Mel Zelnick

Mel Zelnick (born in Harlem on September 28, 1924; died in Mayer, Arizona on February 21, 2008) was a jazz drummer who worked for Benny Goodman, Lennie Tristano, and Boyd Raeburn.

In the 1960s, he opened a music store in Canoga Park, California with Terry Gibbs acting as a partner to help with publicity. The Music Stop was the first teaching facility of the drum guru Freddie Gruber.

Zelnick worked for Capitol Records and accompanied Peggy Lee, Patti Page, Nat King Cole, and Ray Charles, among others.

He developed an interest in gemology and received four certificates from the Gemological Institute of America.

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