| Charlie Zeleny |
You are recently back from Japan. Tell us about that project.
Charlie Z:
Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater and I have a duo going that is akin to the
Rudess Morgenstein Project he has going with Rod Morgenstein. He originally
called me to fill in for Rod on a tour of Japan since I came top of mind from working
with him on a bunch of drum instructional video series for his Online Conservatory,
writing a column in his Accent Magazine and playing with musicians he knows and
respects. It also helped having him check out the Prog work I did up and have him
dig my playing to help secure the gig.
It all happened quite quickly and I had to memorize a bunch of Rudess
Morgenstein Project tunes along with some of his Rhythm of Time tunes to be
ready for one 4 hour rehearsal and then get on a plane and go to Japan the next
week. I had 2 weeks total to get it all together and I basically spent 24 hours a day
just playing
and memorizing the Jordan tunes until I could play them in my sleep. With the jet
lag I kind of had to play them in my sleep in fact so it was good I knew the tunes so
well!
Charlie Z:
Jordan Rudess from Dream Theater and I have a duo going that is akin to the
Rudess Morgenstein Project he has going with Rod Morgenstein. He originally
called me to fill in for Rod on a tour of Japan since I came top of mind from working
with him on a bunch of drum instructional video series for his Online Conservatory,
writing a column in his Accent Magazine and playing with musicians he knows and
respects. It also helped having him check out the Prog work I did up and have him
dig my playing to help secure the gig.
It all happened quite quickly and I had to memorize a bunch of Rudess
Morgenstein Project tunes along with some of his Rhythm of Time tunes to be
ready for one 4 hour rehearsal and then get on a plane and go to Japan the next
week. I had 2 weeks total to get it all together and I basically spent 24 hours a day
just playing
and memorizing the Jordan tunes until I could play them in my sleep. With the jet
lag I kind of had to play them in my sleep in fact so it was good I knew the tunes so
well!
Japan was amazing and they treated us incredibly well there especially since
Roland Electronics sponsored the events we did out there. We did a DVD
shoot, a bunch of headlining at concerts all around Japan and a bunch of
autograph signings. The sushi was the best on the planet, the vibe there is
fast paced and futuristic and my hotel room had a perfect view of Mt. Fuji
while I was staying in Tokyo.
Since then Jordan has been swamped on and off mainly doing Dream Theater
touring and recording along with solo clinics and the like. When we are both
around we always get around to working more on more projects together. Last
year before the NAMM show he and I did a great tune found on my YouTube
site together. Its a standard Jordan prog/fusion kind of tune and I played
drums on my big Sonor kit that was simulcasted live for his performance at the
Korg booth. Very cool!
Roland Electronics sponsored the events we did out there. We did a DVD
shoot, a bunch of headlining at concerts all around Japan and a bunch of
autograph signings. The sushi was the best on the planet, the vibe there is
fast paced and futuristic and my hotel room had a perfect view of Mt. Fuji
while I was staying in Tokyo.
Since then Jordan has been swamped on and off mainly doing Dream Theater
touring and recording along with solo clinics and the like. When we are both
around we always get around to working more on more projects together. Last
year before the NAMM show he and I did a great tune found on my YouTube
site together. Its a standard Jordan prog/fusion kind of tune and I played
drums on my big Sonor kit that was simulcasted live for his performance at the
Korg booth. Very cool!
You have a dynamic list of accomplishments. Would you like to touch on
the high points for us? Do you have a particular achievement that you
feel was a defining moment in your career? What are your ambitions
from here and what is your strategy for making that happen?
Charlie Z:
The high points of my accomplishments are me playing duo with Jordan
Rudess from Dream Theater, playing drum duets with Terry Bozzio, playing
to a sold out Lincoln Center crowd, playing major recording studios in NYC
and opening for Bon Jovi at a packed arena of 18,000 people.
All of which really brought me into the moment and undeniably made me
feel like I've arrived as a real professional musician. Getting the call with
Jordan was unbelievable, but actually playing duo with him in Japan
was absolutely insane. I grew up listening to Dream Theater and
Jordan's solo albums especially the Rudess Morgenstein Project so
it really was a dream come true to be able to play those tunes together
with Jordan live and in the studio.
the high points for us? Do you have a particular achievement that you
feel was a defining moment in your career? What are your ambitions
from here and what is your strategy for making that happen?
Charlie Z:
The high points of my accomplishments are me playing duo with Jordan
Rudess from Dream Theater, playing drum duets with Terry Bozzio, playing
to a sold out Lincoln Center crowd, playing major recording studios in NYC
and opening for Bon Jovi at a packed arena of 18,000 people.
All of which really brought me into the moment and undeniably made me
feel like I've arrived as a real professional musician. Getting the call with
Jordan was unbelievable, but actually playing duo with him in Japan
was absolutely insane. I grew up listening to Dream Theater and
Jordan's solo albums especially the Rudess Morgenstein Project so
it really was a dream come true to be able to play those tunes together
with Jordan live and in the studio.
When Terry Bozzio checked out my work he reached out and wanted me to come down to do some
work with The Drum Channel and one of the options was to play together. Of course I took that option
and I got to play double drums with Terry and hang out like a peer. Thats something that I would
never have expected in a million years to happen and turned out to be quite an amazing time. I
definitely had to pinch myself after that one!
Walking out to a sold out Lincoln Center crowd or the Bon Jovi arena crowd was crazy too. There are
not many jazz trained musicians who ever get to play in front of a crowd that large and I definitely had
to take a minute to take it all in. Same thing walking through the halls before I recorded albums at top
studios like Cove City, Avatar and Sony Music Studios in New York City. There is a history in each of
those places and I was hired to play drums in each and will be a part of that studios' history from here
on. Very cool!
My ambitions are many and varied like always. I definitely want to continue to develop my versatility so
I can continue playing any style of music in any place at any time. I would like to become the top
Session Drummer in the world but will have to wait until todays current top guys like Vinnie Colaiuta,
Shawn Pelton and Matt Chamberlain retire of course. I am developing my Solo Career at this point too
and would like to be one of the go-to guys like Thomas Lang, Derek Roddy, Benny Greb and Steve
Smith in that whole scene. That means clinic tours, educational DVDs, books and Solo CD projects in
all different styles.
work with The Drum Channel and one of the options was to play together. Of course I took that option
and I got to play double drums with Terry and hang out like a peer. Thats something that I would
never have expected in a million years to happen and turned out to be quite an amazing time. I
definitely had to pinch myself after that one!
Walking out to a sold out Lincoln Center crowd or the Bon Jovi arena crowd was crazy too. There are
not many jazz trained musicians who ever get to play in front of a crowd that large and I definitely had
to take a minute to take it all in. Same thing walking through the halls before I recorded albums at top
studios like Cove City, Avatar and Sony Music Studios in New York City. There is a history in each of
those places and I was hired to play drums in each and will be a part of that studios' history from here
on. Very cool!
My ambitions are many and varied like always. I definitely want to continue to develop my versatility so
I can continue playing any style of music in any place at any time. I would like to become the top
Session Drummer in the world but will have to wait until todays current top guys like Vinnie Colaiuta,
Shawn Pelton and Matt Chamberlain retire of course. I am developing my Solo Career at this point too
and would like to be one of the go-to guys like Thomas Lang, Derek Roddy, Benny Greb and Steve
Smith in that whole scene. That means clinic tours, educational DVDs, books and Solo CD projects in
all different styles.
I am sure I'll continue to Music Direct, Bandlead and will most likely get more into
Production work and might even want to score a movie or two down the road. I
also plan on continuing the jazz and fusion work that I do and will probably find
myself on gigs with those kind of artists too like Mike Stern or Oz Noy.
But at this point, I am still figuring out what steps to take when and organizing
myself as well as I can in between playing my current gigs to pay the bills. You
can't do all of these things at once otherwise you risk sacrificing the quality of
one or all of them. So I am trying to decide which projects come first and which
projects will follow afterwards. A career
in music and drumming is definitely a journey but it is to be enjoyed as much as
possible at every level, from the worst dive bar to the biggest sold
out arena. So enjoy where you are but never lose sight of your goals and how to
achieve them otherwise you might find yourself in the wrong place and getting
gigs you don't want!
Production work and might even want to score a movie or two down the road. I
also plan on continuing the jazz and fusion work that I do and will probably find
myself on gigs with those kind of artists too like Mike Stern or Oz Noy.
But at this point, I am still figuring out what steps to take when and organizing
myself as well as I can in between playing my current gigs to pay the bills. You
can't do all of these things at once otherwise you risk sacrificing the quality of
one or all of them. So I am trying to decide which projects come first and which
projects will follow afterwards. A career
in music and drumming is definitely a journey but it is to be enjoyed as much as
possible at every level, from the worst dive bar to the biggest sold
out arena. So enjoy where you are but never lose sight of your goals and how to
achieve them otherwise you might find yourself in the wrong place and getting
gigs you don't want!
You have endorsment deals with several companies including Sonor. Were you a Sonor owner prior to the endorsment deal? What would you be
playing if you hadn't signed with Sonor? Can you give us a run down of your typical live setup, or does it vary substantially from gig to gig?
Charlie Z:
Sonor drums have been a big part of my development as a drummer since my first jazz teacher used them and taught me how to play the drums
on Sonors. He had a beautiful Sonor Jazz kit and I knew Sonor mainly as a jazz company for many years. It wasn't until I befriended Steve Smith
of Journey fame that I started to realize that Rock and Fusion guys sounded unbelievable on Sonors too. I checked out tons of the drums and did
some deep comparisons with regard to the way they cut their shells, do their finishes, types of woods they use, what kinds of drummers were on
their artist roster and what kind of support they give their artists worldwide. After weighing in on all the major drum companies I went with Sonor.
They are truly the best crafted and most amazing sounding drums on the market today by far. They hold up to touring, sound incredible while
recording and their artist roster is an exact mix of what I do: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Fusion, Prog and Drum Hero. They've been great to me with
support and I am looking forward to continuing to raise the awareness of how amazing Sonor Drums are in the US market where they could use a
good, young versatile drummer who has his hand in many different high profile projects. The only other thing I'd play besides Sonor Drums and
the house kits on gigs where I have no control over the backline is old Vintage drums that sound great on recordings like old Gretsches,
Slingerlands and Rogers.
Live and Recording Setup varies from gig to gig of course but mainly when I am called to be a real feature in a project like in Prog or Drum Solo
Clinics I use my large kit. I've got 4 toms on the right side of my big kit (10", 12", 14", 16") along with a 22" kick and Black Chrome 5" x 14" Artist
Series Snare and add a 12" x 5" Piccolo Snare on the left side of my hihat. Cymbals are all Signature Series Paiste including the 13" Dark Hats,
22" Dark Metal Ride, 17" & 19" Reflector Crashes, 13" Tripple Raw Smash stack, 8" & 10" Splashes, 20" & 18" Chinas. Sometimes I'll add an
extra 14" and 8" Tom on the left side of my kit and add tons of Rhythm Tech mounted percussion like the Metalworks Series. I use Evans G2
Clear Heads on Toms and Coated HD Dry Heads on the Snares and the old standby EMAD head on the Kick. I use Vic Firth 5A sticks for
everything except light jazz which I'll use the roundtip Peter Erskine stick. I use the G1 Mallets and Heritage Brushes and any specialty stick that
might work for a different texture. Audix mics are what I use especially the D6 on the kick for the perfect attack and low end balance.
When doing gigs as a Session Drummer I am on the basic 4 piece kit which basically is just a 12" Rack, 16" Floor, 22" Kick and a 6.5" x 14"
Snare usually Maple. Then I bring out my Paiste Dark Energy Series Cymbals (14" Hats, 21" Mark 1 Ride, 17" & 19" Crashes) and G1 or G2
Coated Heads with an EMAD on the Kick. Still use those Vic Firth 5As for everything though from the heaviest metal to lightest pop.
Practice time is getting less frequent with the amount of gigs I do so any help I can get to become better faster is encouraged. Thats why I am now
with Hansenfutz Practice Pedals and also Onboard Research's Beatnik Electronic Practice Pads. Both really help my playing when I am on the
road or I am in my studio getting material ready for gigging or recording. The Duallist Pedals are quite amazing too, I am still getting into them but
they open up a whole new set of possibilities with their design of getting two bass drum beater strokes for the price of one. Most innovative pedal
and actually useful design I've seen yet. Best bags for everything from drums to luggage are Protection Racket too and I try to also transport
my drums with them to keep them safe.
playing if you hadn't signed with Sonor? Can you give us a run down of your typical live setup, or does it vary substantially from gig to gig?
Charlie Z:
Sonor drums have been a big part of my development as a drummer since my first jazz teacher used them and taught me how to play the drums
on Sonors. He had a beautiful Sonor Jazz kit and I knew Sonor mainly as a jazz company for many years. It wasn't until I befriended Steve Smith
of Journey fame that I started to realize that Rock and Fusion guys sounded unbelievable on Sonors too. I checked out tons of the drums and did
some deep comparisons with regard to the way they cut their shells, do their finishes, types of woods they use, what kinds of drummers were on
their artist roster and what kind of support they give their artists worldwide. After weighing in on all the major drum companies I went with Sonor.
They are truly the best crafted and most amazing sounding drums on the market today by far. They hold up to touring, sound incredible while
recording and their artist roster is an exact mix of what I do: Pop, Rock, Jazz, Fusion, Prog and Drum Hero. They've been great to me with
support and I am looking forward to continuing to raise the awareness of how amazing Sonor Drums are in the US market where they could use a
good, young versatile drummer who has his hand in many different high profile projects. The only other thing I'd play besides Sonor Drums and
the house kits on gigs where I have no control over the backline is old Vintage drums that sound great on recordings like old Gretsches,
Slingerlands and Rogers.
Live and Recording Setup varies from gig to gig of course but mainly when I am called to be a real feature in a project like in Prog or Drum Solo
Clinics I use my large kit. I've got 4 toms on the right side of my big kit (10", 12", 14", 16") along with a 22" kick and Black Chrome 5" x 14" Artist
Series Snare and add a 12" x 5" Piccolo Snare on the left side of my hihat. Cymbals are all Signature Series Paiste including the 13" Dark Hats,
22" Dark Metal Ride, 17" & 19" Reflector Crashes, 13" Tripple Raw Smash stack, 8" & 10" Splashes, 20" & 18" Chinas. Sometimes I'll add an
extra 14" and 8" Tom on the left side of my kit and add tons of Rhythm Tech mounted percussion like the Metalworks Series. I use Evans G2
Clear Heads on Toms and Coated HD Dry Heads on the Snares and the old standby EMAD head on the Kick. I use Vic Firth 5A sticks for
everything except light jazz which I'll use the roundtip Peter Erskine stick. I use the G1 Mallets and Heritage Brushes and any specialty stick that
might work for a different texture. Audix mics are what I use especially the D6 on the kick for the perfect attack and low end balance.
When doing gigs as a Session Drummer I am on the basic 4 piece kit which basically is just a 12" Rack, 16" Floor, 22" Kick and a 6.5" x 14"
Snare usually Maple. Then I bring out my Paiste Dark Energy Series Cymbals (14" Hats, 21" Mark 1 Ride, 17" & 19" Crashes) and G1 or G2
Coated Heads with an EMAD on the Kick. Still use those Vic Firth 5As for everything though from the heaviest metal to lightest pop.
Practice time is getting less frequent with the amount of gigs I do so any help I can get to become better faster is encouraged. Thats why I am now
with Hansenfutz Practice Pedals and also Onboard Research's Beatnik Electronic Practice Pads. Both really help my playing when I am on the
road or I am in my studio getting material ready for gigging or recording. The Duallist Pedals are quite amazing too, I am still getting into them but
they open up a whole new set of possibilities with their design of getting two bass drum beater strokes for the price of one. Most innovative pedal
and actually useful design I've seen yet. Best bags for everything from drums to luggage are Protection Racket too and I try to also transport
my drums with them to keep them safe.
