Gary Chester facts for kids

Gary Chester (born Cesario Gurciullo; October 27, 1924 – August 17, 1987) was an American studio drummer, author, and teacher. Starting in the 1960s, he played drums on hundreds of famous songs. He worked with popular bands like The Coasters, The Monkees, and The Lovin' Spoonful.

Who Was Gary Chester?

Early Life and Music Career

Gary Chester was born in the Bronx, New York. His parents had moved there from Syracuse, Sicily. Gary got his start in music when he filled in for another drummer during a recording session. This was his first successful time playing on a record.

As Gary's skills grew, he became very well-known. He was not only a great drummer but also a respected teacher. Many drummers wanted to learn from him because of his special and challenging ways of teaching.

Teaching Drummers His Unique Methods

Gary Chester's drumming systems have been used by many famous drummers. People like Kenny Aronoff, Danny Gottlieb, Max Weinberg, and Dave Weckl all studied with him. His teaching helped them become better musicians.

What is an Ostinato?

Gary Chester created a system that used drum 'melodies' to help drummers improve their coordination and rhythm. He called this an ostinato. An ostinato is a repeating musical pattern. But Gary made it more than just repeating. He taught drummers to create drum melodies for a song. These melodies would change and grow, using the whole drum kit.

He believed drummers should change their drum patterns to fit the song's changing sounds. This made the song sound even better. Gary's system also taught drummers to play a repeating pattern with one or more limbs (hands or feet). Then, they could play freely with their other limbs. This made one drummer sound like a whole group of percussionists!

Playing with Both Hands and Singing Rhythms

Gary Chester focused on teaching drummers to be creative and to play without thinking too much. He also taught them to use all four limbs independently. This means each hand and foot could do something different at the same time. He also taught them to be ambidextrous. This means being able to use both their right and left hands (or feet) equally well.

For example, he taught students to play both right-handed and left-handed. This gave drummers more freedom and made their playing smoother. It also allowed them to switch patterns between hands. This helped them create richer drum melodies. Being ambidextrous also meant drummers didn't have to cross their arms as much. This made it easier to move around the drum set.

A key part of Gary's teaching was called "five-way independence." Students would learn a basic rhythm with three parts. Then, they had to play a new melody with their fourth limb. Gary also taught students to "sing" each part that their limbs played. This helped them "train their ears to accept and understand what you’re doing." By doing this, students learned to:

• Move all four limbs independently.
• Read music notes easily.
• Use their weaker hand to play ride patterns.
• Keep perfect time by singing the rhythm.
• Become more creative and musical. If you could play what you sang, playing music became much easier!

Gary Chester's Books

Gary Chester wrote books to share his unique teaching methods.

• New Breed
• New Breed II

Music He Played On

Gary Chester was a very busy studio drummer. He played on many hit songs and albums. Here are some of the popular songs he helped create:

Albums He Recorded On

Gary Chester also played drums on many popular albums. Here are some of them:

• Spanish Harlem - Ben E. King (1961)
• Solomon Burke - Solomon Burke (1962)
• The Electrifying Aretha Franklin - Aretha Franklin (1962)
• If You Need Me - Solomon Burke (1963)
• Young Boy Blues - Ben E. King (1964)
• Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington - Aretha Franklin (1964)
• New York Tendaberry - Laura Nyro (1969)
• And Now We Come to Distances - Gloria Loring (1969)
• Aerie - John Denver (1971)
• Poems, Prayers & Promises - John Denver (1971)
• You Don't Mess Around with Jim - Jim Croce (1972)
• Rocky Mountain High - John Denver (1972)
• Life and Times - Jim Croce (1973)
• Farewell Andromeda - John Denver (1973)
• I Got a Name - Jim Croce (1973)