Mike Mainieri

Mike Mainieri
Mainieri in 2016.
Mainieri in 2016.
Background information
Birth nameMike Mainieri
Born (1938-07-04) July 4, 1938 (age 86)
The Bronx, New York, United States
GenresJazz, Jazz fusion, rock
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, label owner
Instrument(s)vibraphone, keyboards
Years active1952–present
LabelsElektra Musician, NYC
SpouseDee Carstensen (m.1993)[1]
Websitewww.nycrecords.com

Michael T. Mainieri Jr. (born July 4, 1938)[2] is an American vibraphonist, known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead.[2] He is married to the singer-songwriter and harpist Dee Carstensen.[3]

Biography

Mainieri was born in The Bronx, New York, United States.[2] Mainieri was a pioneer in introducing an electronic vibraphone, known as a synth-vibe, and has recorded with such musicians as Buddy Rich, Wes Montgomery and Jeremy Steig.[2] He performed for a live album by Laura Nyro and was featured on several tracks from the Dire Straits album, Love Over Gold (1982),[4] as well as on "Ride Across the River" on the album Brothers in Arms (1985).[5] He performed on the albums Heads by Bob James, Heart to Heart by David Sanborn,[6] and Tiger in the Rain by Michael Franks.[7]

He has also released numerous albums and videos as a leader for a variety of labels, most notably his 1980 album for Warner Bros. titled Wanderlust, which featured Michael Brecker and other members of Steps Ahead.[2] He produced three albums for Carly Simon. Mainieri married singer-songwriter/harpist Dee Carstensen in 1993.[1]

Discography

Mike Mainieri with Bendik Hofseth, Cosmopolite Scene, Oslo, 2016.

As leader

  • Blues on the Other Side (Argo, 1963) (as The Mike Manieri Quartet)
  • Journey Thru an Electric Tube (Solid State, 1968)
  • Insight (Solid State, 1968) (as The Mike Manieri Quartet)
  • Love Play (Arista, 1977)
  • Free Smiles: Live at Montreaux 1978 (Arista Novus, 1978) (with Warren Bernhardt)
  • Wanderlust (Warner Bros., 1981)
  • Man Behind Bars (NYC, 1995)
  • An American Diary (NYC, 1995)
  • Live at the Seventh Avenue South (NYC,1996) (as The Mike Manieri Quartet)[8]
  • An American Diary: The Dreamings (NYC, 1997)
  • Northern Lights (NYC, 2006)
  • L'Image 2.0 (L'Image, 2009)
  • Crescent (NYC, 2010)

As a member

With Arista All Stars

  • Blue Montreux (Arista, 1979) – live

With Steps Ahead

Studio albums

  • Step by Step (1980)
  • Steps Ahead (1983)
  • Modern Times (1984)
  • Magnetic (1986)
  • N.Y.C. (1989)
  • Yin-Yang (1992)
  • Vibe (1994)
  • Steppin Out (2016)

Live albums

  • Smokin' in the Pit (1980)
  • Paradox (1982)
  • Live in Tokyo 1986 (1986)
  • Holding Together: Live in Europe 1999 (2002)

As sideman

With Dire Straits

With Eliane Elias

With Art Farmer

With Michael Franks

With Tim Hardin

With Don McLean

With Buddy Rich

With Carly Simon

With Paul Simon

With Sonny Stitt

With Kazumi Watanabe

With others

References

  1. ^ a b Arthur Wood (2006). "Dee Carstensen – Bio". Texas Tech University - Southwest Music Archive. Retrieved May 26, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 1593. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  3. ^ Garner, Dwight (February 6, 2008). "Living With Music: A Playlist by Meghan Daum". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2018.
  4. ^ "Love Over Gold - Dire Straits | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  5. ^ "Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "Heart to Heart - David Sanborn | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "Tiger in the Rain - Michael Franks | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Seventh Avenue South- Der Jazzclub der Brecker Brothers von 1977-1987". Jazzband-live.de. Retrieved 2020-02-06.