Alan Pasqua

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Alan Pasqua (born June 28, 1952 ) is an American jazz and rock keyboarder.

Originally from New Jersey , Pasqua graduated from Indiana University and received a bachelor's degree in jazz music from the New England Conservatory . His teachers were Jaki Byard , Thad Jones , George Russell , David Baker and Gunther Schuller . During a concert at Carnegie Hall , he met drummer Tony Williams , who brought him into his band The New Tony Williams Lifetime , with whom he recorded two albums on Columbia Records .

He then went to Los Angeles, where he joined the bands of Eddie Money , Bob Dylan, and finally Carlos Santana . As a sideman he worked with Pat Benatar , Ray Charles , Joe Cocker , Ry Cooder , John Fogerty , Aretha Franklin , Sammy Hagar , Al Jarreau , Elton John , Queen Latifah , Graham Nash , Bob Seger , Rick Springfield , Rod Stewart , The Temptations , Joe Walsh , Dionne Warwick and Phil Spector .

In the late 1980s, Pasqua founded the rock band Giant with guitarist Dann Huff , whose debut album Last of The Runaways was released on A&M Records . He has also worked with composers such as John Williams , Quincy Jones , Dave Grusin , Jerry Goldsmith , Henry Mancini and Maurice Jarre on soundtracks for films. He himself composed the soundtrack for the Disney film The Waterboy .

As a band leader, he released two albums ( Milagro and Dedications ), on which Jack DeJohnette , Paul Motian , Dave Holland , Michael and Randy Brecker participated. With Peter Erskine he led a trio with which two albums were released on the Fuzzy Music label, and he recorded another with Erskine and bassist Darek Oles . He has also worked with Joe Henderson , Stanley Clarke , Gary Burton , James Moody , Gary Peacock , Gary Bartz , Eddie Daniels , Dave Weckl , Tom Scott , John Patitucci , Reggie Workman , the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra , Sam Rivers , Sheila Jordan , Joe Williams , Ivan Lins , Frank Foster , Alphonso Johnson , Narada Michael Walden , Les McCann , Stan Kenton , Don Ellis and Allan Holdsworth .

Pasqua teaches jazz at The Flora L. Thorton School of Music at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Discography (selection)

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