Justin Chesarek

When Justin Chesarek, one of Atlanta’s go-to percussionists, was a child living in Pennsylvania, his father sat him down and educated him, via the Beatles Anthology documentary. The mesmerized ten year old was hooked. Two years later with the help of his first drum teacher Randy Roth, he was gigging with Pittsburgh jazz legend Harold Betters, taking advantage of the experience as an early version of on-the-job training. He also counts the invaluable experience of listening to Roger Humphries, well-known for his work with Horace Silver, as a significant step in his early musical education. This was just the beginning.

After earning a Bachelors of Music in Music Education from Slippery Rock University under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. David Glover (percussion), Dr. Steve Hawk (trumpet and jazz ensemble), and Terry Steele (jazz combos), Justin trekked south to Atlanta in 2008 to pursue a Masters of Music and Jazz Studies at Georgia State University. A year after his arrival, Justin landed a Wednesday show at Churchill Grounds, Atlanta’s premier jazz club at the time. The gig continued for the next five years and along the way, Chesarek began to fill his calendar, making a name for himself as an exceptional musician.

He performs regularly with the Joe Alterman Trio, Anita Aysola, Gary Motley, Joe Gransden, Sam Burchfield, the ATL Collective, and he is a regular at the Atlanta Jazz Festival. He is not, however, fenced in by geography. He’s performed at the The Iridium and The Blue Note in New York, D.C’s Kennedy Center, a TED Talk, the Juneau Jazz and Classics Festival in Alaska, not to mention trips across the pond to play The North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland and the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

He has gigged with locals and legends, notably neo-bop pianist Johnny O’Neal, guitar virtuoso Gilad Hekselman, trumpeter and Grammy Nominee Russell Gunn, tenor-saxophone icon Houston Person, Count Basie Orchestra vocalist Carmen Bradford, Donny McCaslin (saxophonist on Blackstar, David Bowie’s final studio album), and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Composing has become a large part of his life, and recently, he has spent more time working on songwriting than instrumental jazz. Although Justin allows his musical vision to evolve, he rarely strays from his jazz roots while maintaining forward progression. “Honestly I think blending songwriting with jazz harmony is where it’s at. I think it’s a fresher and more current approach to jazz.”

Chesarek’s love of music extends into the classroom as well.

At the undergraduate level he teaches Jazz Percussion, improvisation, and composition at Kennesaw State University, is the Artist Affiliate of Jazz Percussion at Emory University, and formerly the Professor of Percussion at Morehouse College. Along with collegiate teaching he runs a private studio in which he works with students of all ages. His alumni have gone on to become professional touring musicians, Broadway theater pit players, and top call Atlanta drummers. He is a proud endorser of Canopus Drums. Justin lives in Decatur, with his wife and two daughters.