Dave Grusin

Eighty-six years old at this writing, American composer, arranger, producer and pianist Dave Grusin has composed many scores for feature films and television, won numerous awards for his soundtrack and record work – including an Academy Award and ten Grammy Awards – and is the co-founder of GRP Records. Presented here in their entireties are Grusin’s first and second LPs as a leader, A Jazz Version of the Broadway Hit Subways Are for Sleeping (Epic LN- 3829) and Piano, Strings and Moonlight: The Many Moods of Dave Grusin (Epic BN-26023). The former, recorded in a trio format with bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Don Lamond, focuses on selections from the Broadway musical Subways Are for Sleeping. The latter is a collection of standards (plus the original tune “Sara Jane”) and features the trio (with Ossie Johnson on drums replacing Lamond) with the addition of strings arranged and conducted by Grusin himself.

This set works very well. Dave Grusin and his younger brother Don Grusin use a variety of keyboards to create a series of colorful duets. Other than Dori Caymmi's "Southern Wind," all of the fairly spontaneous yet well-planned performances are originals by one or both of the brothers. Even listeners who are not that much into electronics will find much of interest on this melodic and funky, yet often unpredictable set.

An Evening with Dave Grusin is essentially the soundtrack to the Blu-Ray DVD product, and an app for the iPad, both of which have loads more features. The composer, arranger, and pianist conducts the 75-piece Henry Mancini Orchestra in a live program of his own music – tunes written for cinema – as well as the works of composers Gershwin, Bernstein, and Mancini. The show was co-produced by Grusin's longstanding business associate and collaborator Larry Rosen and Phil Ramone.

Night-Lines is an album by American pianist Dave Grusin released in 1984, recorded for the GRP label. The album reached #4 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart. The album's cover is from the November 1983 issue of Electronic Fun with Computers & Games.

In the 1970s, when prominent movie stars started to become the driving forces behind films, the jazz musician Dave Grusin was a favorite choice for film composer by several above-the-title male actors, notably Robert Redford, Paul Newman, and Warren Beatty. Redford starred in director Sydney Pollack's spy thriller 3 Days of the Condor, and Grusin got the scoring nod. The film was set in the New York City of the present day, the present day being 1975, and Grusin turned in music imbued with familiar elements of jazz fusion and R&B-funk. His "Condor! (Theme From 3 Days of the Condor)" could have been the instrumental track for a Steely Dan song of the time, and "Yellow Panic" was one of several tracks to employ wah-wah guitar à la Shaft.

The Jazz Club series is an attractive addition to the Verve catalogue. With it's modern design and popular choice of repertoire, the Jazz Club is not only opened for Jazz fans, but for everyone that loves good music.
Dave Grusin has been a highly successful performer, producer, composer, record label executive, arranger, and bandleader. As a pianist, Grusin tends toward the fusion and smooth end of jazz, but he's primarily an accomplished film and television soundtrack composer. Grusin played with Terry Gibbs and Johnny Smith while studying at the University of Colorado. He was the assistant music director and pianist for Andy Williams from 1959 to 1966, and then started his television composing career…

This album has a good R&B edge to it on the first 4 tracks and then some solid fusion efforts in the vein of other Valentin albums. Worth it purely for the version of Clove and Cinnamon alone as a jazz funk classic!!