Les DeMerle

Les DeMerle, world-renowned drummer, bandleader, clinician and author was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing drums at age 8, launched onto the New York jazz scene with his own all-star jazz group and performed with traditional jazz legends Billy Williams, Henry “Red” Allen and jazz vibes great, Lionel Hampton, all before age 17. Soon after, Les toured for 12 years with big band jazz trumpet master, Harry James, and recorded 3 albums with him including the Grammy Award-winning, "King James Version". Always enterprising in nature, Les, as usual, had “all pots on the stove and COOKIN’ ” during this period when he moved to Los Angeles. As a clinician, he appeared in most major music stores in the USA and Europe. As a club owner, bandleader, jazz innovator and teacher, Les owned and operated The Cellar Theater/Creative Music Workshop. Featured artists in his nightclub included not only Les’ own cutting-edge jazz/rock/fusion band, Transfusion, with whom he recorded 5 award-winning LP’s, but also showcased world-renowned jazz stars such as Chick Corea, Al Jarreau and Freddie Hubbard. As an author, Les wrote two best-selling educational drum books, "Jazz/Rock Fusion, Volumes I and II", published by Hal Leonard. And he is currently writing his autobiography to be published and available soon.

In his diverse musical career, Les DeMerle has performed with many world-class acts. Les toured for three years and recorded with Las Vegas star, Wayne Newton, also toured and recorded with the multiple Grammy Award–winning jazz vocal group, The Manhattan Transfer, and has appeared with many other musical greats including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Mel Tormé, Joe Williams and Lou Rawls.