Contemporary instrumental smooth jazz prog-rock

13 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Jazz Fusion, JAZZ: Smooth Jazz



Details:
1. Guitarzzz
2. Mystical
3. Astralcats
4. Sweet Surrender
5. Ascension
6. Chant
7. Cry Of My Soul
8. Play With Me
9. Rush Hour (Dawn)
10. Rush Hour (Rush)
11. Children's Day
12. New Bop
13. Au Naturale

Produced by Chieli Minucci 6/02-1/07
Executive producer Danny Weiss
_____________________________
Mixed & Mastered by Paul Wickliffe at Skyline Productions
Recorded by Paul Wickliffe at Charlestown Road Studios, NJ
Additional recording and all pre-produciton by Chieli Minucci at Baci Studios, NYC
Additional recording by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios, NYC
Additional recording by David Mann at Studio 107, NYC

_____________________________
all titles composed & arranged by C. Minucci (ASCAP)
published by Chieli Music (ASCAP)

except Chant, written by Philip Hamilton & Chieli Minucci
published by Milimaya Music (BMI) & Chieli Music (ASCAP)


Chieli Minucci..........guitars, keyboards, vocals, programming
Jerry Brooks............bass
Lionel Cordew.........drums
Jay Rowe.................acoustic grand piano, keyboards
Philip Hamilton.......percussion, vocals
David Mann.............saxophones, flute

additional musicians
Will Brock.......background vocals on Sweet Surrender,
Play With Me, & Guitarzzz
Dave Anderson......fretless bass on Cry Of My Soul & Chant
Wayne Batchelor...double bass on Au Naturale
Ada Luz Jiron, Julietta, Danny Madden........additional vocals on Chant
_____________________________
1. Guitarzzz
Chieli Minucci - guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Jerry Brooks - electric bass
David Mann - saxophones
Will Brock - background vocals

I wrote this piece specifically for the group, Guitarzz (myself, Chuck Loeb, and Paul Jackson Jr), for our performance at the Capitol Jazz music festival in the Washington, DC area. I always wanted to try to write a song which somehow crossed the style of the Allman Brothers with contmeporary jazz. Anyway, somehow this was the result, with me ending up performing the 3 guitar parts.

2. Mystical
Chieli Minucci - guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Jerry Brooks - electric bass
David Mann - saxophones

This is actually a spinoff of an old Special EFX tune from our 2nd year as a band (1985), but completely rewritten, as well as totally rearranged. I wanted to write something âcommercialâ , yet which was extremely syncopated as well, and funky, and with a catchy melody. This tune always had been in the back of my mind to recut with a more modern arrangement.

3. Astralcats
Chieli Minucci - guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Jerry Brooks - electric bass
Lionel Cordew - drums
Philip Hamilton - congas

A longshot cousin to âCourageous Catsâ, from solo CD #1, 'Jewels'. Astralcats is all about cruising through time and space, at a high speed! A bunch of fusion cats are joined onstage by a jazzy bop nerd, and the results are just crazy!

4. Sweet Surrender
Chieli Minucci - electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards, synth bass,
drum programming, melody vocal
David Mann - soprano saxophone
Will Brock - background vocals

The acoustic guitar based arrangement was inspired by guitarist Eric Claptonâs collaboration with crooner Babyface some years ago. A touch of melancholy, but my idea of what contermporary instrumental 'pop' should sound like...

5. Ascension
Chieli Minucci - electric guitar
Jerry Brooks - electric bass
Lionel Cordew - drums
David Mann - tenor saxophone
Jay Rowe - electric piano

After we videotaped our live DVD in 2005 I became inspired to record a few more songs which would feature the band cut loose....live in the studio. This is one of those, a fast, light composition, jet-propelled by Lionel's precise percussive work...

6. Chant
Chieli Minucci - acoustic & electric guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Dave Anderson - fretless bass
Philip Hamilton - lead & background vocals
Julietta Cuticonne - additional background vocals

Philip Hamiltonâs haunting spiritual vocals inspired the arrangement for this gorgeous epic! The vocal arrangement was originally used for a musical Philip had scored, 'River Deep', which ran off-off Broadway in NYC in 2005 & 2006. I took those vocal melodies and moved them around a bit, then added everything else around them.

Oh Lord, I did what you told me
But Iâm only a man
and I believe what I see
Oh...

Oh lord, looks like itâs crazy
I know you got a plan, yeah
and I wait patiently.....
Oh Lord

7. Cry Of My Soul
Chieli Minucci - electirc & acoustic guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Dave Anderson - fretless bass
Jay Rowe - acoustic grand piano

This piece originated at a soundcheck from a tour last year in Detroit. We needed a mid-temp groove to test the stage levels, and these 4 chords just did the trick! Later on I remembered those harmonies which inspired this melody! I also wanted to dress it all up as if it was a Pink Floyd kind of piece, slow, yearning, crying...

8. Play With Me
Chieli Minucci - guitars, keyboards, synth bass, drum programming
David Mann - soprano saxophone
Will Brock - background vocal

Originally written with lyrics in mind, this piece is reminicient of the spirit of some of the music on my solo CD from some years back, âRenaissanceâ.

9. Rush Hour a)Dawn
10. Rush Hour b)Rush
Chieli Minucci - electric guitar
Jerry Brooks - electric bass

Jerry and I have been playing this ditty at almost all of our live concerts for a while now. I thought it was time to finally get it recorded in the studio. We often perform this as part of our âjazz fusion medleyâ.

11. Children's Day
Chieli Minucci - electric & acoustic guitars, keyboards, drum programming
Jerry Brooks - electric bass
David Mann - flute
Philip Hamilton - conga, main melody vocals
Jay Rowe - acoustic grand piano
Danny Madden, Ada Luz Giron, Chieli, Philip Hamilton - âchildren's vocals'

This is in honor of my hometown's annual âChildren's Dayâ neighborhood celebration in Forest Hills, Queens, when Greenway North & Greenway South are closed off and the streets become a kind of kid's carnival every first Saturday in June! As a teenager I performed here with my first junior high school band, year after year. The recording features many musicians, and many instruments...a real âclassicâ Special EFX kind of world party piece!

12. New Bop
Chieli Minucci - guitars, percussion programmingJerry Brooks - electric bass
Lionel Cordew - drums
David Mann - tenor saxophone
Jay Rowe - electric piano

Another live band song, inspired by the Special EFX DVD performance. There is a lot of play with rhythm figureshere...hemiolas within hemiolas...

13. Au Naturale
Chieli Minucci - acoustic guitar
Wayne Batchelor - acoustic double bass

I met Wayne performing together in âRiver Deep,â a stagedmusical adaptation of Tina Turnerâs life story, performed in NYC over the last 2 years. The idea was to record an upright bass and acoustic guitar, old fashioned style, no overdubs, no click track.


Chieli Minucci was born and raised in NYC. Son of Catherine & Ulpio Minucci (a concert pianist/composer, who wrote the 50s hit, Domani (Julius LaRosa), A Thousand Thoughts of You, and Felicia (both Nat King Cole). Chieli grew up in Queens, NY, where he still resides today. He began music early on, studying classical piano from the age of 5, and eventually switched over to guitar at 8. He was continually surrounded by the sound of music, through his father's piano playing, and composing, which was to play a key role in his musical future as a writer himself.

At age 13 he joined neighborhood friends to form the band, Taurus, which stayed together for about 3 years. Chieli did a great deal of performing and traveling with this band, performing regularly on the Italian Line Cruise ships during Christmas and Easter school holidays, as well as countless school dances and parties, as well as local bars. It was during these teen years that he developed his love for performing, writing, singing, and traveling, all through music.

He attended Ithaca College in upstate NY, where he initially majored in music, studying classical guitar, but eventually settled in as an English major. He continued studying music theory, history, solfeggio, composition, and big band arranging, as well as joining various local groups: Amethyst, a folk/pop trio; The New Band, his first foray into fusion-jazz/rock; Fast Food, a new wave vocal/rock group; Colombo, a Brazilian trio; and finally, a long stint in Gumbo, an original instrumental/fusion rock quartet. The college life gave Chieli an opportunity to be a part of many diverse musical situations, which was key in his future as a composer/guitarist.

Following college he returned to NYC, studying composition privately with Nicolas Flagello. From ages 23 through 25 Minucci worked with many acts: The Commotion, Fran Eckhart, China Davis Band, Sapho, as well as continuing to write his own music, in particular, pop vocal music, for which he teamed up with lyricists Bobby Matthews and Norman Simon. He performed in various groups, including a two-year stint with Eartha Kitt, and eventually The B.B. & Q. Band (Capital), as well as a brief run with the Lou Reed Band, which featured the rhythm section of Fernando Saunders on bass, as well as J.T. Lewis on drums. (soon to become the first rhythm section lineup of Special EFX). Chieli performed at the original Farm Aid concert with Lou Reed as well. It was during this period that he met Hungarian drummer/percussionist, George Jinda.

Soon after meeting George, the two musicians formed Special Delivery, which landed a recording contract in 1982 with Keytone Records, in Holland. Their first LP, simply entitled, Special EFX was eventually picked up for USA distribution by GRP Records (Larry Rosen/Dave Grusin) in NYC. By 1984 Special EFX (newly renamed) had its first US release out in the stores, and the band began its present adventures in touring and performing. Since then Special EFX has recorded 17 CDs, and Chieli has recorded 6 solo CDs on his own. 'Chieli Minucci with Special EFX' is still touring regularly.

Chieli has been busy in a wide variety of musical projects, which include recording and performing with top pop artists Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Mark Anthony, Jessica Simpson, Anastasia and others....as well as jazz artists Marion Meadows, jay Beckenstein, Gerald Veasley, Lao Tizer, Nestor Torez, Bob Baldwin, and many others....

Chieli also has a multimedia website, ChieliMusic.com, which features video, multiple soundclips, individual song downloads from all 23 CDs, as well as all biographical material, full electronic press-kit, etc...


___________________________________________
RECENT ACTIVITIES
as of 2/07

Chieli appeared on both ABC's
Good Morning America
and the
Rachael Ray Show
alongside singer Michael Bolton

2006 Emmy nomination for
Best Music Composition on a Daytime Drama
(CBS's Guiding Light)
One of the primary composers, since 1999.
Has composed over 600 individual cues,
and continues to regularly score background music
for the show, which is enjoying it's
70th anniversary season on television!

On tour in support of Special EFX's first live concert DVD release, 'A Night With Chieli Minucci & Special EFX'
as well as 'Got It Goin' On,'
Chieli's 6th solo CD.

- My Girl Sunday, from 'Sweet On You'
was a top five record in 2001

- Cruise Control, from 'Butterly' was #1 in 2002
(1315 spins in 2006 alone!!!!)

- Kickin' it Hard, from 'Night Grooves'
was a top five record in 2003

- The Juice, from 'Got It Goin' On' was Top Ten in 2005
(2685 spins to date in 2006)


Composed and produced the soundtrack
for the 2003-2006 Clear Channel/Nickolodeon
live tour productions of the hit TV series,
Dora the Explorer.
Both 'Dora's Pirate Adventure ,'
and 'The City of Lost Toys',
currently touring internationally.
Chieli is currently recording songs
for the latest upcoming
Live Nation stage production of the hit kid's TV show,
Thomas The Tank Engine !

Chieli and Emanauel Kallins continue to score/produce music for Gotham Music, the diverse music production company with compositions and cues being heard all over network television, cable, radio, feature films, etc.....
recently
'Good Morning America'
has been featuring one of their
original compositions
as part of their opening theme....

The music can also regularly be heard
on such diverse programs as
Access Hollywood, Primetime Live, the 700 Club....even Howard Stern!