THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Dr. Gio Washington-Wright's Top Los Angeles Studio Musicians Tribute Site
RAY BRINKER
WEBSITE: www.raybrinker.com
Ray Brinker, an Annville PA native, received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from the prestigious North Texas State University before embarking on a 5-year world tour with Maynard Ferguson. Having subsequently relocated to Los Angeles, Ray has remained active in both the studio and touring scenes, performing with such varied artists as Jack Sheldon, Pat Benatar, David Lee Roth, Tom Kubis Big Band, Frank Gambale, Michel LeGrand, Brian Setzer, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, and the Tierney Sutton Band. Ray’s credits also include a host of film scores including Shrek and the award winning “Ray: The Ray Charles Story”. Most recently Ray may be heard on Ray Charles’ 8-time Grammy Award-winning Album of the Year, “Genius Loves Company”, Joe Cocker’s “Heart and Soul”, Grant Geissman’s “Say That”, and Tierney Sutton’s “I’m With The Band”, and he continues to teach master classes for Yamaha Drums, Zildjian Cymbals, and Vic Firth Drumsticks.
VINNIE COLAIUTA
WEBSITE: www.vinniecolaiuta.com
Innovative, colorful and tasteful, Vince Colaiuta began as did many, playing pots and pans while growing up in Pennsylvania. After graduating to toy sets with paper heads, his parents finally bought him a semi-professional Japanese set which he'd play with the neighborhood kids.
There was never any doubt that his instrument was the drums, even though he also had an electric guitar and took organ lessons. In fact, when he expressed the desire to play drums in the junior-high-school band, the band director informed Vinnie that there were too many drummers and he should take up another instrument. He played flute for a year until the drummer vacated the seat into which Vinnie slipped. Once the lessons began, Vinnie recalls, "I couldn't get enough of it. I was real interested in music notation and rudiments and technique whereas a lot of guys didn't dig that stuff. I learned real fast because I was always practicing. I would go into English class and sit in the back of the room with a Remo practice pad and practice double-stroke rolls and get kicked out of class." When he finally got a good drumset at age fourteen, he was extremely grateful. "I was overjoyed when my parents bought me the set, because up to that point, I had only been studying on the snare drum. When I sat down at the set, though for some reason I didn't have any problem. I just sat down and played, probably because of all those toy sets. Coordination didn't pose much of a problem until I started getting into the stage band and had to read drum parts with the foot and everything. When I first saw that, it was a trip reading drumset stuff--the hand, the hi-hat, the bass drum, independence and all of that--but I just went and practiced." Drum corps, summer camps and a succession of lessons followed, and after finishing high school, he worked in local bands for a year before enrolling in Berklee, a decision inspired by many of his classmates and a chance meeting with Berklee student Steve Smith, who came through town playing with a big band.
Vinnie playing "Seven Days" with Sting
BERNIE DRESEL
WEBSITE: www.berniedresel.com
What do Chaka Khan, Maynard Ferguson, David Byrne, Police guitar player Andy Summers and Brian Wilson all have in common? At one time or another the musical pistons that have driven the sound of these performers was supplied by the Brian Setzer Orchestra's own percussive tour de force, Bernie Dresel.
Bernie was driven to a career in music by the same inspiration as Brian Setzer. Look no further than Liverpool, England. At the age of two Bernie clearly remembers his Grandmother buying him the Fab Four's American debut, "Meet The Beatles". Unlike Brian's desire to play the guitar, the young Bernie was moved by the beat of Ringo's Ludwig drum kit.
The Dresel family, who lived and still do in Sharon, PA near the Ohio border, were very supportive of their son and purchased him a series of paper-head toy kits before realizing that it would save them money to actually buy him a small pro kit. Those paper drum heads were no match for this toddler's version of All My Loving. By the age of 3 Bernie's folks attempted to get him some drum lessons, "Too young, come back next year" was the response from the local drum teachers. When he was 4 they were told the same thing. Finally, at 4 1/2 years of age the instructors agreed to give this persistent young boy a chance with a trial lesson. The response after that trial, "Why didn't you bring him sooner?".
From that time and up until Bernie was 8 years old his playing was limited to a drum pad and a snare drum. At that point, after y enrolled in music school.
During his high school years Bernie supplied the backbeat to the wildly popular local band, Starbreaker. We can only hope that footage exists of this outfit so that someday we'll be able to get a glimpse of them on VH1's "Before They Were Rockstars". Incidentally, any rumors of a Starbreaker reunion and subsequent Japanese tour were squelched by Bernie himself.
After high school Bernie headed to Rochester, NY to the Eastman School of Music where he studied classical percussion. Upon graduating in the spring of 1983 he did what alot of musicians who want to earn a living do, he moved to Los Angeles. Bernie recalls that his first big gig after moving west was a 2 week stint in Las Vegas at the Alladin Hotel backing up former Dean Martin Gold-Diggers, the Albaricci Sisters. Upon completion of that job he went on the road for 5 months with the vocal group, The Lettermen. Oddly enough the Lettermen's leader, a gentleman by the name of Tony Butala also hails from Sharon, PA. This coincidence however had nothing to do with Bernie landing the gig.
During the next several years, our man Bernie did loads of session work and built quite a reputation as a reliable and brilliant musician. He's played with Maynard Ferguson, Talking Head David Byrne, The Rippingtons and Chaka Khan, in addition to doing a lot of session work. You probably didn't know that Bernie lent his considerable talents to television show scores like Dallas, Knots Landing, Deep Space Nine, Suddenly Susan as well as many cartoons including The Simpsons and Pinky and The Brain. The list of movie scores that Bernie has played on are too numerous to mention here.
One of the highlights of Bernie's burgeoning career was actually performing with his idol, Ringo Starr when the Beatle drummer appeared on the English television series, Dame Edna. One of my favorite Dresel projects is the beautiful work that Bernie did on the Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks CD, Orange Crate Art from 1995. You can also see another side of Bernie on the new Andy Summer's CD, a tribute to Thelonius Monk, entitled Green Chimneys.
The story of the garage jam session that ultimately became the formation of the Brian Setzer Orchestra is at this point almost legendary but for the uninitiated, the story goes that a neighbor of Brian's invited him over to his house where he and various musician friends were playing some impromptu jazz.. Brian grabbed his guitar and a small practice amp and amazed the gathered by not only keeping up with them but actually adding something very relevant to what they were playing. The rest is history as they say.
Bernie in session with the Big Phat Band
PETER ERSKINE
WEBSITE: www.petererskine.com
Peter Erskine was born Somers Point NJ 5 June, 1954. He began playing the drums at the age of four, and has now been at the forefront of world-class jazz ensembles for over thirty years. His first major professional work was with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, which he joined in 1972. After a three-year stint with Kenton and a two year stay with Maynard Ferguson, he joined Weather Report in 1978. The excellence of the partnership between Erskine and bassist Jaco Pastorius was an integral part of that group's success. Following his 4 years in Weather Report (having recorded five albums with them including the Grammy Award winning "8:30"), he began to play with Mike Brecker, Mike Mainieri and Eddie Gomez in the group Steps Ahead.
His other touring and recording credits (500 albums) include Diana Krall, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Gary Burton & Pat Metheny, Boz Scaggs, Joni Mitchell, Ralph Towner, Sadao Watanabe, Hubert Laws, Queen Latifah, Al Di Meola, Eliane Elias, Miroslav Vitous and JanGarbarek, as well as "Bass Desires" (with John Scofield, Bill Frisell, and Marc Johnson), the John Abercrombie Trio, the Kenny Wheeler Quintet & Big Band, the Bob Mintzer Big Band, as well as his own group. Peter has recorded ten solo albums: "Peter Erskine", "Transition", "Motion Poet", "Big Theatre", "Sweet Soul", and his ECM recordings "You Never Know,” "Time Being", "As It Is" and “Juni” as well as "History of the DRUM" on Interworld Music. His trio recordings on his own label Fuzzy Music include “Live at Rocco” and “Badlands” with Alana Pasqua and Dave Carpenter, plus 2 albums with the Lounge Art Ensemble (the latest being “Music For Moderns”), featuring Dave Carpenter on bass and Bob Sheppard on saxophone.
Besides touring and recording, Peter is now pursuing new avenues in his career by composing for dance, theatre and animation. He has completed musical scores for Shakespeare's King Richard II and A Midsummer Night's Dream, the latter being honored by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle with the award for the "Best Original Musical Score 1987". His music for The American Conservatory Theatre's production of Twelfth Night was awarded by the Bay Area Drama Critics' Circle as the "Best Dramatic Score for 1989". His most recent works for this medium are Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, Side Man, Honour, and the dance piece "History of the Drum - Transitions in Rhythm", written expressly for the Kokuma Dance Company of Birmingham, England. In addition, he wrote and produced the music for the Japanese anime series "Gun Smith Cats” as well as the “Alien Voices” productions starring Leonard Nimpy and John De Lancie.
Erskine is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, and studied percussion with George Gaber at Indiana University. His own pedagogical efforts include 3 instructional videos as well as seven instruction books. Peter conducts clinics, classes and seminars worldwide. He has won the Modern Drummer Magazine Readers' Poll in the Mainstream Jazz Drummer category 8 times, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from the Berklee College of Music.
GREGG FIELD
Gregg Field is one of the most versatile and highly sought-after drummers on the music scene today and has been voted onto the ‘Moderm Drummer’ magazine readers poll three times. World class musicians and singers alike, a veritable who’s who of music, including Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Joe Sample, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, Sean Puffy Combs, Vince Gill, Dianne Schuur, Wallace Roney, Mel Torme’, Patrick Williams, Grover Washington Jr., Amy Grant and Patti Austin are among his musical collaborators.
Among his latest recordings are: Dianne Schuur’s ‘Friends for Schuur’ with Stevie Wonder, Vince Gill’s ‘Breath of Heaven’, Patti Austin’s ELLA!; Barry Manilow’s ‘Manilow Sings Sinatra’, Amy Grant’s recent Christmas release and Monica Mancini’s ‘The Dreams of Johnny Mercer’. At 24 he toured with Count Basie from 1980 through 1982, Ella Fitzgerald from 1985 through 1986 and Frank Sinatra from 1991 through 1995. Gregg can be heard on Sinatra’s multi-platinum ‘Duets’ and ‘Duets II’ recordings, as well as Sinatra’s last album, ‘Sinatra 80 Live in Concert!’. He has performed with numerous symphonies worldwide including Chicago, Dallas, Buffalo, Vancouver, Seattle and the National Symphony in Washington D.C.
He has appeared on ten Grammy-nominated recordings, three of which have been awarded the coveted Grammy. Recently, he released his debut solo CD entitled ‘The Art of Swing’. Not only a highly respected drummer, Mr. Field has become a busy record producer. He has produced the 2001 Grammy nominee offering by Nnenna Freelon ‘Soul Call’, Louis Bellson’s ‘The Art of the Chart’, Monica Mancini’s ‘The Dreams of Johnny Mercer’, and the Grammy nominated ‘Earth’ by Bob Florence. Gregg was also asked to produce the debut CD of the new ‘Playboy Jazz’ label featuring the soundtrack to the CBS miniseries ‘Blonde’ and in June traveled to Germany to produce Patti Austin, Patrick Williams and the WDR Radio Orchestra tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.
Mr. Field has been on the faculty of the University of Southern California since 1983 and is the Rhythm Chair at the Henry Mancini Institute at UCLA. He has performed master classes and clinics worldwide and was twice selected by Modern Drummer Magazine to present a master class at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. In addition, Yamaha and the Zildjian Cymbal Company have twice sponsored his clinics at the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) convention.
Mr. Field’s television credits include: ‘The Kennedy Center Honors’, ‘The Grammy Hall of Fame Awards’, ‘The Soul Train Awards’, ‘Frank Sinatra, The Man and His Music, ‘Saturday Night Live’, ‘The Tonight Show’, ‘A Carnegie Hall Tribute to Count Basie’, ‘Basie and Bennett, Together Again’, ‘Night Court with Mel Torme’, MTV, VH-I, and ‘Monica Mancini: On Record’. He also appears on the Sinatra video release, ‘The Reprise Collection Vol. III. He is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, a board member of the Henry Mancini Institute and an executive officer of Concord Records.
DAVE HOOPER
WEBSITE: drums.hooper.com
Dave started as the voice of "The Little Green Sprout" from the Jolly Green Giant Commercials.
He used to go to work with his dad (composer Les Hooper), who writes music for TV commercials. When his voice changed, and he realized he couldn't sing, Dave decided he had to take up an instrument. Drums seemed like the right instrument to torment his parents with.
Dave attended North Texas State University for 2 years, and then realized college was for sissies. Not really. He studied with Peter Erskine, Gregg Bissonette, Steve Houghton, Joe Porcaro, David Garibaldi, Tom Brechtlein, and spent many hours jamming in his garage with roommate, Gary Novak.
Dave's Dad couldn't wait to use him as a drummer on his commercials, so at the age of 17, Dave began his studio drumming career.
Some of his career's highlights have been working with, Herbie Hancock, Sheryl Crow, Lee Ritenour, The Rippingtons, David Byrne, Warren Hill, Joe Sample, The Manhattan Transfer, Chaka Kahn, Jeff Kashiwa, and James Ingram.
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RICK MAROTTA
Check out Rick incredible groove on Steely Dan's "Peg"
http://www.lastudiomusicians.net/Peg.mp3
Marotta's less-is-more attitude is all the more distinctive given that he came of musical age during the '70s, when showy drum work was the norm. "That's how I developed my attitude in the first place," he says. "When I wa coming up as a musician, there were a lot of truly great drummers like Neil Peart and Terry Bozzio, guys who played a lot of notes and did it very well. But the more notes I heard other guys play, especially in fills, the fewer I would play. At first, it was just a matter of taste, but then I started getting a lot of session calls because of that attitude."
Remarkably, Rick never hit a drum until he was 19. "As far as I'm concerned," he says, "that was a great advantage! I just took these drum sticks the size of baseball bats and started hitting the drums as hard as I could. I still believe that just flailing away is a great way to start out on a instrument. If you have any talent at all, it will come out. After that you can go back and learn the rudiments."
Marotta's straight-ahead attitude hasn't prevented him from creating innovative parts that not only contributed to memorable hits but have also been studied and imitated by countless other players. "If you play simply," argues Rick, "you can even play freakier, more imaginative stuff in a tasteful way." He cites examples from his own work: 'Hour That the Morning Comes', from James Taylor's Dad Loves His Work, where Rick cemented the offbeat parts via careful repetition, and the syncopated, deep-pocket patterns of 'Peg' from Steely Dan's Aja.
"I suppose," says Rick, "that the sessions I'm proudest of are ones like that, where I played something different from what everyone else was doing at the time. But on the other hand, I really liked some of the ones that were just plain simple, like James Taylor's 'Walking Man'."
Today, Marotta keeps it not only simple, but small: One of his current kits is a compact Yamaha Hipgig set. "It's a small kit where all the drums fit into each other," he explains. "Some people see it and think it's a toy, but it sounds amazing. I use it on a lot of gigs. When I played the Hipgig kit behind Sheryl Crow, everyone freaked out at how good it sounded. Same with Michael McDonald — everyone was talking about the great drum sounds. That little 16" bass drum sounds like a 20". It's punchy, with a lot more depth than you'd expect. The small snare drum sounds great too, especially with the added-on wood rim. It's a great cross-stick sound. I turned my brother on to the kit (Rick's younger brother is Jerry Marotta, another top-tier session man). He tells me that he uses them all the time, because the bass drum sounds so unbelievable. He's been swatting them hard, and he's a bigger guy than me. And now I hear that a lot of guys are showing up with them at sessions here in LA."
Marotta has accepted fewer drumming gigs as his composing career has accelerated. (He is currently scoring three TV shows: Everybody Loves Raymond, Imagine That, and Yes, Dear). But even if Marotta is writing more parts than he's reading these days, his philosophy remains the same: "I bring to composing the same attitude I bring to drumming," he says. "Simple is usually better."
HARVEY MASON
WEBSITE: www.harveymason.com
"Harvey Mason is probably the most recorded and most influential drummer /percussionist in this genre." proclaims Nathan East. " I first became aware of him in the days of Herbie Hancock's Headhunters and he had a patented beat that every drummer learned. Harvey's innovative, creative and a very musical drummer. So, what you get with Harvey is very special."
Drummer/Producer/Composer - Harvey Mason first showed his penchant for greatness, distinctive technique and innate sensitivity in the late '60's performing with jazz legends Duke Ellington and Erroll Garner. His recording career began in the early years of the Blue Note jazz crossover explosion and continued with groundbreaking performances and compositions with Herbie Hancock and the Headhunters. One of the world's premier drummers, Mason has earned seven Grammy nominations including one for Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for the latest of six solo endeavors, Ratamacue.
His inspired drumming has also graced other artist's Grammy winners, including Seal's '95 Record of the Year. A mantle full of tributes includes four First Place awards in Modern Drummer's Studio poll and three Most Valuable Player trophies from NARAS. A first-call studio musician, Harvey has played on more gold and platinum jazz crossover records than any other drummer. A gifted composer, he scored Only The Strong, Deadly Takeover and contributed to the score of The Color Purple. He has performed on over 150 motion picture soundtracks and played at 12 of the past 13 Academy Awards presentations. He was lauded as Best Percussionist at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards in early 2000 and with his Fourplay-mates took home the Best Group Assignation. His reputation as a leader in jazz-fusion fits perfectly with the style and flavor of Fourplay.
Harvey Mason's uncompromising quest for excellence has impacted the shape and form of music and musicians for the past three decades and will continue to keep him at the forefront of not only jazz, but that of pop, rock, orchestral, R&B, hip-hop, world and Latin, for decades to come.
JOHN ROBINSON
WEBSITE: www.johnjrrobinson.com
One of the most recorded drummers in history, John JR Robinson got his musical start in Creston, Iowa, where he was born in 1954. Both of JR’s parents wanted him to be involved in music, so at the age of 5 came the piano, drums at 8, and JR started his first band at the ripe old age of 10. JR credits his drumming chops to having great teachers early on. At 14 he began playing with the Iowa Big Band, that was located in SW Iowa near Creston. During his high school years he was both an athlete and a drummer - fortunately he picked the correct career choice. After graduation he emigrated to Boston and the Berklee School of Music, playing in both small groups and big bands.
In 1978, John was hired for the drum chair in Rufus and moved to Los Angeles to finish the Rufus and Chaka Khan tour. In late 1978, JR was asked by Quincy Jones if he did any sessions outside Rufus. An immediate ‘yes’ found him in the studio recording "Off The Wall" for Michael Jackson. After that session, unlike many, JR created a career path. "I decided that I wouldn’t turn down any gig and set out a 15 year studio plan", he recalls. "Now, I’m in my 23rd year in the studios and still going strong, although because I’m so busy I do have to turn down some offers. Over the years I’ve gotten the big calls and worked with really great artists".
Some of the hits for him are: "We Are The World", Lionel Richie’s "All Night Long", The Pointer Sisters’ "I’m So Excited" and "Slow Hand" and David Lee Roth’s "I’m Just a Gigolo" and "California Girls". Other artists that JR backed are Steve Winwood, Natalie Cole, and in 1983 he won a Grammy with Rufus and Chaka Khan for "Ain’t Nobody".
JR has been the drummer for Quincy Jones since 1979 and Barbra Streisand since 1993. He also was the drummer for Peter Frampton’s live CD "Frampton Comes alive 2".
Even with his very busy schedule, JR has found time to teach a course in "Studio Techniques" at the Los Angeles Music Academy every other semester. He is currently working on his solo CD and producing several projects, and will continue to add his magic on many hits to come with his recognized sound of great time and a great groove. John JR Robinson, an Iowa, who has made the big time and been the drummer for most of the top artists in the very competitive musical world of the Los Angeles studios.
DAVE TULL
Dave Tull has toured the world as drummer and lead vocalist for Chuck Mangione since 2000. He has played drums with Jack Sheldon's Quartet and Big Band since 1991.
Dave plays on all three of Michael Buble's CDs and Renee Olstead's first CD, all produced by David Foster. He is the drummer for singer Cheryl Bentyne (of the Manhattan Transfer) having played on three of her CDs including her 2005 release "Let Me Off Uptown" on Telarc.
Dave has been a member of the Les Brown Band of Renown since 1998 and plays on their current CD Session 55. Dave was the drummer for the Steve Allen Big Band and Trio for 5 years. He plays on DVDs with The Paul Smith Trio, Cheryl Bentyne and Steve Huffsteter all on AIX Records. Dave toured and recorded the CDs Big Bop Nouveau and High Voltage 2 with Maynard Ferguson between 1987 and 1991. He also plays on current CDs for The Dave Arnay Trio, Gene Burkert Quartet, George Stone Big Band, and Dirk Fisher Big Band.
Dave keeps busy on the Los Angeles jazz scene, performing regularly with Jack Sheldon, The Page Cavanaugh Trio, Paul Smith Trio and many others. Dave has performed in six of the events put on by Ken Poston's Los Angeles Jazz Institute.
JOEL TAYLOR
WEBSITE: www.joel-taylor.com
Since moving to Los Angeles in 1985, drummer Joel Taylor has become one of the most versatile and "in demand" drummers currently in the L.A. studio and touring scene. He has performed and recorded with a diversity of artists that span the whole stylistic spectrum of the music world. Whether it is the mind boggling technical and compositional extremes of jazz/rock guitarist Allan Holdsworth, the classic rock sounds and energy of Edgar Winter or Bobby Kimbal (Toto), the slick R&B grooves of Bobby Caldwell, Jeff Lorber, or the odd-meter & orchestral music of Yanni, Joel seems to always adds the right combination of groove, sound, and musicianship needed for each particular situation.
Born in Worland, Wyoming, in 1959, Joel started playing drums around the age of 8, following in his older brother footsteps. However, at age 10, his parents brought him a trumpet, which became his main axe through high school, playing at Carnegie Hall when he was only 16 with the McDonald All American High School Band.
It was while attending Berklee College of Music (1979-1982) that he again focused his attention on the drums, studying with Alan Dawson and Gary Chaffee. After leaving Boston, he spent a year in the N.Y.C. area, before moving to L.A. Joel has appeared on nearly 100 CD, done dozens of film and television themes and projects, as well as innumerable jingles. Along with the aforementioned artists, he has also toured and /or recorded with the following: Andy Summers, Frank Gambale, Eric Marienthal, Enie Watts, Leslie West, Pat Travers, Micky Thomas (Starship), Scott Henderson, The Rippingtons, Diane Schuur, Joe Sample, Brian Bromberg, Brandon Fields, Mitchell Forman, Free Flight, Jeff Richman, Kenia, Justo Almario, Rique Pantoja, Nico Assumpcao, Cecilia Noel & The Wild Clams.
Joel with Stanley Clarke and Armand Sabal-Lecco
CARLOS VEGA
One of my favorite studio drummers ever...
Gio W.
Vega, 41, died at home of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound on the eve of a scheduled April 8 appearance with Taylor on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," according to a published report.
Vega, who had just returned from a European tour with Taylor, was set to go on the road with the artist again for the U.S. leg of his tour. The tour is scheduled to begin May 29 at the Beacon Theatre in New York following shows April 27 at Sting's all-star Rainforest Benefit Concert at Carnegie Hall and a special appearance with the Boston Pops Orchestra at Boston's Symphony Hall.
Besides his work with Taylor over the past decade -- which included the studio releases "Never Die Young," "New Moon Shine," and "Hourglass," plus Taylor's "(Live)" album -- Vega had recorded and/or performed with Freddy Hubbard, Boz Scaggs, Lee Ritenour, Vince Gill, Reba McIntire, Olivia Newton-John (including the "Grease" soundtrack), Larry Carlton, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, and Randy Newman, according to sources. Vega was also a member of keyboardist David Garfield's fusion band Karizma.
Drummer Steve Jordan, a friend of Vega's since the '80s, says Vega was "a stabilizing force in any group that he played in, which is the reason this thing is so shocking to everyone, because the circumstances of his departure were so incongruous with his life, at least the way we saw it."
Jordan adds that Vega "fulfilled to the utmost the function of the drummer being the captain of the ship. Where [late Toto and session drummer] Jeff Porcaro left off, Carlos picked up."
Jordan's comments reflect the reaction of Vega's other friends and associates, who also expressed shock and remember him as a pleasant, easy-going person.
Taylor says in a written statement, "It has been a great privilege and delight working with Carlos for the past 13 years and wonderful to have collaborated with so talented a player. I miss him terribly as a friend and an artist."
Jazz guitarist Ritenour was among the first to recognize Vega's talent and hire the young drummer to record and perform professionally. Ritenour also recommended Vega to Taylor when the latter needed a new drummer in the mid-'80s. "At the memorial he had so many friends turn out, I wish he just had put his hand out just even a bit before that day, 'cause so many of us would have been there," says Ritenour.
Producer George Massenburg, whose credits include Ronstadt and Taylor, says he is "devastated" by Vega's death. "My life and all of my expectations will change for this," he says. "How will we ever feel comfortable with being happy in the studio again?"
DICK WELLER
WEBSITES: www.csun.edu/~raw44202/ and www.wellermusic.com
Dick Weller is one of the most electrifying drummers in the California area today. His virtuosity has gained him recognition from some of the top jazz musicians in the United States and has earned him the reputation of being one of the most versatile, hard-driving, solid groove players around.
After earning a degree in Music from New York University, Dick began playing in various jazz clubs in and around Manhattan. His extraordinary ability soon caught the attention of many notable musicians and performances followed with Mike Stern, Bobby Lyle, Mike Manieri, Scott Henderson, amid many others. He appeared in concert with the great Diane Schuur and has been performing recently with Bobby Shew, Bob Florence and Jack Sheldon.
In the studio, Dick has performed with many musicians, including Alan Pasqua, Bob Sheppard, John Beasely, Alfonso Johnson, Jeff Beal, and Steve Tavaglione. He also appeared on an instructional tape with singer Judy Niemack that featured pianist Fred Hersch and bassist Scott Colley, and has appeared on the Jazz Network with the Weller Bros.
Dick also received two invitations by Yamaha to perform in their "Drums for Lunch" series, which features concerts and lectures by some of New York's most prestigious drummers. While in New York, he appeared with musicians such as Charles Blenzig, Andy Laverne, Jeff Andrews, Rachel Z, Chuck Loeb and Walt Weiskopf. Dick was an affiliate faculty member at the State University of New York at Purchase, teaching undergraduate level jazz composition, and now enjoys a similar position at California State University, Northridge. Dick endorses Yamaha drums and Zildjian cymbals.
