Chieli Minucci
INSTRUMENTS: DISCOGRAPHY: |
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WEBSITE: www.chielimusic.com |
BIO:
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...
DISCOGRAPHY
ARTIST/PRODUCER
Chieli Minucci
Got It Goin' On..............Shanachie/2005
Night Grooves...............Shanachie/2003
Sweet On You...............Shanachie/2002
It’s Gonna Be Good.......JVC/1998
Renaissance.................JVC/1996
Jewels ........................JVC/1995
Special EFX
A Night With Special EFX
......Shanachie/ 2006
Party.........................Shanachie/ 2003
Butterfly....................Shanachie/ 2001
Masterpiece................Shanachie /1999
Body Language...........JVC/ 1995
Catwalk.....................JVC/ 1994
Play..........................JVC /1993
Collection...................GRP/ 1993
Global Village..............GRP /1992
Peace Of The World.....GRP /1991
Just Like Magic............GRP/ 1990
Confidential................GRP/ 1989
Double Feature...........GRP/ 1988
Mystique....................GRP /1987
Slice Of Life...............GRP /1986
Modern Manners.........GRP/ 1985
Special EFX................GRP/1984
Smooth Jazz: Pure Pleasure Shanachie/1999
Flavors Of Jazz JVC/1997
Musicland & GRP: Got What's Hot In Jazz GRP/1992
The GRP Album GRP/2001
Jay Beckenstein “Sunrise” & “Lookin’ Up” Windham Hill/2000
from Eye Contact
Windham Hill A Jazz Noel 1999
“Magic” & “Joyous”
The Very Best Of Smooth Jazz Guitar Shanachie/1998
“Anything & Everything”
GRP Christmas Volume 1 GRP/1988
Collection
PRODUCER/GUITARIST
Lao Tizer Golden Soul Frathouse Records/2001
Short Play LA Sound/1997
Jay Beckenstein “Sunrise” Windham Hill/2000
“Looking Up”
“I've Been Waiting”
Rick Rhodes Now You See It, Now You Don't Polystar/1994
Indian Summer Polystar/1995
Deep in the Night Beanbag/1998
Kim Pensyl Eyes Of Wonder GRP/1992
Deborah Henson-Conant
The Art Of Harp (Vol. 1) International Harp Festival 1996
Caught In The Act GRP/1990
Talking Hands GRP/1991
Budapest White Cat/Unity/1992
Heather Mullen Heather Mullen (debut) Eastwest/1992
GUITARIST
Celine Dion
• One Heart Sony/2003
• A New Day Has Come Sony/2002
• Collector's Series, Vol. 1 2000
• These Are Special Times 550 Music/Epic/1998
• Let's Talk About Love (Australia) 1998
• You Only Love Once
Lionel Richie ”To Love A Woman" Island Def Jam/2002
Mark Anthony Mended Columbia/2002
“Tragedy”
Donna Summer “I Will” Sony/2003
Jennifer Lopez J to Tha L-O!: The Remixes
Bob Baldwin Narada/2003
The American Spirit: A Smooth Jazz Celebration
“America The Beautiful” & “Star Spangled Banner”
Shanachie/2002
Nestor Torres My Latin Soul Shanachie/2002
“Smooth” & “Hero”
Anastacia Freak Of Nature Sony/2002
Not That Kind Sony/1999
Kevin Toni Strut Shanachie/2001
John Favicchia Dharma Fav Music/2001
True Vibe True Vibe Essential/Zomba/2001
David Mann Touch Encoded/2001
Jessica Simpson Irresistible Sony/2001
Tin Tin Out Anybody's’ Guess Virgin/2000
Celeste “This Is Your Life” Ministry Of
Sound/UK/2000
Carman Heart of a Champion Sparrow/ EMI
Christian Group/2000
Steelye Dan Tribute No Static At All Samson/2000
“Josie” (w/ Dave Koz)
Rosie O’Donnell A Rosie Christmas Sony/2000
(with Donny Osmond “Winter Wonderland” )
Club 1600 “Stay” Encoded/N2K/2000
Samantha Sima Identity Genie Entertainment/2000
Tre-O Music of the Heart Sony/1999
“Seventeen”
Tom Browne R ‘N’ Browne Hip Bop/1999
Giselle d'Cole “Giselle D’Cole” Sony/Disco1999
Jewel Joy: A Holiday Collection Atlantic/1999
Mya Caliente/Atlantic/1999
Gerald Veasley wrote “Hypnotize” Heads Up/1999
(from Love Letters)
Jennifer Lopez “Promise Me You'll Try” Work/Sony/1999
from On The 6
Backstreet Boys “I Need You Tonight” Jive/Zomba/1999
from Millennium
Russell Gunn Ethnomusicology (Vol. 1) Atlantic/1998
Ginette Reno Love Is All Attic Records Limited/1998
Mercedes Hall Somewhere In Town 1998
Sola Haunts Also Productions/1998
Marion Meadows “Unchain My Heart” Sire/Discovery/1998
from “Pleasure”
Nicole Renee Nicole Renee Atlantic/1998
“Memorabilia”
Bakithi Kumalo San Bonan Siam/1998
Armsted Christian The Wave Is Coming Siam/1998
Will Downing Invitation Only Mercury/1997
Slim Mann Secret Rendezvous Encoded/1997
Angela Bofill Love in Slow Motion Shanachie/1996
Chaka Khan Epiphany:
• The Best Of Chaka Khan Warner Bros.
• “Your Love Is All I Know” 1996
Voyeur Boulevard Columbia/1996
Lionel Hampton For the Love of Music Mo Jazz/1996
E.Y.C. I Feel It MCA/1996
“In The Beginning”
Billy Mann Billy Mann A&M/1996
Jenny Burton The Jenny Burton Experience” Voiceworks/1995
Mark Johnson Mark Johnson JVC/1994
Mavis Staple The Voice Warner Bros./Paisley
Park/1993
Christoph Spendel Cool Street TCB/1993
Noel Pointer Never Lose Your Heart Shanachie/Cachet/1993
Bemshi Woman Child Capitol/1992
Gabor Kristof The Fast Lane Champagne/1989
Omar Hakim Rhythm Love GRP/1989
Roberta Flack Oasis Atlantic/1988
Lala Lala Arista/1987
The Bellestars World Domination MCA/Stiff/1986
Cheryl Lynn It’s Gonna Be Alright CBS/1985
Chris Hinze Saliah Keytone/1984
High Fashion Make Up Your Mind Capitol/EMI/1983
Change This Is Your Time Atlantic/RFC/1983
The B.B.Q. Band Six Million Times Capitol/EMI/1983
The B.B.Q. Band Capitol/EMI/1982
Compilations
Various Artists Guitar Fire!: GRP Gold Encore... (1983)
Various Artists GRP Digital Sampler, Vol. 1 (1984)
Various Artists GRP Christmas Collection (1988)
Various Artists KBLX - The Quiet Storm (1988)
Various Artists WNUA 95.5: Smooth Sounds, Vol. 1
Various Artists WQCD: Cool Sounds of CD 101.9, Vol... (1988)
Various Artists GRP: On the Cutting Edge (1989)
Various Artists KIFM: Smooth Sounds of San Diego,... (1989)
Various Artists WNUA 95.5: Smooth Sounds, Vol. 2 (1990)
Various Artists WQCD: Cool Sounds of CD 101.9, Vol... (1990)
Various Artists GRP Digital Sampler: On the... (1991)
Various Artists KIFM: Smooth Sounds of San Diego,... (1991)
Various Artists WCDJ: GRP Presents CD 96.9 -... (1991)
Various Artists WHVE: The Wave (1991)
Various Artists GRP 10th Anniversary Collection (1992)
Various Artists Smooth Sounds of Quiet, Vol. 2 (1992)
Various Artists Music Land & GRP: Got What's Hot... (1992)
Various Artists World of Contemporary Jazz Groups (1993)
Various Artists Flavors of Jazz (1997)
Various Artists Hip Bop'N Smooth (1999)
Various Artists Jazz Noel (1999)
Various Artists Smooth Jazz: Pure Pleasure (1999)
Various Artists Club 1600 (2000) Guitar
Various Artists Smooth Jazz: Sexual Healing (2000)
Various Artists Smooth Jazz Number Ones (2000)
Various Artists 102.5 the Wave
Various Artists GRP New Magic Digital Sampler, Vol...
Various Artists GRP Digital Sampler, Vol. 2
Various Artits Music for the New Millennium (2000)
Various Artists Satin Doll: Smooth Jazz Plays Duke (2001)
Various Artists Smooth Jazz: The Quiet Storm (2001)
Various Artists Smooth Jazz: Sweet Love (2002)
My Kind Of Jazz Sheer Sound (South Africa 2002)
ARRANGER
Jay Beckenstein “Sunrise” & “Lookin’ Up” Windham Hill/2000
Patrick “Patches” Stewart Penetration Hip Bop/1998
remixes & edits
Spyro Gyra
“Ariana” from Love & Other Obsessions GRP/1995
“Heart Of The Night” GRP/1996
“Ariana” from Retrospective GRP/1997
SOUNDTRACKS/TELEVISION
One of the primary composers, since 1999, for the CBS Daytime Drama, Guiding Light. Has composed over 600 individual cues.
Composed background music, since 1997, for As The World Turns, and Another World, scoring over 400 individual cues.
ABC-TV The Beach Boys: An American Family 2/00
“Surf and Turf”
HBO “Watch Out HBO” 2000
music for HBO’s new season
Bowfinger “Super Smooth” (C. Minucci/M. Kallins)1999
Snake Eyes “Fiesta Mexicana” Brian DePalma/1998
Performed as guitarist on:
Uptown Girls starring Brittany Murphy MGM/2003
Diana Ross/Brandy Double Platinum Arif Mardin/1999
(TV movie)
Jimmy Webb “Clean & Narrow“ Showtime Movie/1999
Tre-O Music of the Heart Sony/1999
“Seventeen”
Bette Midler The Hunchback of Notre Dame Disney/1996
Ishtar Dave Grusin-composer Columbia/1987
staring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman
