Bernie Dresel

What do Chaka Khan, Maynard Ferguson, David Byrne, Police guitar player Andy Summers and Brian Wilson all have in common? At one time or another the musical pistons that have driven the sound of these performers was supplied by the Big Phat Band's own percussive tour de force, Bernie Dresel.
Bernie was driven to a career in music by the same inspiration as Brian Setzer, whom Bernie plays with regularly as part of the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Look no further than Liverpool, England. At the age of two Bernie clearly remembers his Grandmother buying him the Fab Four's American debut, "Meet the Beatles." Unlike Brian's desire to play the guitar, the young Bernie was moved by the beat of Ringo's Ludwig drum kit.

After high school, Bernie headed to Rochester, NY to the Eastman School of Music where he studied classical percussion. Upon graduating in the spring of 1983 he did what a lot of musicians who want to earn a living do, he moved to Los Angeles. Bernie recalls that his first big gig was a 2 week stint in Las Vegas backing up former Dean Martin GoldDiggers, the Albaricci Sisters.

Bernie has earned quite a reputation as a reliable and brilliant musician playing for such names as Maynard Ferguson, Talking Head David Byrne, The Rippingtons, Chaka Khan in addition to doing session work on such television shows as Dallas, Knots Landing, Deep Space Nine, Suddenly Susan, and films too numerous to mention.

One of the highlighs of Bernie's career was actually performing with his idol, Ringo Starr when the Beatle appeared on the English television series, Dame Edna. Bernie's dynamic playing can be heard on such iconic recordings as Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks CD, Orange Crate Art, Andy Summer's tribute to Thelonius Monk, Green Chimneys as well as contributing to the Grammy award winning sound of Brian Setzer's orchestra.