Mike Melvoin

Michael "Mike" Melvoin (May 10, 1937 – February 22, 2012) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He served as chairman and president of The Recording Academy and worked as a prolific studio musician, recording with Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, The Jackson 5, Natalie Cole, and The Beach Boys. Melvoin was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo for "All Or Nothing At All" from his album It's Always You.^[1]

Biography

Melvoin was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and began playing the piano at the age of three. He studied English at Dartmouth College, graduating in 1959, but decided to pursue a career in music.^[2] After moving to Los Angeles in 1961, he played with Frank Rosolino, Leroy Vinnegar, Gerald Wilson, Paul Horn, Terry Gibbs, Joe Williams, Peggy Lee and others. He released his debut album as a bandleader, Keys to Your Mind, in 1966 on Liberty Records. Melvoin played in clubs in Los Angeles, and accompanied singer Bill Henderson and played with Herb Ellis and Plas Johnson on Concord Jazz releases.

Melvoin worked extensively as a studio musician, performing on the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966), Frank Sinatra's That's Life (1966), the Jackson 5's ABC (1970), John Lennon's "Stand by Me" (1975), Tom Waits' Nighthawks at the Diner (1975), and Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" (1976). He also began composing for film and television in the early 1970s, contributing scores to Fame and MacGyver.

His children, Wendy (of Wendy & Lisa), Susannah and Jonathan all became professional musicians. Melvoin died in Burbank, California on February 22, 2012 of cancer, at age 74.^[3]

Discography

As leader

• Keys To Your Mind (Liberty Records, 1966)
• Between The Two (Liberty, 1968)
• The Plastic Cow Goes Moooooog (Dot Records, 1969)
• Redeye (Voss Records, 1988)
• The Capitol Sessions (with Charlie Haden and Bill Henderson) (Naim, 1999)
• Oh Baby (City Light Records, 2002)
• It's Always You (with Phil Woods) (City Light, 2003)
• Like Jazz (with David Basse) (City Light, 2003)
• Playing the Word (City Light, 2006)
• You Know (City Light, 2006)

As sideman

With Milt Jackson

• Memphis Jackson (Impulse!, 1969)

With Lalo Schifrin

• Music from Mission: Impossible (Dot, 1967)
• More Mission: Impossible (Paramount, 1968)
• Mannix (Paramount, 1968)
• Bullitt (soundtrack) (Warner Bros., 1968)
• Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
• Gypsies (Tabu, 1978)

With Gábor Szabó

• Light My Fire (Impulse!, 1967) with Bob Thiele
• Wind, Sky and Diamonds (Impulse!, 1967)
• 1969 (Skye, 1969)

With Tom Waits

• Nighthawks at the Diner (Asylum, 1975)

With Thelma Houston & Pressure Cooker

• I've Got the Music in Me (Sheffield Lab, 1975)

As composer

• Keem-O-Sabe (by the Electric Indian, top 40 hit 1969)

As composer=== With Lucio Battisti 1977 (Io tu noi tutti)

References