Musician, Teacher. He was an innovative percussionist known for his polyrhythmic approach to jazz drumming and also an inspirational teacher. As a young man, he began working as a bebop drummer in New York's jazz scene of the 1940s. He played with artist Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Joe Springer, Buddy DeFranco, Tal Farlow and for many years was a roommate and friend of drum great Buddy Rich. By the early 1950s, he was performing his way across the country and after a year and a half of show case gigs in Las Vegas, he settled in Los Angeles in 1957. For the next fifty years, he was a fixture in the west coast music and social circles. He performed with various musicians such as Terry Gibbs, Johnny Mandel, Mitch Mitchell, Jim Keltner and established himself as world class drum mentor-instructor. As a teacher, he held clinics and influenced a remarkable group of professional drummers whose playing shaped the music world. His students included John Guerin, Ian Wallace, Steve Smith, Dave Weckl, Mike Baird, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, David Bronson, Peter Erskine, Burleigh Drummond and Neil Peart. In 2011, Gruber was honored at the annual NAMM Show Anaheim, California, with a lifetime achievement award for educational excellence throughout his career. He also received the Zilgjian Award for his lifetime of achievement in the drumming world. He died from complications of leukemia at age 84.
Musician, Teacher. He was an innovative percussionist known for his polyrhythmic approach to jazz drumming and also an inspirational teacher. As a young man, he began working as a bebop drummer in New York's jazz scene of the 1940s. He played with artist Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Joe Springer, Buddy DeFranco, Tal Farlow and for many years was a roommate and friend of drum great Buddy Rich. By the early 1950s, he was performing his way across the country and after a year and a half of show case gigs in Las Vegas, he settled in Los Angeles in 1957. For the next fifty years, he was a fixture in the west coast music and social circles. He performed with various musicians such as Terry Gibbs, Johnny Mandel, Mitch Mitchell, Jim Keltner and established himself as world class drum mentor-instructor. As a teacher, he held clinics and influenced a remarkable group of professional drummers whose playing shaped the music world. His students included John Guerin, Ian Wallace, Steve Smith, Dave Weckl, Mike Baird, Johnny "Vatos" Hernandez, David Bronson, Peter Erskine, Burleigh Drummond and Neil Peart. In 2011, Gruber was honored at the annual NAMM Show Anaheim, California, with a lifetime achievement award for educational excellence throughout his career. He also received the Zilgjian Award for his lifetime of achievement in the drumming world. He died from complications of leukemia at age 84.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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