Chieli Minucci (born April 17, 1958) is an American guitarist who co-founded the band Special EFX.

Career

His father,

Ulpio Minucci Ulpio Minucci (June 29, 1917 – March 9, 2007) was an Italian-born American composer and musician. Minucci wrote a number of popular hits in the 1950s, including " Domani," "A Thousand Thoughts of You," and "Felicia." He was nominated for two E ...

, was a concert pianist and composer who wrote the music to the 1955 song " Domani." Chieli Minucci started Special EFX in 1982 with George Jinda, a drummer from Hungary. The band combined rock, Latin rhythm, and smooth jazz. When the duo separated in 1995, Jinda continued to perform under the name Special EFX. After Jinda's death in 2001, Minucci performed under the name Chieli Minucci and Special EFX. He recorded albums as a solo act, beginning in 1994 with ''Jewels''. He has worked as a record producer and composer for

Deborah Henson-Conant Deborah Henson-Conant (born November 11, 1953, in Stockton, California) is an American harpist and composer. Nicknamed "the Hip Harpist", she is known for her flamboyant stage presence and her innovation with electric harps. Career Deborah Hens ...

and Kim Pensyl, and as a sideman for

Angela Bofill Angela Tomasa Bofill (May 2, 1954 – June 13, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter and composer of Cuban- Puerto Rican origins. A New York native, she began her professional career in the mid-1970s and is most known for singles such as " T ...

Roberta Flack Roberta Cleopatra Flack (February 10, 1937 – February 24, 2025) was an American singer and pianist known for her emotive, genre-blending ballads that spanned R&B, jazz, Folk music, folk, and pop and contributed to the birth of the quiet storm ...

Chaka Khan Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan ( ), is an American singer. Known as the " Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of ...

Noel Pointer Noel Pointer (December 26, 1954 – December 19, 1994) was an American jazz violinist and record producer, whose life inspired a music foundation. Career Pointer made his solo debut at the age of 13, performing Vivaldi with the Symphony of the ...

and

Roseanna Vitro Roseanna Elizabeth Vitro (born February 28, 1951) is a jazz singer and teacher from Arkansas. Biography Born Roseanna Elizabeth VitroScott Fredrickson and Gary W. Kennedy.Vitro (Wickliffe), Roseanna" In ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2 ...

Awards and honors

* Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition for a Drama Series, Daytime Emmy Awards, ''The Guiding Light'', 1999, 2007, 2008 * "Deep as the Night" was the #1 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year 2018

Discography

As leader

* ''Jewels'' (JVC, 1995) * ''Renaissance'' (JVC, 1996) * ''It's Gonna Be Good'' (JVC, 1998) * ''Sweet on You'' (Shanachie, 2000) * ''Night Grooves'' (Shanachie, 2003) * ''Got It Goin' On'' (Shanachie, 2005) * ''Solos, Duos, & Trios'' (ChieliMusic, 2008) * ''Pop Today'' (ChieliMusic, 2008) * ''Raspberry & Cream'' (ChieliMusic, 2008) * ''Drippings'' (ChieliMusic, 2008) * ''Travels'' (Watchfire Music, 2009) * ''East of the Sun'' (Watchfire Music, 2009) * ''Someone's Singing'' (Watchfire Music, 2022)

With Special EFX

* ''Special EFX'' (GRP, 1983) * ''Modern Manners'' (GRP, 1985) * ''Slice of Life'' (GRP, 1986) * ''Mystique'' (GRP, 1987) * ''Double Feature'' (GRP, 1988) * ''Confidential'' (GRP, 1989) * ''Just Like Magic'' (GRP, 1990) * ''Peace of the World'' (GRP, 1991) * ''Global Village'' (GRP, 1992) * ''Play'' (JVC, 1993) * ''Catwalk'' (JVC, 1994) * ''Body Language'' (JVC, 1995) * ''Masterpiece'' (Shanachie, 1999) * ''Butterfly'' (Shanachie, 2001) * ''Party'' (Shanachie, 2003) * ''A Night with Chieli Minucci & Special EFX'' (Shanachie, 2006) * ''Sweet Surrender'' (Shanachie, 2007) * ''Without You'' (ChieliMusic, 2010) * ''Genesis'' (Shanachie S405, 2013) * ''Deep as the Night'' (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 2017) * ''All Stars'' (Trippin 'n' Rhythm, 2020) * ''Twenty Twenty 2'' (ChieliMusic, 2022) * ''Return to Budapest with Love'' (ChieliMusic, 2024)

As sideman

With

Anastacia Anastacia Lyn Newkirk ( ; born September 17, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first two studio albums, '' Not That Kind'' (2000) and '' Freak of Nature'' (2001), achieved chart success with the singles " I'm Outta Love", " Not That Ki ...

* ''Not That Kind'' (Epic/Daylight, 2000) * ''Freak of Nature'' (Epic/Daylight, 2001) * ''You'll Never Be Alone'' (Epic/Daylight, 2002) * ''Pieces of a Dream'' (Epic/Daylight, 2005) With

Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Referred to as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Power Ballads", Dion's powerful, technically skilled vocals and commercially successful works have had ...

* ''Let's Talk About Love'' (Columbia, 1997) * ''These Are Special Times'' (Columbia, 1998) * ''I'm Alive'' (Columbia, 2002) * ''A New Day Has Come'' (Columbia, 2002) * ''One Heart'' (Columbia, 2003) With

* ''Caught in the Act'' (GRP, 1990) * ''Talking Hands'' (GRP, 1991) * ''Budapest'' (MCD Jazz, 1992) With

Chris Hinze Christiaan Herbert "Chris" Hinze (born June 30, 1938, Hilversum, Netherlands) is a Dutch people, Dutch jazz and New Age music, New age flautist. Life and work Hinze initially performed publicly as a pianist until the mid-1960s, when he began ...

* ''Saliah'' (Keytone, 1984) * ''African Dream'' (Keytone, 1991) * ''Music for Relaxation'' (Keytone, 1992) With others *

Marc Anthony Marco Antonio Muñiz (born September 16, 1968), known professionally as Marc Anthony, is an American singer and actor. He is the top selling salsa artist of all time. A four-time Grammy Award, eight-time Latin Grammy Award and twenty-nine-tim ...

, ''Mended'' (Columbia, 2002) *

, ''Love in Slow Motion'' (Shanachie, 1996) *

Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson (musician), Kevin Richardson. The band formed in 1993 in Orlando, Flori ...

, ''Millennium'' (GSM Music, 1999) * B. B. & Q. Band, ''All Night Long'' (Capitol, 1982) * B. B. & Q. Band, ''Six Million Times'' (Capitol, 1983) * Bob Baldwin, ''Standing Tall'' (Narada, 2002) *

Jay Beckenstein Jay Barnet Beckenstein (born May 14, 1951) is an American saxophonist, composer, producer, and the co-founder of the band Spyro Gyra. He owned BearTracks Studios in Suffern, New York. Music career Beckenstein was born in Long Island, New Yo ...

, ''Eye Contact'' (Windham Hill, 2000) * Tom Browne, ''R'N'Browne'' (Hip Bop, 1999) *

Will Downing Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American R&B, soul, neo soul, and jazz singer and songwriter. He has released 22 studio albums. Biography Early life Downing was born and raised to a working-class family in Bedford-Stuy ...

, ''Invitation Only'' (Mercury, 1997) *

, ''Oasis'' (Atlantic, 1988) *

Russell Gunn Russell Gunn (born October 20, 1971, in Chicago) is an American contemporary jazz trumpeter. He grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois playing trumpet. As a kid his musical interest was hip hop, with LL Cool J being his first music idol. His project ...

, ''Ethnomusicology Vol. 1'' (Atlantic, 1999) *

Omar Hakim Omar Hakim (born February 12, 1959) is an American drummer, producer, arranger and composer. His session work covers jazz, jazz fusion, and pop music. He has worked with Weather Report, David Bowie, Foo Fighters, Chic, Sting, Madonna, Dire S ...

, ''We Are One'' (OzMosis, 2014) *

Lionel Hampton Lionel Leo Hampton (April 20, 1908 – August 31, 2002) was an American jazz vibraphonist, percussionist, and bandleader. He worked with jazz musicians from Teddy Wilson, Benny Goodman, and Buddy Rich, to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, an ...

, ''For the Love of Music'' (MoJazz, 1995) *

Enrique Iglesias Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (; born 8 May 1975) is a Spanish singer and songwriter. He started his recording career in the mid-1990s on the Mexican label Fonovisa where he released three Spanish albums ''Enrique Iglesias (album), Enrique ...

, ''Escape'' (Interscope, 2002) * Jewel, ''Joy'' (Atlantic, 1999) *

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...

, ''On the 6'' (Work, 1999) *

Cheryl Lynn Cheryl Lynn (born Lynda Cheryl Smith; March 11, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She is best known for her songs during the late 1970s through the mid-1980s, including the 1978 R&B/disco song " Got to Be Real" from her albu ...

, ''It's Gonna Be Right'' (Columbia, 1985) *

Marion Meadows Marion Meadows (born July 24, 1962) is an Americans, American soprano saxophonist and composer, mainly in smooth jazz. He was born in Beckley, West Virginia, and grew up mainly in Connecticut. His first album as a leader was ''For Lovers Only'' ...

, ''Player's Club'' (Heads Up, 2004) * Kim Pensyl, ''Eyes of Wonder'' (GRP, 1993) *

, ''Never Lose Your Heart'' (Shanachie, 1993) * Nicole Renee, ''Nicole Renee'' (Atlantic, 1998) *

Rick Rhodes Rick Rhodes (July 28, 1951 – November 2, 2005) was an American musician and television composer. His music for TV shows including ''Santa Barbara'', ''Another World'' and ''Guiding Light'' won a total of five Emmy Award. In 2005, he died of b ...

, ''Now You See It'' (Beverly, 1994) * Rick Rhodes, ''Indian Summer'' (Beverly, 1995) * Lionel Richie, ''To Love a Woman'' (Island, 2003) *

Jessica Simpson Jessica Ann Johnson (née Simpson; born July 10, 1980) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. After performing in church choirs as a child, Simpson signed with Columbia Records in 1997, aged seventeen. Her debut studio album, '' ...

, ''Irresistible'' (Columbia, 2001) *

Kevin Toney Kevin Kraig Toney (April 23, 1953 – March 18, 2024) was an American jazz pianist and composer who was a member of The Blackbyrds. Biography A native of Detroit, he graduated from Cass Technical High School. In his teens he listened to the musi ...

, ''Strut'' (Shanachie, 2001) *

Nestor Torres Nestor may refer to: * Nestor (mythology), King of Pylos in Greek mythology Arts and entertainment * "Nestor" (''Ulysses'' episode) an episode in James Joyce's novel ''Ulysses'' * Nestor Studios, first-ever motion picture studio in Hollywood, L ...

, ''Mi Alma Latina'' (Shanachie, 2002) *

Gerald Veasley Gerald Veasley (born July 28, 1955) is an American jazz bass guitarist. Veasley was born and raised in West Philadelphia, where he played in R&B groups as a teenager. He received a bass guitar for Christmas from his dad when he was 12 years old ...

, ''Signs'' (101 South, 1994) * Gerald Veasley, ''Love Letters'' (Inak, 1999) *

, ''Catchin' Some Rays'' (Telarc, 1997)

Music library production

References

External links

Official site

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Minucci, Chieli American jazz guitarists American people of Italian descent Smooth jazz guitarists 1958 births Living people GRP Records artists Daytime Emmy Award winners American jazz musicians American male guitarists 20th-century American guitarists 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians