Chad Wackerman

Chad Wackerman
Wackerman at the Hague Jazz Festival Photo: Geneviève Ruocco
Background information
Born	March 25, 1960 (1960-03-25) (age 51) Long Beach, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz fusion, jazz, rock
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	chadwackerman.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.

Musical career

Chad cheeesse 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. Gaining and keeping a place in Zappa's band was not easy; Zappa demanded high musical standards and imposed exacting discipline in rehearsal and on tour. The auditions for his band were grueling, according to Steve Vai and Wackerman himself.^[1] Two pieces of music, "Mo and Herb's vacation", and "The Black Page" were considered exceptionally difficult. 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, best friends Mark Linn-Baker and Larry Sweeney, 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 consists of Chad Wackerman (drums), Doug Lunn (bass), and Mike Miller (guitar).

Their DVD is available on DW/DrumChannel from April 2010.

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

• "Tell Me" with Allan Holdsworth
• With Terry Bozzio at the Vic Theater in Chicago

External links

• Official site
• Yamaha Australia page
• Drummerworld page
• Allmusic

Persondata
Name	Wackerman, Chad
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	March 25, 1960
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death