Band History

     Jon Bates began playing drums at the age of twelve. Throughout high school he played in several local New York area bands, and co-founded a Rock 'n Soul cover band called Tidewater Mansion. While attending Ithaca College, he began playing with the Ujama musical theatre and dance group at Cornell University, led by former James Brown pianist Curtis Taylor. They performed at colleges and concert halls throughout the United States, and opened shows for a number of major acts, including New Birth, Curtis Mayfield, Edgar Winter, and Chubby Checkers. From Ithaca, he went on to Boston University and studied with Anthony Racciatti and the legendary Alan Dawson at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduation from BU, he "went on the road" with former Atlantic recording artist Lloyd Sims. Later that year, he was offered a job as an assistant engineer for renowned jazz producer Hank O'Neal at Downtown Sound Studios in Greenwich Village (NYC), which gave him a unique opportunity to work on projects with some of the most highly acclaimed musicians in the world. It also eventually led to a production position with famed CBS record producer John Hammond, and ultimately gave him the opportunity to play on numerous recordings and radio/television commercials. It was during that time that he co-founded a high energy jazz fusion band with musicians who frequently recorded there, and the group performed under the studio name, "Downtown Sound". Over the past twenty-five years Jon has established a very solid track record as a drummer and bandleader. The Jon Bates Band has performed with Bo Diddley, The Temptations, and Jeffrey Osbourne. They have appeared at festivals and concerts with Gatemouth Brown, C.J. Chenier, Richie Havens, Dr. John, Bernard Purdie, and others. For thirteen years (1987-2000) Jon was also a production supervisor for worldwide musical events (HOSS theme cruises aboard NCL, Royal Viking, Royal Caribbean, and Cunnard Line cruise ships), and he currently has production and/or performance credits on more than a hundred commercially released recordings.

     Anyone who knows Jon Bates knows the sincerity and depth from which he says, "my greatest happiness and fulfillment in life by far have come from my wife and soul mate (Theresa), our incredible children (Vanessa & Kyle), and the unconditional love, inspiration, support, creativity, and humor that they have continuously filled my life with for the past 20+ years". Jon's first "major label" drumming credit was on an EMI Records release with a band called "Delight" in 1981. Among the many studio projects he has been involved with (136 commercially released recordings currently listed in the All Music Guide); he has recorded with a wide range of musical greats, including "Girl from Ipanema" Astrud Gilberto, jazz guitarist Gene Bertoncini, and blues legends Johnny Guitar Watson and Albert Collins. He has also produced and played on recordings with bassist T.M. Stevens, former Santana drummer Michael Shrieve, and children's music performer John Farrell. He has produced recent releases by Antonio Hart (All We Need, Downtown Sound) , and Dave Glasser (Begin Again, Chiaroscuro Records), and was the drummer on Farrell's Parents Choice Award winning Great Earth Sing Along video, along with longtime friends and musical associates Jeff Miller, Dana Scofidio, Cornelius Bumpus, and Mustafa Ahmed. Some of his other video and TV appearances include New York radio host Jimmy Fink's "Sites And Sounds" program, a WOR-TV Live Telethon from Resorts International in Atlantic City, a 1980 musical comedy appearance on "The Uncle Floyd Show", and a 2004 video taping with singer Tami Odell at The Terrace Club in Stamford, CT. Jon can also be heard on CD releases by singer-songwriter Bill Bless, and on Charles Compo's most recent "monster jam" recording featuring Curtis Fowlkes, Ted Daniel, Jerry Brooks, Matt Freeman, Anthony Stewart, and Mustafa Ahmed. In addition, he has played on various national radio and television commercials, including Toys 'R Us, Miller Beer, and Levitts Department Stores, and has served as setup tech and contractor for drumming legend Louie Bellson since 1987.

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