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BiographyName: Chris D'Sylver
Styles/Influences: My father, Frank King (a teacher from the 60's), James Blades, My teacher (while doing a course at the London School of Music in the 70's), Ronnie Verrell, Eric Delaney, Phil Seamen, Kenny Clare, Ronnie Stephenson, Ginger Baker, Basil Kirchin, Joe Morello, Billy Drummond, Elvin Jones, Alvin Queen, Tony Williams, Mark Mondesir, Mark Fletcher...To name but a few!!! History: My parents were both professional musicians. My mother was a Cellist, and my father a drummer. I stated playing drums when I was 4 years old. My dad who played with most of the UK's top dance bands, and jazz groups during the 1930's, 40's, and 50's was a very good teacher and he taught me all the rudiments. At school I studied piano as well as drums and percussion. During this time I also had a number of private teachers. I started to play with school bands at age 10, and some of these were of a high standard. At 15 years old I left school and started working with a local rock band, plus a big dance band, and I kind of fell into being a professional player. I never really wanted to do anything else in life, just play music. At age 17 I left home and moved to London where I lodged in a house full of other musicians. During the day I would stay in and practice. At night I would be playing with a Rhythm and Blues band that I had joined. When my gig had finished I would head for the west end of London to where all the Blues and Jazz clubs are. A lot of the sessions then went on all night and I would arrive home usually about 5:30 in the morning. I learned so much about drumming and music in general at that time; I would also pester the musicians with questions. Some pretty famous people gave me a lot of help. After about a year I started to get sessions offered to me and I found myself working with much better bands. At that time I found myself playing in Blues bands, straight Dance bands, and doing recording sessions with those bands also. I worked as a freelance musician right through the 1960's. During that period, I also played for Cabaret on the large cruise liners, and at one point worked with a Circus band for 6 months. In the 1970's I started to work more and more on Radio and TV sessions. I worked with the resident orchestra on the Val Donavan BBC TV show for a number of years, and each week backed all the top entertainers. With that orchestra I mainly played percussion. Also, TV Jingles were something else I got into at that time, as well as the background music for TV and Radio Plays. Up until about 1981 I had recorded with over 60 artists. They include the following: • Emile Ford and The Checkmates
In the 80's I played more and more small group jazz, mostly with a tenor saxophone player named Nigel Nash. I started to have very serious eye problems in 1984, and was registered legally blind in 1986. Since then, I have been leading my own bands, anything from a duo, to an 18 piece Big Band. The bands mostly play modern jazz, but really we turn our hands to anything. The more versatile you are, the more work you get. I still play the odd session in the recording studio. I have recorded 2 CD's under my own name and I'm just about to record a 3rd one. Putting the blindness to one side, life has been very good to me. I set out to be a professional musician and that's what I became. I never really wanted to see my name in lights. I just wanted to earn a living playing music and I have been able to do just that. Remember, just keep on laying the music down. It brings people together. MediaAll new files 02-22-05 Audio #1 (mp3)
Audio #2 (mp3)
Gear
Drums: Eddie Ryan Custom Birch Drums in Green Silk Pearl Finish
Cymbals: Istanbul Agop
Hardware & Misc:
The rest of my hardware consists of Pearl stands and Percussion Plus Medium Beaters. Heads: Bass - Evans EQ3 Batter & Remo Smooth White ResoToms - Remo Pinstripe Batter & Smooth White ResoSnare - Remo Coated Ambassador Batter & Clear Snare SideSticks: • Regal Tip 7A, 7AE, or PF-JH Jeff Hamilton model• Regal Tip 550W Hickory Handle Wire Brushes• Percussion Plus Nylon Brushes |
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