Charlie Zeleny
Encyclopedia
Charlie Zeleny is a New York City session drummer, music director, producer, and band leader most popular for his work playing duo with Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...

 from Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...

 and his drum duet work with Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...

 for The Drum Channel and playing a nonstop 8 minute Drum Solo called "Drumageddon" up an entire Brooklyn Building in one continuous take. He has toured 39 US states, 19 countries and is on 60+ album releases and was an original member of virtuoso progressive metal bands Blotted Science
Blotted Science
Blotted Science is an instrumental technical death metal supergroup headed by Ron Jarzombek , bassist Alex Webster and drummer Hannes Grossmann...

 and Behold the Arctopus.

Early life

Charlie Z originally hails from Northern New Jersey. Born September 18, 1981 Charlie first entered the world of drumming through grammar school concert band when he was just 8 years old. After taking jazz band and countless music courses in middle & high school, Charlie graduated and moved on to Drew University
Drew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...

, where he naturally studied music. In addition to his normal studies, Charlie was the founder and head of Drew's jazz music department for 3 years of his higher education. During his time in college, Charlie had the privilege to study under Tommy Igoe, Nick Scheuble and Joe Bergamini
Joe Bergamini
Joe Bergamini is a drummer from New Jersey in the United States. He is the front man of the jazz fusion band 4 Front. Since 2000 Bergamini has been playing in the progressive rock band Happy the Man in its reunion, and appears on their 2005 album, The Muse Awakens...

 before being accepted to graduate school for jazz drumset performance at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...

. He did not attend but instead decided to become a professional musician.

Professional Music Career

Since becoming involved in the music scene, Charlie Zeleny has toured 39 US states, and in 19 countries while working with countless musicians in numerous projects, many within a large variety of musical styles. Unsatisfied to be contained in one genre of music, Charlie has learned to play a variety of styles including pop, rock, jazz, fusion, progressive metal, hip hop, funk and R&B.

In playing with such versatility, Charlie has been able to perform with such acts as Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...

 keyboardist Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is an American keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater and the progressive rock supergroup Liquid Tension Experiment.-Biography:...

, as well as classical violin & guitarist The Great Kat
The Great Kat
The Great Kat is the stage name of Katherine Thomas , an English-born, New York-raised, musician best known for her thrash metal interpretations of well-known pieces of classical music. Most feature her using the electric guitar, but some have her on violin...

. In addition, he has performed double drums with master drummer Terry Bozzio
Terry Bozzio
Terry John Bozzio is an American drummer best known for his work with Missing Persons and Frank Zappa.-Biography:Terry Bozzio was born December 27, 1950 in San Francisco, California. He started at age 6 playing makeshift drum sets. At the age of 13 he saw The Beatles premier performance on The Ed...

 for The Drum Channel. He also plays for Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...

 and Rainbow (band)
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...

's lead singer Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...

, Broadway & Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...

 Country Pop Star Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth
Kristin Chenoweth is an American singer and actress, with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known on Broadway for her performance as Sally Brown in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown , for which she won a Tony Award, and for originating the role of Glinda in the musical...

 and has opened for such acts as Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...

, The Blue Oyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult
Blue Öyster Cult, often abbreviated BÖC, is an American rock band, most of whose members first came together in Long Island, NY in 1967 as the band Soft White Underbelly...

, Akon
Akon
Aliaune Damala Badara Thiam, better known as simply Akon , is a Senegalese American R&B recording artist and songwriter.According to Forbes, Akon grossed $21 million in 2010, $20 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2008. He rose to prominence in 2004 following the release of "Locked Up", the first...

, Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me
Between the Buried and Me is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina. They have released a total of five studio albums, as well as a cover album, an EP and a live DVD/CD...

, and Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...

 in Puerto Rico.

Besides his work as a session drummer, Charlie was an original member of the group Behold...The Arctopus as well as internationally acclaimed band Blotted Science
Blotted Science
Blotted Science is an instrumental technical death metal supergroup headed by Ron Jarzombek , bassist Alex Webster and drummer Hannes Grossmann...

, featuring Ron Jarzombek
Ron Jarzombek
Ron Jarzombek is an American guitarist best known for his work with Austin, Texas progressive metal trailblazers WatchTower, '90s madcap trio, Spastic Ink, technical extreme metal band Blotted Science, featuring Cannibal Corpse bassist Alex Webster and Obscura drummer Hannes Grossmann, and most...

 of Spastic Ink
Spastic Ink
Spastic Ink is a progressive technical metal band from the United States.-History:Spastic Ink was formed in 1993 by guitarist Ron Jarzombek of Watchtower after recovering from multiple hand surgeries that had sidelined him, unable to play, for a couple of years. He would be joined by brother Bobby...

 and Alex Webster
Alex Webster
Alex Webster is an American bass player, who is best known as a member of the American death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He is one of two current members who were of the original lineup of Cannibal Corpse, the other being drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz...

 of Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse
Cannibal Corpse is an American death metal band from Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1988, the band has released eleven studio albums, one box set, and one live album...

.

Current Musical Projects

In one of his most current projects, Charlie not only drums for, but is also the bandleader and music director for Cracked Latin: a large group, NYC-based Latin Band, featuring such musicians as:
  • Bashiri Johnson on Percussion (Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston)
  • Gerardo Velez
    Gerardo Velez
    Gerardo "Jerry" Velez is a Puerto Rican musician. Best known for performing with American psychedelic rock musician Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock Festival in August 1969, Velez is a veteran percussionist and drummer who has performed with many artists covering a number of different genres of music...

     on Percussion (Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder)
  • Richie Cannata
    Richie Cannata
    Richie Cannata is an American music producer, multi-instrumentalist and studio owner. He is most notable for playing saxophone in the Billy Joel band alongside Doug Stegmeyer and Liberty DeVitto. After leaving the band in 1981, he opened Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York...

     on Sax (Billy Joel, Celine Dion)
  • Brad Mason on Trumpet (John Mayer, Alicia Keys)
  • Fred Maxwell on Trumpet (Rolling Stones, The Police)
  • Clark Gayton
    Clark Gayton
    Clark Gayton is an American multi-instrumentalist, musician, composer and musicians' rights advocate.-Biography:Born as Carver Clark Gayton Jr. to Carver Clark Gayton and Mona Marie Lombard, Clark Gayton is a professional musician , composer and producer.Clark studied music with Floyd Standifer,...

     on Trombone (Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles)
  • Ryan Kemberle on Trombone (Rihanna, Mariah Carey)
  • Richie Goods on Bass (Christina Aguilera, Herbie Hancock)
  • Everett Bradley on Vocals (Hall & Oates, Bon Jovi)
  • Mike Harvey on Vocals (Seal, Sting)
  • Oz Noy on Guitar (Toni Braxton, Chris Botti)
  • Matt Beck on Guitar (Rob Thomas, Rod Stewart)
  • Mark Soskin on Keys (Sonny Rollins, Billy Cobham)

Other credits

In his non-studio career, Charlie has been seen and heard on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...

, E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...

, XM & Sirius
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...

 Satellite Radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...

, Oxygen TV, The View, AOL Sessions, The CBS Morning Show, WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...

, NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...

, on Tone Maker DJ Ringtone Creator featuring Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...

 and Ceelo Green and on various major label projects on Sony Music and Warner Bros. Records like hiphop artist XV (rapper)
XV (rapper)
Donavan Johnson better known by his stage name XV is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Wichita, Kansas. He first gained major attention after the release of his twelfth mixtape Everybody's Nobody. In which he received two awards from DJBooth.net.His name, XV, refers to the age at...

. In live performances, he as played such venues as Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza
Irving Plaza is a 1,200-person ballroom-style music venue at 17 Irving Place and East 15th Street in the Union Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City...

, Lincoln Center, Iridium Jazz Club
Iridium Jazz Club
The Iridium Jazz Club is a jazz club located on Broadway in New York City. The club hosts weekly performances by John Colianni, and also featured weekly performances by Les Paul for nearly fifteen years.- History :...

, and a New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

 half time show with the Broadway act Rock of Ages
Rock of Ages (musical)
Rock of Ages is a rock/jukebox musical, with a book by Chris D'Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s, especially from the famous glam metal bands of the decade. The musical features songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Steve Perry, Poison and Asia, among...

 at New Meadowlands Stadium
New Meadowlands Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home...

 (formerly Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...

) for 82,500 fans. He has also played The Bowery Ballroom, Six Flags
Six Flags
Six Flags Entertainment Corp. is the world's largest amusement park corporation based on quantity of properties and the fifth most popular in terms of attendance. The company maintains 14 properties located throughout North America, including theme parks, thrill parks, water parks and family...

 Mainstage, Avatar Recording Studios, Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios was a well-known former music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The music and broadcasting complex was located at 460 W. 54th St., at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan...

, Highline Ballroom, Cove City Sound Studios, BB Kings Jazz & Blues Club and The Knitting Factory NYC & LA among many others. He's performed at and has been a featured artist at endorser signings at the NAMM Show in California and has played radio station Z100
Z100
-Internet TV:* Z100.TV, a website serving as an international directory of online TV-channels and associated video media-Radio:* WHTZ, 100.3 in New York City* KKRZ, 100.3 in Portland, Oregon* KZRO, 100.1 in Mount Shasta, California, a.k.a...

's Zootopia Concert at the Izod
Izod
Izod is a clothing company that produces dressy-casual clothing and sportswear for men and women, also including fragrances, and accessories. Similar to brands such as Gant U.S.A., Lacoste, and Polo Ralph Lauren, it is part of the Phillips-Van Heusen Company, headquartered at 200 Madison Ave., New...

 Arena. Charlie Z is featured as a member of the Sick Drummer Magazine "Hall of Fame" and also in Blender Magazine as "One of the Best Drummers Of All Time".

As of September, 26th 2011, Charlie's official YouTube page has over 1,600 subscribers, 36,000+ channel views and has received 844,000 plus total views since being established, offering live performances as well as drum training videos for those willing to learn.

Gear

Charlie Z is an endorser of Sonor
SONOR
Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...

 drums, Paiste
Paiste
Paiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...

 cymbals, Evans
Evans
Evans may refer to:people*Evans *for a particular person with the surname, see the List of people with surname Evans.place*Evans, California in the United States*Evans, Colorado in the United States*Evans, Georgia in the United States...

 Drumheads, Vic Firth
Vic Firth
Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...

 sticks, Rhythm Tech percussion, Protection Racket bags, Audix drum mics, Hansenfutz practice pedals, Onboard Research Beatnik practice pads, Duallist pedals, Presonus preamps, DRM EARZ in-ear monitors & Ddrum triggers.
  • Drums: Sonor
    SONOR
    Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...

     Delite Drums: Birdeye Azure Finish
    • 22" x 17.5" Kick Drum
    • 8" x 7" Tom
    • 10" x 8" Tom
    • 12" x 9" Tom
    • 14" x 14" Floor Tom
    • 16" x 16" Floor Tom
    • 14" x 12" Left Side Floor Tom
    • 12" x 5" Aux Snare
    • 14" x 5" Main Snare: Artist Series Steel Black
    • 6" Rototom
    • 8" Rototom
    • 10" Rototom

  • Cymbals: Paiste
    Paiste
    Paiste, a Swiss manufacturer and designer, is the world's third largest manufacturer of cymbals, gongs, and metal percussion. Paiste is an Estonian/Finnish word which means "shine"...

    • 18" Paiste Rude China
    • 20" Paiste Dark Energy Dark Dry Ride
    • 10" Paiste Rude Splash on top of:
    • 10" Paiste PST Splash Hihat
    • 16" Paiste Dark Energy Crash
    • 8" Paiste Signature Splash
    • 6" Paiste Accent Bell on top of:
    • 18" Paiste Twenty Thin Crash
    • 13" Paiste Signature Dark Crisp Hihats
    • 10" Paiste Signature Splash
    • 17" Paiste Signature Reflector Crash
    • 13" Paiste Signature Mega Cup Chime
    • 6" Paiste 2002 Cup Chime on top of:
    • 12"/14"/14" Paiste Noiseworks Tripple Raw Smash
    • 12" Paiste Signature Flanger Bell
    • 19" Paiste Signature Reflector Crash
    • 8" Paiste Twenty Splash on top of:
    • 17" Paiste Twenty Thin Crash
    • 18" Paiste Dark Energy Crash
    • 22" Paiste Signature Dark Metal Ride 
    • 21" Paiste Dark Energy Light Dark Ride
    • 18" Paiste Signature Reflector China
    • 14" Paiste Signature Soundedge Hihats
    • 20" Paiste Twenty China

  • Drumheads: Evans
    Evans
    Evans may refer to:people*Evans *for a particular person with the surname, see the List of people with surname Evans.place*Evans, California in the United States*Evans, Colorado in the United States*Evans, Georgia in the United States...

    • G2 Clear Heads on Toms
    • HD Dry Head on Snares
    • EMAD Head on Kick

  • Drumsticks: Vic Firth
    Vic Firth
    Vic Firth is an American musician and is the founder of Vic Firth Company , a percussion stick and mallet manufacturing company that he started in 1963. The company bills itself as the world's largest manufacturer of drum sticks and mallets...

    • 5A Drumsticks weighted on the heavy side for power and versatility

  • Pedals: DW
    DW
    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...

     5000AD3s, Sonor
    SONOR
    Sonor is a German percussion manufacturer. Founded in 1875 as a percussion manufacturer, Sonor drum sets and hardware are historically known for being constructed in a very durable, and therefore, unusually heavy manner...

     Giant Step & Duallist Pedals
    • Plastic side of beater for more attack and volume

Discography

CDs:
  • Behold the Arctopus “Skullgrid” 2007 Black Market Activies/Metal Blade Records
  • Blotted Science “Machinations of Dementia” 2007 Eclectic Electric
  • Shannon Corey “Unsaid” 2007 Motherwest Records
  • Behold the Arctopus “Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning+” 2006 BMA/Metal Blade
  • Behold the Arctopus “Orthrealm Split” 2005 Troubleman Unlimited
  • Behold the Arctopus “Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning” 2005 Troubleman
  • Thing One “Miles from the Road” 2005 Rhythm Method Records
  • Ken Rubenstein “Invert and Transcend” 2005 Inverted Music
  • Steve Salerno Jazz Quartet “self-titled” 2004 Steve Salerno Jazz
  • Jay Hansen “Within this Process of Adaptation” Anonymously Known Records 2004
  • Behold the Arctopus “Alcoholocaust Now…Warmaggedeon Later” 2004 Epicine Sound
  • Kayo Dot
    Kayo Dot
    Kayo Dot is an American avant-rock/experimental music group that was formed in 2003 by Toby Driver. They released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records label that year. Tzadik's descriptive label on that album reads: "Kayo Dot powerfully integrates elements of modern...

    “Blue Lambency Downward” 2008 Hydrahead Records
  • Suspyre "When Time Fades..." 2008 Sensory Records


Videos:
  • Jordan Rudess/Charlie Zeleny Duo Roland Sound Spark Live 2007
  • Jordan Rudess/Charlie Zeleny Duo Roland Factory Promo Video 2007
  • Telling on Trixie “Halfway Back to Sane” Music Video 2007
  • Shannon Corey Canal Room CD Release Party for “Unsaid” 2007
  • Behold the Arctopus Live at the Hi-Tone: Memphis TN; SLAP! Productions 2007
  • Jordan Rudess Online Conservatory Drum Instruction Series “Basic Core Course” 2006
  • Jordan Rudess Online Conservatory “Extreme Drum Solo Mastery Satellite Course” 2008
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