Chieli Minucci
American guitarist (born 1958)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chieli Minucci (born April 17, 1958)[1] is an American guitarist who co-founded the band Special EFX.[2]
Born
April 17, 1958
Gian Chieli Minucci
April 17, 1958
Huntington, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, world fusion, smooth jazz, new age
OccupationsMusician, composer, producer
InstrumentGuitar
Chieli Minucci | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gian Chieli Minucci April 17, 1958 Huntington, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, world fusion, smooth jazz, new age |
| Occupations | Musician, composer, producer |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Labels | Keytone, GRP, JVC, Shanachie, Trippin N' Rhythm, ChieliMusic |
| Website | chielimusic |
Career
Minucci's father Ulpio Minucci was a concert pianist and composer who wrote the music to the 1955 song "Domani."[3]
Minucci started Special EFX in 1982 with Hungarian drummer George Jinda.[4] The band combined rock, Latin rhythm, and smooth jazz.[5] When the duo separated in 1995, Jinda continued to perform under the name Special EFX.[4] After Jinda's death in 2001, Minucci performed under the name Chieli Minucci and Special EFX.[4] He recorded albums as a solo act, beginning in 1994 with Jewels.[5] He has worked as a record producer and composer for Deborah Henson-Conant and Kim Pensyl, and as a sideman for Angela Bofill, Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Noel Pointer and Roseanna Vitro.[5]
Awards and honors
- Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series, Daytime Emmy Awards, The Guiding Light, 1999, 2007, 2008[6][better source needed]
- "Deep as the Night" was the Billboard #1 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year for 2018.[7]
Discography
As leader
- Jewels (JVC, 1995)
- Renaissance (JVC, 1996)
- It's Gonna Be Good (JVC, 1998)
- Sweet on You (Shanachie, 2000)
- Night Grooves (Shanachie, 2003)
- Got It Goin' On (Shanachie, 2005)
- Solos, Duos, & Trios (ChieliMusic, 2008)
- Pop Today (ChieliMusic, 2008)
- Raspberry & Cream (ChieliMusic, 2008)
- Drippings (ChieliMusic, 2008)
- Travels (Watchfire Music, 2009)
- East of the Sun (Watchfire Music, 2009)
- Someone's Singing (Watchfire Music, 2022)
With Special EFX
- Special EFX (GRP, 1983)
- Modern Manners (GRP, 1985)
- Slice of Life (GRP, 1986)
- Mystique (GRP, 1987)
- Double Feature (GRP, 1988)
- Confidential (GRP, 1989)
- Just Like Magic (GRP, 1990)
- Peace of the World (GRP, 1991)
- Global Village (GRP, 1992)
- Play (JVC, 1993)
- Catwalk (JVC, 1994)
- Body Language (JVC, 1995)
- Masterpiece (Shanachie, 1999)
- Butterfly (Shanachie, 2001)
- Party (Shanachie, 2003)
- A Night with Chieli Minucci & Special EFX (Shanachie, 2006)
- Sweet Surrender (Shanachie, 2007)
- Without You (ChieliMusic, 2010)
- Genesis (Shanachie S405, 2013)
- Deep as the Night (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 2017)
- All Stars (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 2020)
- Twenty Twenty 2 (ChieliMusic, 2022)
- Return to Budapest with Love (ChieliMusic, 2024)
As sideman
With Anastacia
- Not That Kind (Epic/Daylight, 2000)
- Freak of Nature (Epic/Daylight, 2001)
- You'll Never Be Alone (Epic/Daylight, 2002)
- Pieces of a Dream (Epic/Daylight, 2005)
With Celine Dion
- Let's Talk About Love (Columbia, 1997)
- These Are Special Times (Columbia, 1998)
- I'm Alive (Columbia, 2002)
- A New Day Has Come (Columbia, 2002)
- One Heart (Columbia, 2003)
- Caught in the Act (GRP, 1990)
- Talking Hands (GRP, 1991)
- Budapest (MCD Jazz, 1992)
With Chris Hinze
- Saliah (Keytone, 1984)
- African Dream (Keytone, 1991)
- Music for Relaxation (Keytone, 1992)
With others
- Marc Anthony, Mended (Columbia, 2002)
- Angela Bofill, Love in Slow Motion (Shanachie, 1996)
- Backstreet Boys, Millennium (GSM Music, 1999)
- B. B. & Q. Band, All Night Long (Capitol, 1982)
- B. B. & Q. Band, Six Million Times (Capitol, 1983)
- Bob Baldwin, Standing Tall (Narada, 2002)
- Jay Beckenstein, Eye Contact (Windham Hill, 2000)
- Tom Browne, R'N'Browne (Hip Bop, 1999)
- Will Downing, Invitation Only (Mercury, 1997)
- Roberta Flack, Oasis (Atlantic, 1988)
- Russell Gunn, Ethnomusicology Vol. 1 (Atlantic, 1999)
- Omar Hakim, We Are One (OzMosis, 2014)
- Lionel Hampton, For the Love of Music (MoJazz, 1995)
- Enrique Iglesias, Escape (Interscope, 2002)
- Jewel, Joy (Atlantic, 1999)
- Jennifer Lopez, On the 6 (Work, 1999)
- Cheryl Lynn, It's Gonna Be Right (Columbia, 1985)
- Marion Meadows, Player's Club (Heads Up, 2004)
- Kim Pensyl, Eyes of Wonder (GRP, 1993)
- Noel Pointer, Never Lose Your Heart (Shanachie, 1993)
- Nicole Renee, Nicole Renee (Atlantic, 1998)
- Rick Rhodes, Now You See It (Beverly, 1994)
- Rick Rhodes, Indian Summer (Beverly, 1995)
- Lionel Richie, To Love a Woman (Island, 2003)
- Jessica Simpson, Irresistible (Columbia, 2001)
- Kevin Toney, Strut (Shanachie, 2001)
- Nestor Torres, Mi Alma Latina (Shanachie, 2002)
- Gerald Veasley, Signs (101 South, 1994)
- Gerald Veasley, Love Letters (Inak, 1999)
- Roseanna Vitro, Catchin' Some Rays (Telarc, 1997)
Music library production
| Year | Library | Credit/Title(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–present | Gotham Library/Firstcom[8] | Composer, performer music cues for television, movies, and radio |
| 2000–2001 | Bloomberg Radio | Composed music, including the main station IDs |
| 1999 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library[9] | Second Cup |
| 1999 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library | Neon Nights |
| 2001 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library | Sex & Romance |
| 2001 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library | Manhattan Silhouette |
| 2002 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library | X-Treme Sports |
| 2002 | Sound Ideas/Westar Music Library | Over the Edge |
| 1999 | De Wolfe Music[10] | Latin Power |
| 1999 | De Wolfe Music | Smooth Jazz #4 |
| 1997 | Killer Tracks[11] | The 60's Vol. 1 |
| 1994 | FirstCom[8] | American Dream Vol. 2 |
| 1995 | FirstCom | Lifestyles |
| 1996 | FirstCom | American Dream |