Jay Oliver

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Jay Oliver
Jayoliver.jpg
Oliver in Los Angeles with The Dave Weckl Band, December 1999
Background information
Birth nameJay Russell Oliver
Born (1959-04-26) April 26, 1959 (age 63)
St Louis, Missouri, United States
Genres Jazz, jazz fusion, rock, blues, ambient, world music
Occupation(s)Composer, songwriter, record producer, musician, engineer, programmer
Instrument(s) Piano, synthesizers
Years active1975–present
Website Official website

Jay Russell Oliver (born April 26, 1959) is an American jazz musician (piano, keyboards and synths), composer, record producer, programmer and 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, Wynonna Judd, Glenn Frey, Peabo Bryson, Chick Corea, Dave Weckl, Russ Kunkel, Jay Graydon, AO Music, Celine Dion and many others. [1]

Contents

Oliver 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, Oliver founded a company called SmartWav. 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 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 [ citation needed ] in his St. Louis studio when first introduced to a young Sheryl Crow, who at the time was a school teacher and aspiring singer. Oliver 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. Oliver 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

In 1996, Oliver began co-producing with Richard Gannaway, the pan-cultural project AO Music, 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] AO Music 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

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References

  1. ↑ "Jay Oliver | Biography, Albums, Streaming Links". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Dabrowski Construction: Custom Built Homes". Smartwav.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "For Dad, Sounds in Silence Says: "Sleep In On Father's Day"". Prweb.com.
  4. ↑ "New Music for a New Time-Interview with Visionary Musician Jay Oliver | SuperConsciousness Magazine". Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  5. ↑ "Sheryl Crow & Her Producers". Soundonsound.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "Adiemus Vocalist Miriam Stockley Graces TWIRL, The Imaginative New Release from AOMUSIC; Now #1 Most-Added on CMJ New World Chart". Prweb.com.
  7. ↑ "AO Music | Album Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Age / Ambient / World Top 100 Radio Chart". Zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  9. ↑ "New Age / Ambient / World Top 100 Radio Chart". Zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  10. ↑ "New Age / Ambient / World Top 100 Radio Chart". Zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  11. ↑ "2011 ZMR Music Award Winners". Archived from the original on 15 December 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  12. ↑ "AOMUSIC Releases Hokulea, Announces Non-Profit Music Organization Benefiting Children". Prweb.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  13. ↑ "New Age / Ambient / World Top 100 Radio Chart". Zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
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