Danny Seraphine
Encyclopedia
Daniel Peter "Danny" Seraphine (born August 28, 1948) is an American drummer
, record producer
, theatrical producer
and film producer
, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago
, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.
and raised in the Predominately Italian, Mont Clare neighborhood adjacent to the west suburbs of Elmwood Park and River Forest. He started playing drums at the age of nine while attending St. Priscilla Catholic grade school. When he was 15 years old, Seraphine dropped out of Steinmetz High School, Seraphine studied privately with famed percussionist Bob Tilles at DePaul University
, where members of Chicago
were also studying.
He continued his education with big band drummer Chuck Flores
, followed by two years of study under jazz drummer Jo Jones
(also known as Papa Jo Jones) in the mid-1970s.
Chicago Transit Authority=
By the late 1960s, Seraphine was drumming in various bands, including one with teen friends Walter Parazaider
(saxophone
and woodwinds) and Terry Kath
(guitar
). After the addition of Lee Loughnane
(trumpet
), James Pankow
(trombone
), Robert Lamm
(keyboards
) and Peter Cetera
(bass
), the band performed under a number of different names, first the Missing Links, then The Big Thing, before settling on Chicago Transit Authority, which was soon shortened to Chicago
.
Their producer and manager, James William Guercio, moved Chicago
out to Los Angeles
and they became the house band at the Whisky A Go Go
. They subsequently obtained a contract with Columbia Records
and recorded their first album - a double album - in just two weeks. The album was titled after the band's name, The Chicago Transit Authority
, and released in 1969. Second only to The Beach Boys in terms of Billboard singles and albums chart success among American bands, Chicago is one of the longest running and most successful pop/rock and roll groups.
Seraphine co-wrote several songs for the band: "Lowdown" (a Top 40 hit for the band), "Little One," "Take Me Back to Chicago," "Show Me the Way," "Birthday Boy" and "Street Player." His writing partner was often David "Hawk" Wolinski, the keyboardist for Chaka Khan and Rufus. His song "Street Player was sampled by rapper Pitbull
for the hit " I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" from the album " Rebelution". The song samples "75, Brazil Street" by Nicola Fasano versus Pat Rich, which itself samples "Street Player". "I Know You Want Me" has also been featured in Dance Central, the Xbox Kinect-Based dancing game, Dance Dance Revolution X2 for PlayStation 2, and SingStar Dance, the PlayStation Move-based dancing game.
Seraphine was let go from Chicago (band)
in 1990.
on lead guitar, Mick Mahan on bass guitar, Ed Roth and Peter Fish on keyboards, Mike Wallace on guitar, and Tower of Power
singer Larry Braggs on vocals. Seraphine and Bonilla initially put the band together to play for several charity benefit shows.
Included in the new band's repertoire are several Chicago
songs, including "Make Me Smile
," "25 or 6 to 4
," "South California Purples
," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is" and Steve Winwood
's "I'm A Man
".
CTA released their first studio album, Full Circle, on August 14, 2007, followed by a tour of the United States. The band's second CD with the working title "Promise" is due to be released in early 2012.
2009 saw the release of Lonely Street, a film for which Seraphine served as an executive producer
and the music supervisor. In 2010 Danny published his autobiography "Street Player- My Chicago Story". That same year he released the biographical and instructional DVD "The Art of Jazz Rock Drumming" produced by The Drum Channel
In 2010 Danny Received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cape Breton Drum Festival.
2011 - LIfetime Achievement Award, Montreal Drum Festival
2010 ASCAP Rap category for co-writing Pitbull
's "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)"
drums, Remo
drumheads, Zildjian cymbals and drumsticks.
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, theatrical producer
Theatrical producer
A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production. The independent producer will usually be the originator and finder of the script and starts the whole process...
and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, best known for being the original drummer and founding member of the rock group Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.
Early life
Danny Seraphine was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and raised in the Predominately Italian, Mont Clare neighborhood adjacent to the west suburbs of Elmwood Park and River Forest. He started playing drums at the age of nine while attending St. Priscilla Catholic grade school. When he was 15 years old, Seraphine dropped out of Steinmetz High School, Seraphine studied privately with famed percussionist Bob Tilles at DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, where members of Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
were also studying.
He continued his education with big band drummer Chuck Flores
Chuck Flores
Chuck Flores is an American jazz drummer. One of the relatively small number of musicians associated with West Coast jazz who are actually from the West Coast, Flores was born Charles Walter Flores in Orange, California, and grew up in Santa Ana...
, followed by two years of study under jazz drummer Jo Jones
Jo Jones
Jo Jones was an American jazz drummer.Known as Papa Jo Jones in his later years, he was sometimes confused with another influential jazz drummer, Philly Joe Jones...
(also known as Papa Jo Jones) in the mid-1970s.
Chicago Transit Authority=
By the late 1960s, Seraphine was drumming in various bands, including one with teen friends Walter Parazaider
Walter Parazaider
Walter Parazaider is best known for being a founding member and saxophone player for the rock band Chicago. He also plays the flute and other woodwind instruments in the band, including clarinet. On the hit "You're Not Alone," he played backing rhythm guitar.Parazaider began playing the clarinet...
(saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and woodwinds) and Terry Kath
Terry Kath
Terry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
). After the addition of Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane
Lee Loughnane , born 21 October 1946 in Elmwood Park, Illinois to Juanita Wall and Philip Louis Loughnane, is an American trumpeter, flugelhorn player, vocalist, and songwriter, best known for being a founding member of the rock band Chicago.- Biography :...
(trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
), James Pankow
James Pankow
James Carter "Jimmy" Pankow is an American trombone player, songwriter and brass instrument arranger best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago.-Early life:...
(trombone
Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
), Robert Lamm
Robert Lamm
Robert William Lamm is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter who came to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band Chicago...
(keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) and Peter Cetera
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
(bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), the band performed under a number of different names, first the Missing Links, then The Big Thing, before settling on Chicago Transit Authority, which was soon shortened to Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
.
Their producer and manager, James William Guercio, moved Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
out to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and they became the house band at the Whisky A Go Go
Whisky a Go Go
The Whisky a Go Go is a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard, on the Sunset Strip.-History:...
. They subsequently obtained a contract with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and recorded their first album - a double album - in just two weeks. The album was titled after the band's name, The Chicago Transit Authority
The Chicago Transit Authority (album)
The Chicago Transit Authority is the eponymous debut album by the Chicago-based rock band The Chicago Transit Authority, who would later be known as Chicago. It was recorded and released in 1969.-History:...
, and released in 1969. Second only to The Beach Boys in terms of Billboard singles and albums chart success among American bands, Chicago is one of the longest running and most successful pop/rock and roll groups.
Seraphine co-wrote several songs for the band: "Lowdown" (a Top 40 hit for the band), "Little One," "Take Me Back to Chicago," "Show Me the Way," "Birthday Boy" and "Street Player." His writing partner was often David "Hawk" Wolinski, the keyboardist for Chaka Khan and Rufus. His song "Street Player was sampled by rapper Pitbull
Pitbull
Pitbull or Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Pitbull may also refer to:In dog breeds:* American Pit Bull Terrier* American Staffordshire Terrier* Staffordshire Bull TerrierIn entertainment:...
for the hit " I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" from the album " Rebelution". The song samples "75, Brazil Street" by Nicola Fasano versus Pat Rich, which itself samples "Street Player". "I Know You Want Me" has also been featured in Dance Central, the Xbox Kinect-Based dancing game, Dance Dance Revolution X2 for PlayStation 2, and SingStar Dance, the PlayStation Move-based dancing game.
Seraphine was let go from Chicago (band)
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
in 1990.
The post Chicago era
In early 2006, Danny Seraphine debuted a new band, California Transit Authority (CTA), featuring himself on drums, Marc BonillaMarc Bonilla
Marc Bonilla is a guitarist. He has worked with Keith Emerson , Glenn Hughes , David Coverdale and Kevin Gilbert...
on lead guitar, Mick Mahan on bass guitar, Ed Roth and Peter Fish on keyboards, Mike Wallace on guitar, and Tower of Power
Tower of Power
Tower of Power is an American R&B-based horn section and band, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing for over 43 years. They are best known for their funky soul sound highlighted by a powerful horn section...
singer Larry Braggs on vocals. Seraphine and Bonilla initially put the band together to play for several charity benefit shows.
Included in the new band's repertoire are several Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
songs, including "Make Me Smile
Make Me Smile
"Make Me Smile" is a song written by James Pankow for the rock band Chicago. Part of Pankow's Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon song cycle/suite, it was recorded for their second album Chicago II...
," "25 or 6 to 4
25 or 6 to 4
"25 or 6 to 4" is a song written by American musician Robert Lamm, one of the founding members of the rock/jazz fusion band Chicago. It was recorded for their second album, Chicago , with Peter Cetera on lead vocals. The song was edited and released as a single in June of the year 2009, climbing to...
," "South California Purples
South California Purples
"South California Purples" is a song written and sung by Robert Lamm for the rock band Chicago and recorded for their debut album The Chicago Transit Authority .The song quotes the opening line from The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus:"...
," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time it is" and Steve Winwood
Steve Winwood
Stephen Lawrence "Steve" Winwood is an English international recording artist whose career spans nearly 50 years. He is a songwriter and a musician whose genres include soul music , R&B, rock, blues-rock, pop-rock, and jazz...
's "I'm A Man
I'm A Man (Spencer Davis Group song)
"I'm a Man" is a song written by Spencer Davis Group singer-songwriter Steve Winwood and record producer Jimmy Miller.-Original version by the Spencer Davis Group:...
".
CTA released their first studio album, Full Circle, on August 14, 2007, followed by a tour of the United States. The band's second CD with the working title "Promise" is due to be released in early 2012.
2009 saw the release of Lonely Street, a film for which Seraphine served as an executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
and the music supervisor. In 2010 Danny published his autobiography "Street Player- My Chicago Story". That same year he released the biographical and instructional DVD "The Art of Jazz Rock Drumming" produced by The Drum Channel
Awards and achievements
Seraphine has been ranked by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the top 100 drummers of all time.In 2010 Danny Received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cape Breton Drum Festival.
2011 - LIfetime Achievement Award, Montreal Drum Festival
2010 ASCAP Rap category for co-writing Pitbull
Pitbull
Pitbull or Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Pitbull may also refer to:In dog breeds:* American Pit Bull Terrier* American Staffordshire Terrier* Staffordshire Bull TerrierIn entertainment:...
's "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)"
Endorsements
Danny endorses DWDW
DW may refer to:* DW Stadium, formerly known as the JJB Stadium and where Wigan Athletic play football* Deadweight tonnage, a ship measurement for capacity, tonnage* Deutsche Welle, a German international broadcasting organization...
drums, Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
drumheads, Zildjian cymbals and drumsticks.