Leon "Ndugu" Chancler

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler was an American R&B, funk, and jazz drummer. He was also a composer, producer, and university professor.

Biography

Early life

Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on July 1, 1952, Leon Chancler was the youngest of seven children from the union of Rosie Lee and Henry Nathaniel Chancler. In 1960, the family relocated to Los Angeles, California. Chancler began playing drums when he was thirteen years old. He would publicly reminisce about being asked to leave a classroom for continuously tapping on the desk, only to be later heard tapping on the poles in the hallway. His love for the drums took over while attending Gompers Junior High School and it became his lifelong ambition. He graduated from Locke High School, having been involved in playing there with latin musician Willie Bobo and the Harold Johnson Sextet, and he later graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with a degree in music education.

Musical career

By the time he finished college, Chancler had already performed with jazz artists such as the Gerald Wilson Big Band, Herbie Hancock, and recorded with Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, and Bobby Hutcherson. He played drums on Santana's "Europe", and Keni Burke's "Risin' to the Top". He formed his own group "Chocolate Jam Company" in 1979 and released second album include "Shadow Dancing" in 1980. Sticks Hooper left the Crusaders in 1983 and Ndugu supported the crusaders as drummer.
He recorded frequently as a sideman in R&B, jazz, and pop music, including the instantly recognizable drums on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean". In 1982, he received a Grammy nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues song for co-writing "Let It Whip", made famous by the Dazz Band. Other musicians with whom Chancler worked during his career included George Benson, TC Carson, Stanley Clarke, the Crusaders, George Duke, John Lee Hooker, Hubert Laws, Thelonious Monk, Jean-Luc Ponty, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Patrice Rushen, Santana, Frank Sinatra, Donna Summer, the Temptations, Tina Turner, and Weather Report.
In 2006, he became an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California and taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop in California for three weeks every summer. He was a member of the Percussive Arts Society and was inducted into the PAS Hall of Fame in 2020.

Personal life

Chancler was given the name "Ndugu" by Herbie Hancock during his time with Hancock's Mwandishi band. He was known as Leon Chancler, or sometimes Ndugu Chancler. Ndugu is Swahili for “earth brother,” a family member or comrade.
Ndugu grew up active in his church and was mentored and influenced by many strong men that helped shape his life after the absence of his father at age 13. His older brother Londell was a major support and motivation to him. When his mother was diagnosed with diabetes, Ndugu cared for her until her death in 1994. Chancler had one child, his son Rashon Chafic Chancler, with Vicki Guess.

Death

Chancler died at his home in Los Angeles on February 3, 2018, of prostate cancer, at the age of 65. A song, "Home Light," written by Ernie Watts and Marc Seales, was dedicated to Chancler. It was the title track of a 2018 album by the Ernie Watts Quartet.