Joe Vannelli

Joe Vannelli
Origin Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genres Pop rock, soft rock, jazz, blue-eyed soul, funk
Instruments Keyboard
Years active 1973–present

Joe Vannelli (born Montreal, 28 December 1950), is a Canadian musician, composer and record producer. He was credited on most records of his brother, Gino Vannelli, and in collaboration with youngest brother Ross Vannelli, the three have won many awards.

Vannelli studied music theory in Montreal, and learned to play piano. He was influenced by artists like Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck and Erroll Garner. During the seventies he developed an interest in electronic instruments; he was one of the early synthesizer players. He contributed to most of Gino's albums as a composer, producer, arranger, programmer and engineer.

Apart from his work with Gino and Ross, he has been credited by many artists like Chaka Khan, Eartha Kitt, Gary Morris, David Meece, Kudasai, Marilyn Scott, Jimmy Haslip, Brenda Russell, Pat Thomi, Don Sebesky, Kit Chan, Bill Meyers, Gianni Bella and Glenn Jones.

Musical career

Early on in Vannelli's career, he and brother Gino decided to head to Montreal where Gino headed one morning to the offices of A&M Records. There Gino managed to get past security and catch Herb Alpert. After liking what he heard resulting from Gino's audition, Alpert signed him on.

For most of Gino's career, Joe was his keyboard player and arranger. In the early 70's Joe would overdub most of the multiple keyboard parts to create that certain progressive sound of the early 1970s. This was a time when polyphonic synthesizers weren't around.[1]

Along with Gino, he co produced the 1986 Chronology album for David Meece which was released on Myrrh Records and co wrote "Seventy Times Seven" and "Come That Day".[2] Vannelli and Burton Cummings co-produced Cummings's 2008 album Above the Ground which was the first album release for Cummings in approximately 18 years.[3]

In 2009 he produced Not So Silent Night...Christmas with REO Speedwagon for REO Speedwagon.[4]

Vannelli has won six Juno Awards and was nominated for several Grammy Awards, including one for best arrangement.[5] One Juno award was for Recording Engineer of the Year. This was shared with his other brother Ross for "Black Cars" that appeared on Gino Vannelli's album of the same name.[6][7][8] The following year more awards came for "Wild Horses" and "Young Lover".[9]

Today, Joe Vannelli has a studio in Agoura Hills, California.[10]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Cashbox Canada Magazine Wed, 04/02/2014 Proudly Canadian: Gino Vannelli
  2. ↑ Discogs David Meece – Chronology
  3. ↑ Historica Canada Burton Cummings
  4. ↑ IGN 2 Dec, 2009 REO Speedwagon Releases First-of-its-Kind Rock Music Video Game
  5. ↑ Keyboard Mag May 3, 2012 An Afternoon With Joe Vannelli by Robbie Gennet and Fernando Perdomo
  6. ↑ Billboard 12 Oct 1985 Canada international Adams, Hart, Gowan Grab More Juno Nominations by Kirk LaPointe
  7. ↑ The Examiner November 11, 2012 Exclusive Interview with international superstar Gino Vannelli Interviewed by Ray Shasho
  8. ↑ The Algoma News 16 June 2010 Gino Vannelli by Ronald Wolf
  9. ↑ The Algoma News 16 June 2010 Gino Vannelli by Ronald Wolf
  10. ↑ Keyboard Mag May 3, 2012 An Afternoon With Joe Vannelli by Robbie Gennet and Fernando Perdomo
  11. ↑ Discogs Jimmy Haslip featuring Joe Vannelli – Nightfall

Sources

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