When Gary Dates plays the drums, he’s not just keeping time.
To him, it’s all about the groove and putting his own unique stamp on the music, delivering solid backing, musicality and great feel to those he’s playing with.
Born in Middletown, NJ, Gary has been drumming since the age of 10. He is known for his versatility and love of working in different musical contexts. Primarily self-taught, he spent his adolescence and teens gigging with local Jersey shore bands, then went on to study privately under Bernard Purdie.
After working with several NJ-based artists, Gary joined the original band, Line Drive, performing extensively throughout the Northeast to a fan base of tens of thousands and opening for major label acts including Grover Washington Jr, Tower of Power, Phoebe Snow, Spyro Gyra, Noel Pointer, and Special EFX. Gary’s unique blend of improvisational and deeply intuitive drumming can be found on the albums of many artists and both of Line Drive’s CDs, which he also recorded and produced in his own studio.
Always in demand, Gary has freelanced with such artists as Jeanie Bryson, Tony Cimirosi, Glenn Alexander, Big Daddy Soul, LAX, Gordon James, Blue Soul, The Navigators and Motor City Revue.
Recently Gary returned to his instrumental roots, co-leading an original project with guitarist, Tim Boyce, called Ice Nine.