ABOUT

            Neal Wehman has been playing the drums for over twenty years. He has been very active in the Chicago music scene over the past decade and is in demand for live playing and studio recording.  His ability to adapt to all musical situations effortlessly has pushed him to the top of the music community.   

            In his early years Neal studied piano, percussion, guitar and drum set.  Following high school he studied at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida earning a performance degree in Studio Music/Jazz Performance.  Neal’s mentor and teacher was Steve Rucker.  Steve’s nationally recognized curriculum of drum set study and Neal’s strong drive to improve helped him blossom musically.  It was during his time in Miami that he developed his own sound and style on the drums. One of his highlights while attending University of Miami was performing with the Funk Fusion Ensemble, which won multiple awards from DownBeat magazine.

            Upon graduation in 2007, Neal returned to Chicago to begin his freelance music career.  In the past decade, he has played all of the major music clubs in Chicago as well as many others throughout the Midwest.  He has also been active in Chicago’s recording scene. After years of perfecting his talent Neal is sought after by producers and recording engineers to bring a wide variety of songwriters music to life.  His innate ability to make everyone’s music sound as great as he can is what attracts so many musicians and artists to him.  Neal is currently the in house drummer at Gravity studios in Wicker Park.   He plays regularly with many of Chicago’s elite original and society bands and recently was the drummer for the PBS special Chicago Voices featuring; Renee Fleming, Kurt Elling, John Prine, Terrance Howard, Shemekia Copeland, Jessie Mueller, The Handsome Family, and Lupe Fiasco.  The special was recorded and filmed in front of a sold out audience at the Lyrics Opera’s legendary Civic Opera House.

            Neal’s passion for music and drumming is impossible not to notice.  He is a dynamic and fun musician to see and be around.  Neal is most grateful to be able to do what he loves with so many great people and is looking forward to the future and all of the inspiring music that it holds.