Don Grolnick
Don Grolnick (* 23. September 1947 in Brooklyn , New York City ; † 1. June 1996 in New York City) was an American jazz - fusion - and Pop - Pianist , keyboardist , composer and producer .
Live and act
Growing up in Levittown, New York, Grolnick began playing the accordion, but later switched to the piano. His interest in jazz was sparked by a Count Basie concert to which his father took him; shortly afterwards he saw Erroll Garner at Carnegie Hall . He studied philosophy at Tufts University , but his interest in music remained. At the university he met Michael Brecker ; shortly afterwards he became a member of the fusion band Dreams , and later he also worked with John Abercrombie and the funk fusion bands Brecker Brothers and Steps . He also dealt with pop music; 1974 began his long musical partnership with the singer James Taylor , whose albums he produced. In the 1980s and 1990s he was one of the most creative figures on the US studio scene with a wide range of interests, from jazz and pop to South American music.
Don Grolnick has worked in the course of his career as a pianist and composer with artists such as Linda Ronstadt , James Taylor , Roberta Flack , Carly Simon , Bette Midler , Czesław Niemen and the jazz and fusion musicians Gato Barbieri , Billy Cobham , Michael Brecker , Mike Mainieri , Eddie Gomez , Steve Gadd , Peter Erskine , David Sanborn , Mike Stern , Bob Mintzer , Dave Holland and Steely Dan together. His contribution to John Scofield's album Still Warm ( Gramavision , 1985) stands out.
In addition, Grolnick recorded a number of albums under his own name in the 1980s and 1990s, among which especially his recordings for the label Blue Note ( Weaver of Dreams , 1989 and Nighttown , 1992) stand out, on which besides Mintzer, Erskine and the brothers Brecker nor Steve Turre , Joe Lovano , Marty Ehrlich and Dave Holland participated. In 1995 Grolnick went on tour in England with a similar cast, recorded on the album The London Concert and released on Erskine's label Fuzzy Music .
Discographic notes
- 1985 - Hearts and Numbers (1985; Hip Pocket; later on VeraBra Records)
- 1989 - Weaver of Dreams ( Blue Note Records )
- 1992 - Nighttown (Blue Note Records)
- 1995 - Medianoche ( Pony Canyon ; Warner Bros. Records )
- 1999 - Steps - Smokin 'in the Pit (NYC Records)
- 2000 - Steps - A Collection: Step by Step / Paradox (2000; NYC Records)
- 2000 - The London Concert (released 2000; Fuzzy Music)
literature
- Richard Cook , Brian Morton : The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD . 6th edition. Penguin, London 2002, ISBN 0-14-051521-6 .
- Bielefeld catalog 1988 & 2002
Web links
- Short biography at Barnes and Noble
- Homepage and audio sample
- Don Grolnick at Allmusic (English)
- Don Grolnick at Discogs (English)
References and comments
- ^ Cook & Morton, p. 1316.
- ↑ Cook and Morton count these “superb” sessions among Grolnick's best recordings and give them the highest rating of four stars.
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Grolnick, Don |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz and fusion pianist and composer |
DATE OF BIRTH | September 23, 1947 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn , New York City, USA |
DATE OF DEATH | June 1, 1996 |
Place of death | New York City , USA |