by Scott YanowA flexible and talented drummer, Danny Gottlieb studied with Mel Lewis and Joe Morello. After graduating from the University of Miami (1975), he did session work in the Miami Beach area. Gottlieb joined Gary Burton's Quartet (1976) at a period when Pat Metheny was the guitarist. When Metheny soon formed his group, Gottlieb became a charter member (1977-1983). In 1981, he teamed up with Metheny's bassist Mark Egan in a band that by 1983 was called Elements. He has worked in many other settings since then, including with John McLaughlin in the short-lived later version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra (1984) and Al DiMeola (1985). Gottlieb now plays on a part-time basis with Elements.