Leon "Ndugu" Chancler

Leon "Ndugu" Chancler (July 1, 1952 – February 3, 2018) was an American pop, funk, and jazz drummer. He was also a composer, producer, and university professor.

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 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 recorded frequently as a sideman in jazz, blues, 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, 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 (Ndugu) 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.

Discography
Solo : Chocolate Jam Company [Spread of the Future] (Sony, 1979) [Ndugu & The Chocolate Jam Company, Do I Make You Feel Better] (Sony 1980)

With David Axelrod With George Benson With Dee Dee Bridgewater With Peabo Bryson With Keni Burke With Tia Carrere With Miles Davis With DeBarge With George Duke With Sheena Easton With The Emotions With Herbie Hancock With Eddie Harris With Hampton Hawes With Tramaine Hawkins With Joe Henderson With Jennifer Holliday With John Lee Hooker With James Ingram With Michael Jackson With Gladys Knight & the Pips With Patti LaBelle With Labelle With Harold Land With Azar Lawrence With Cheryl Lynn With Wendy Matthews With Jean-Luc Ponty With Julian Priester With Lionel Richie With LeAnn Rimes With Minnie Riperton With Robbie Robertson With Kenny Rogers With Patrice Rushen With Santana With Lalo Schifrin With Donna Summer With The Temptations With Tina Turner With Weather Report With The Whispers With Stevie Woods With Syreeta Wright
 * Seriously Deep (Polydor, 1975)
 * Love Remembers (Warner Bros., 1993)
 * Just Family (Elektra Records, 1977)
 * All My Love (Capitol, 1989)
 * Missing You (Concord, 2007)
 * You're the Best (RCA Records, 1981)
 * Changes (RCA Records, 1982)
 * Dream (Reprise, 1993)
 * Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Columbia Legacy, 2015)
 * The DeBarges (Gordy, 1981)
 * In a Special Way (Gordy, 1983)
 * Faces in Reflection (MPS Records, 1974)
 * Feel (MPS Records, 1974)
 * The Aura Will Prevail (MPS Records, 1975)
 * I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry (MPS Records, 1975)
 * Liberated Fantasies (MPS Records, 1976)
 * From Me to You (Epic Records, 1977)
 * Reach for It (Epic Records, 1977)
 * No Strings (MCA Records, 1993)
 * Come into Our World (Columbia, 1979)
 * Mwandishi (Warner Bros., 1971)
 * Sunlight (Columbia, 1978)
 * Excursions (Atlantic, 1973)
 * Universe (Prestige, 1972)
 * Blues for Walls (Prestige, 1973)
 * To a Higher Place (Columbia, 1994)
 * The Elements (Milestone, 1974)
 * The Song Is You (Shanachie, 2014)
 * The Healer (Chameleon, 1989)
 * It's Your Night (Qwest, 1983)
 * Thriller (Epic, 1982)
 * Bad (Epic, 1987)
 * Visions (Columbia Records, 1983)
 * Tasty (Epic, 1978)
 * Chameleon (Epic, 1976)
 * Damisi (Mainstream, 1972)
 * Choma (Burn) (Mainstream, 1972)
 * Bridge into the New Age (Prestige, 1974)
 * Start Over (Manhattan, 1987)
 * The Witness Tree (rooArt, 1994)
 * Upon the Wings of Music (Atlantic Records, 1975)
 * Love, Love (ECM, 1973)
 * Lionel Richie (Motown Records, 1982)
 * What a Wonderful World (Curb, 2004)
 * Minnie (Capitol, 1979)
 * Storyville (Geffen, 1991)
 * Christmas (Liberty Records, 1981)
 * Love Will Turn You Around (Liberty Records, 1982)
 * We've Got Tonight (Liberty Records, 1983)
 * The Heart of the Matter (RCA Records, 1985)
 * Prelusion (Prestige Records, 1974)
 * Before the Dawn (Prestige Records, 1975)
 * Pizzazz (Elektra Records, 1979)
 * Posh (Elektra Records, 1980)
 * Signature (Discovery, 1997)
 * Borboletta (Columbia, 1974)
 * Amigos (Columbia, 1976)
 * No One Home (Tabu, 1979)
 * Donna Summer (Geffen, 1982)
 * Reunion (Gordy, 1982)
 * Private Dancer (Capitol, 1984)
 * Tale Spinnin' (Columbia, 1975)
 * More of the Night (Capitol, 1990)
 * Take Me to Your Heaven (Cotillon, 1981)
 * The Woman in My Life (Cotillion, 1982)
 * Syreeta (Tamla Records, 1980)
 * The Spell (Tamla Records, 1983)