Music) * 1997 – ''Ultimate Play-Along for Drums level I vol. I'' (Alfred Publishing Company) * 1997 – ''Ultimate Play-Along for Drums level I vol. II'' (Alfred Publishing Company) * 2001 – ''In Session with the Dave Weckl Band'' (Carl Fischer Music) * 2004 – ''Exercises for Natural Playing'' (Carl Fischer Music)

References

External links

Dave Weckl profile
Drummerworld; accessed August 4, 2015.
Dave Weckl profile
OnlineDrummer.com; accessed August 4, 2015.
Dave Weckl Interview
at NAMM Oral History Collection (2008)
Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Weckl, Dave 1960 births Living people Jazz fusion musicians American jazz drummers GRP Records artists University of Bridgeport alumni American session musicians Singers from Missouri Drummers from St. Louis Drummers from New York City Drummers from Los Angeles Aztec Camera members 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Jazz musicians from New York (state) Jazz musicians from California Jazz musicians from Missouri 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Chick Corea Elektric Band members GRP All-Star Big Band members Manhattan Jazz Quintet members