Dave Weckl

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Dave Weckl in July of 2004

Dave Weckl (born January 8, 1960) is a highly acclaimed jazz fusion drummer. Weckl attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, MO and graduated in 1978. He majored in jazz studies at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut. Starting out on the New York fusion scene in the early 1980s, Weckl soon found himself working with artists such as Paul Simon, Madonna, George Benson, Michel Camilo and Anthony Jackson. His most famous early work though, where his popularity blossomed, was in Chick Corea's Elektric Band from 1985 to 1991.

Weckl spent a total of seven years with Corea, during which he performed on numerous albums and also appeared with Corea's Akoustic Band, receiving considerable esteem for his work. He augmented his work with Corea by continuing his session work and appearing often with the GRP All-Star Big Band. Weckl has also released a series of instructional videotapes, and in 1990, he led his first solo date, Master Plan, for GRP. Heads Up followed in 1992, as well as Hard-Wired in 1994.

Upon leaving Corea, Weckl's primary focus was recording and touring with guitarist Mike Stern; he also continued his work as a sideman. In 1998, Weckl led the R&B-oriented date Rhythm of the Soul, a return to his other boyhood musical love, and the like-minded Synergy followed in 1999. The Dave Weckl Band had really gelled by the time of Transition's 2000 release, but Weckl didn't leave teaching behind either, and released another instructional recording, The Zone, in 2001. After working extensively with a quartet for the last few years, he debuted their efforts with 2002's improv-heavy Perpetual Motion.

He has been the leader of ten recordings since 1990, three under his own name and seven as the Dave Weckl Band. Dave Weckl has several deals with musical companies like Yamaha, Sabian, and Vic Firth, which sell customized percussion products designed in part by Weckl.

He was also known as the "Triplet King."

Around 1996, his style and setup radically changed due in large part from his studies with the legendary Freddie Gruber.