Jay Oliver

Jay Oliver

Jay Oliver in Los Angeles with The Dave Weckl Band, December 1999
Background information
Birth name Jay Russell Oliver
Born (1959-04-26) April 26, 1959
St Louis, Missouri
Origin US
Genres Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Rock, Blues, Ambient, World Music
Occupation(s) Composer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Musician, Engineer, Programmer
Instruments Piano, Synthesizers
Years active 1975–present
Associated acts Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frey, Peabo Bryson, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Maynard Ferguson, Russ Kunkel, Aomusic, Tiger & the Helix
Website Official website
Notable instruments
Piano, Synthesizers

Jay Russell Oliver (born April 26, 1959) is an American jazz musician (piano, keyboards and synths), composer, record producer, programmer & engineer. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band. His later credits include: Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frey, Peabo Bryson, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Russ Kunkel, Jay Graydon, Aomusic, Celine Dion and many others.[1]

Jay resides in Los Angeles, where he has worked extensively in music composition and production, ranging from jazz fusion and World music to soundtracks to session work of all kinds.

At the beginning of 2011, after many years of research and field test studies involving the use of sound from a clinical perspective, Jay founded a company called SmartWav, LLC. The company specializes in the use of proprietary tonal, pitch and rhythm mapping technologies that specifically aid infants in areas of brain development and issues of post womb insomnia.[2][3][4]

Early career

Dave Weckl
Oliver and Dave Weckl grew up together in St. Louis, Missouri where they explored a prolific jazz fusion style. A few years later in Los Angeles, after partnering on Weckl's first three solo releases, they formed The Dave Weckl Band, co-producing two albums.

Sheryl Crow
Oliver was a top local producer in his St. Louis studio when first introduced to a young Sheryl Crow, who at the time was a school teacher and aspiring singer. Jay eventually began using Crow in recording sessions and featured her in several jingles. She and Oliver moved to Los Angeles within a few years of each other and began co-writing songs that eventually landed Crow a publishing contract and recording deal with A&M Records. Some of those songs were recorded by Celine Dion, Wynonna Judd and others.[5]

Glenn Frey
In the nineties Oliver was hired as Glenn Frey’s keyboardist, co-producer and co-writer. Jay also has production credit with Elliot Scheiner for the Eagles album Hell Freezes Over as well as their live album New Millennium.

Jimmy Buffett
In the late 1980s, Oliver was asked by producer Elliot Scheiner to begin co-writing songs with Jimmy Buffett. He co-wrote the Buffett albums "Off to See the Lizard" and "Barometer Soup", then briefly toured as member of his Coral Reefer Band.

World Music

Aomusic
In 1996 Oliver began co-producing with Richard Gannaway, the pan-cultural project “Aomusic”, resulting in journeys to Indonesia, Ireland, the People's Republic of Georgia, South Africa, India, Nepal and a special invitation to China, where they were asked by the Beijing Olympic Committee to compose theme music for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[6][7] Aomusic album releases have won prestigious international awards and held strong chart position since 2000 (Zone Music Reporter).[8][9][10][11][12][13]

Credits

Band/Ensemble albums

References

  1. ↑ "AllMusic artist page: Jay Oliver credits".
  2. ↑ "Smartwav".
  3. ↑ "For Dad, Sounds in Silence Says: "Sleep In On Father's Day"". PRWeb.
  4. ↑ SC Magazine interview-Oliver
  5. ↑ SoundOnSound interview with Crow's producers
  6. ↑ "Adiemus Vocalist Miriam Stockley Graces TWIRL, The Imaginative New Release from AOMUSIC; Now #1 Most-Added on CMJ New World Chart.". PRWeb.
  7. ↑ "AllMusic artist page: Aomusic discography".
  8. ↑ Zone Music Reporter Charts Top 100 February 2009-"Twirl"
  9. ↑ Zone Music Reporter Charts Top 100 March 2009-"Twirl"
  10. ↑ Zone Music Reporter Charts Top 100 August 2011-"...and Love Rages On!"
  11. ↑ 2011 ZMR Music Award Winners
  12. ↑ PRweb news article
  13. ↑ ZMR Top 10 for April 2013

External links

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