Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

Chad Wackerman

 
Artist: Chad Wackerman

Similar Artists:

Performed Songs By:

J. Cox, J. Johnson

Worked With:

Ray White, Scott Thunes, Tommy Mars, Arthur Barrow, Ike Willis, Ed Mann, Bobby Martin, Bruce Fowler

Formal Connection With:

  • Born: March 25, 1960, Long Beach, CA
  • Active: '80s, '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Jazz
  • Instrument: Vocals, Drums
  • Representative Albums: "Scream," "The View," "Forty Reasons"

Biography

One of the most skilled and talented drummers in all of rock and modern jazz is Chad Wackerman. Born on March 25, 1960 in Long Beach, California, Wackerman studied with some of the finest drummers in the area (including Chuck Flores). 1978 saw the drummer land his first real gig with trombonist Bill Watrous, before landing a spot with Frank Zappa, which would quickly establish Wackerman among the elite of modern-day drummers. Wackerman toured the world with Zappa and appeared on countless albums, including such acclaimed latter day releases as 1981's You Are What You Is, 1986's Jazz from Hell, 1988's Broadway the Hard Way, plus such multi-volume releases as London Symphony Orchestra and You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore. Additionally, Wackerman recorded a series of albums with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, plus session work with such varied artists as Steve Vai, Andy Summers, Men at Work, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, Colin Hay, Dweezil Zappa, Tom Grant, and even Barbra Streisand. But Wackerman isn't just confined to studio work, as he's toured the world accompanying James Taylor, John Patitucci, Joe Sample, and another ex-Zappa skinsman, Terry Bozzio. Wackerman has also found the time in his busy schedule to sporadically issue his own solo albums -- including 1991's Forty Reasons, 1993's The View, 2000s Scream, and 2004's Legs Eleven -- perform at drumming clinics around the world, and pen his own instruction book, Double Hi Hat Exercises for the Contemporary Drummer. Besides penning most of the compositions on his own albums, Wackerman has also written songs for Holdsworth and for the Dennis Miller Show. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Search unanswered questions...
Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics
Wikipedia: Chad Wackerman
Top
Chad Wackerman

Wackerman at the Hague Jazz Festival
Photo: Geneviève Ruocco
Background information
Born March 25, 1960 (1960-03-25) (age 49)
Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres Rock, Jazz, Jazz fusion
Occupations Musician, Songwriter
Instruments Drums, Percussion
Years active 1978 - present
Associated acts Bill Watrous, Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Andy Summers, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, Colin Hay, Dweezil Zappa, Tom Grant, Allan Holdsworth
Website Chad Wackerman.com

Chad Wackerman (born March 25, 1960 in Long Beach, California) is a jazz, jazz fusion and rock drummer; arguably best known in the United States for his work as a drummer and percussionist in Frank Zappa's band. However, he has worked as a band member, session musician, sideman, and bandleader of his own jazz trio.

Contents

Musical career

Chad Wackerman was raised in Seal Beach, California, in a family immersed in music. His father, a drummer, is an award-winning music teacher who has taught at both high school and middle school levels with a specialization in jazz. Chad and his brothers, John, and Brooks Wackerman are all proficient drummers and multi-instrumentalists. John recorded an album titled Drum Duets Vol.1.[1]

Wackerman joined the Bill Watrous band in 1978 and later went on to work with Frank Zappa for seven years; from 1981 to 1988. This was not an easy feat; Zappa required discipline, and the auditions for his band were notoriously grueling, according to Steve Vai and Wackerman himself.[1] Two songs, "Mo and Herb's vacation", and "The Black Page" were considered drummer's nightmares. Only three drummers throughout Zappa's career were able to play them successfully; Wackerman, Terry Bozzio, and Vinnie Colaiuta.

Sideman and session musician

In 1983, he toured, but did not record, with Australian rock act Men at Work. Wackerman played on the One Voice album and video with Barbra Streisand. He has also recorded albums and toured with artists such as Allan Holdsworth, Steve Vai, Andy Summers, Ed Mann, Albert Lee, Colin Hay, Dweezil Zappa and Tom Grant. Chad was also the drummer for the house band on the first Dennis Miller late night talk show.

Chad has also toured with James Taylor, John Patitucci and Joe Sample, as well as fellow Zappa drummer Terry Bozzio in a series of all-percussion concerts. Chad lived in Australia for ten years between 1995 and 2005. Due to changes in the music scene in Australia and an increase in gigs in the United States, Chad decided to move back to California in July, 2005.

Chad Wackerman Trio

The current Chad Wackerman Trio includes: Chad Wackerman (drums) Doug Lunn(bass) Mike Miller(guitar)

Chad's own records include guitar contributions from Allan Holdsworth.

Solo Discography

Solo Artist

  • Forty Reasons (1991)
  • The View (1993)
  • Scream (2000)
  • Legs Eleven (2004)

References

  1. ^ a b Wackerman, Chad (2001-2006). "Chad Wackerman Website". Official Website Faqs. Evolutionweb.com. http://www.chadwackerman.com/faqs.html. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 

Multimedia

External links


 
 
Learn More
Allan Holdsworth and Alan Pasqua: Live at Yoshi's (2007 Music Film)
Speechless (1987 Album by Albert Lee)
I'll Play for you (1980 Album by Bill Watrous)

Who is chad latunski? Read answer...
What is chad suppose to be? Read answer...
How big is chad? Read answer...

Help us answer these
What is chad's currancy?
Who lives in chad?
When was chad found?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Chad Wackerman" Read more