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Danny Seraphine

Danny Seraphine is one of the world’s most highly-respected rock drummers, rated by the legendary Buddy Rich as one of his favorite young drummers. He was the drummer, percussionist and a founding member of the multi-million selling, Grammy award-wining band Chicago. From 1967 to 1990, Seraphine played on and helped produce 18 gold and 13 platinum albums, 50 Top 40 hits, including 20 Top 10 singles, and 5 number ones.

Seraphine grew up in Chicago, Illinois and started playing drums at the age of nine, eventually studying privately with famed percussionist Bob Tillis. After forming Chicago in 1967 he continued studying the drums, first with big band drummer Chuck Flores, then with legendary jazz drummer Jo Jones. When Danny and Chicago parted company in 1990, he moved to Colorado to set up his own label and production company. Return- ing to Los Angeles in 2001, Seraphine continued to produce and manage recording artists, and produce Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

All this time, Danny continued playing drums, but it was after conversations with his friends, composer and musician Peter Fish, Don Lombardi (Chairman and Founder) and John Good (Vice President) of DW Drums which started him thinking about forming a band. Danny was introduced to Marc Bonilla by drummer extraordinaire Greg Bissonette and as soon as they started jamming together, they developed a rapport. Seraphine and Bonilla initially put a band together to play for several charity benefit shows. The response was so overwhelming that they decided to get serious and put a full 70-minute set together and so ‘CTA’ was born. For Danny Seraphine, this is the first time in 15 years that he has played live with a band. “I was born to play, it’s been my calling since I was nine years old, and it’s what I do best,” he explains.

“It is an honor to be playing with such a talented group of musicians who are also great people. It’s going to be a great ride”.

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Tell Me More

Danny Seraphine: The Road to Sacred Ground

Read "Danny Seraphine: The Road to Sacred Ground" reviewed by Belinda Ware


Chicago is by far one of the most prolific musical ensembles to emerge on the music scene with an array of number one hits that have proven to be timeless in global appeal. Chicago transformed music with the innovative creation of its signature jazz/rock sound, fueled by the band's solid horn section, blazing guitar work, and the renowned percussive talents of legendary drummer, Danny Seraphine.Touring across America and around the world with Chicago, Seraphine has notably received accolades ...

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Education

Music Education Monday: Jazz/Rock drumming with Danny Seraphine

Music Education Monday: Jazz/Rock drumming with Danny Seraphine

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

Today for Music Education Monday, you can get a drum lesson via video from Danny Seraphine, best known as a founding member and the original drummer of the band Chicago. Although Seraphine left the group in 1990, his work on their early albums helped establish them not only as major hit-makers, but also as a band that, at least early in their career, was considered innovative and musically credible by a lot of jazz players and fans. Although Chicago subsequently ...

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Interview

Something Else! Interview: Drummer Danny Seraphine, Formerly of Chicago

Something Else! Interview: Drummer Danny Seraphine, Formerly of Chicago

Source: Something Else!

Chicago co-founder Danny Seraphine is putting the finishing touches on his second album with California Transit Authority—which fashioned its name and its muscular jazz-rock approach from his old group's initial sound: “If you love early Chicago, then you are going to love this," Seraphine said in the latest SER Sitdown. “I'm very proud of it, and I think everybody in the band is." A group co-founder, Seraphine had been in two prior groups with eventual Chicago saxophonist Walt Parazaider and ...

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