Michael Zager

Michael Zager (born January 3, 1943, in Passaic, New Jersey) is an American record producer, composer, and arranger of original music for commercials, albums, network television, and theme music for films. He teaches music at Florida Atlantic University. Zager was a member of jazz rock band Ten Wheel Drive from 1968–1973.^[1]

Music career

Zager has produced Grammy Award winning artists: Whitney Houston, Cissy Houston, Peabo Bryson, Luther Vandross, Deniece Williams, Jennifer Holliday, Joe Williams, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Alpert, Olatunji, and The Spinners.^[2] Zager produced R&B artist Street Corner Symphony (1975), Dee Edwards (1980), Take Five (1981), Elusion (1981). He also co-wrote the Patti Day song "Right Before My Eyes" with Alexander Forbes.

In 1977, Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party" features a young Whitney Houston (age 15) and her mother Cissy Houston on vocals. In 1978, the Michael Zager Band had a huge disco hit anthem with "Let's All Chant".

During 1979 and 1980 Zager wrote the medley arrangements for the Spinners' "Working My Way Back to You"/"Forgive Me, Girl" (#2 Hot 100 in March–April 1980, #1 UK) and "Cupid"/"I've Loved You for a Long Time" (#4 Hot 100 in July–August 1980, #4 UK).

Appointments

Zager graduated from University of Miami and the Mannes College of Music. He taught at the Mannes College of Music, a division of New School University, in New York.

He taught at the College of Music at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during the summers of 2006 and 2008 and was brought back as a Payap-sponsored scholar/consultant for the 2009 summer to advise Payap University's new Recording Studio on commercial music production.

He holds the positions of the Dorothy F. Schmidt Eminent Scholar in Performing Arts and professor of music at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida.

He has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida Chapter of The Recording Academy (Grammy Awards).

He is the author of Writing Music for Television and Radio Commercials (A Manual for Composers and Students) published by The Scarecrow Press, and Music Production, also published by Scarecrow Press.

Discography

• "Do It With Feeling". as Michael Zager's Moon Band Featuring Peabo Bryson (1976)
• "Let's All Chant". as Michael Zager Band - Private Stock Records (1978)
• "Life's a Party". as Michael Zager Band - Private Stock Records (1978)
• "Zäger". as Michael Zager Band (1983)

See also

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
• Jazz rock
• Disco

References