David Spinozza
Encyclopedia
David Spinozza is an American
musician
(guitar
), who worked with former Beatles
Paul McCartney
and John Lennon
during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor
, producing Taylor's album Walking Man
.
Spinozza worked with McCartney during sessions for McCartney's Ram
album during 1971. When the chance came to work with Lennon two years later, as Yoko Ono prepared her Feeling the Space
album and Lennon his Mind Games, Spinozza discovered that Lennon was not aware he had previously worked with McCartney, and was afraid he would be fired if Lennon found out, given their recent feuding in the media. When Lennon did learn of it, his only comment was that McCartney "knows how to pick good people."
Spinozza contributed to Ono's album A Story
, recorded during 1974 (but not released until 1998), served as her bandleader during a residency at Kenny's Castaways, and rehearsed Ono's band to tour her native Japan, but parted ways with her when the tour began. After no communication for several years, Ono contacted Spinozza late in 1980, for his permission to release "It Happened", a track from A Story, as a B-side to "Walking on Thin Ice
", her tribute to the recently-assassinated John Lennon and the last song they had recorded together. Spinozza gave his permission. The track appeared with a new coda
, recorded by Lennon and Ono's band from Double Fantasy
.
Spinozza also appeared on Ringo Starr
's 1977 album Ringo the 4th
, earning him the distinction of having recorded with three of the four Beatles.
Spinozza played the guitar solo on Dr. John
's hit, "Right Place Wrong Time", Paul Simon
's albums Paul Simon
and There Goes Rhymin' Simon
, Don McLean
's American Pie
, and later made contributions to the soundtrack
s of the movies Dead Man Walking
, Happiness, and Just the Ticket
.
He held the first guitar chair in the Broadway orchestra of Hairspray
, and is currently appearing with his reunited band from 1973, "L'Image" which also includes Mike Mainieri
, Warren Bernhardt
, Tony Levin
and Steve Gadd
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), who worked with former Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
, producing Taylor's album Walking Man
Walking Man
Walking Man is singer-songwriter James Taylor's fifth album. Released on June 1, 1974, it was not as successful as his previous efforts, only reaching #13 on the Billboard Album Chart. It is also his only studio album not certified gold by the RIAA...
.
Spinozza worked with McCartney during sessions for McCartney's Ram
Ram (album)
Ram is an album by Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney, released in 1971, the only album credited to the pair. It was the second of the two albums McCartney released between leaving The Beatles and forming Wings...
album during 1971. When the chance came to work with Lennon two years later, as Yoko Ono prepared her Feeling the Space
Feeling the Space
Feeling the Space is Yoko Ono's fourth album, her last one on Apple Records and her last release of the 1970s. . The entire album adopts a feminist theme, focusing on the plights of women in the 1970s...
album and Lennon his Mind Games, Spinozza discovered that Lennon was not aware he had previously worked with McCartney, and was afraid he would be fired if Lennon found out, given their recent feuding in the media. When Lennon did learn of it, his only comment was that McCartney "knows how to pick good people."
Spinozza contributed to Ono's album A Story
A Story (album)
A Story is an album by Yoko Ono, recorded in 1974, during the "lost weekend" sessions in which John Lennon produced Walls And Bridges. The album went unreleased until the 1992 box set Onobox, which featured material from A Story on disc six. It only saw proper release as an individual album in...
, recorded during 1974 (but not released until 1998), served as her bandleader during a residency at Kenny's Castaways, and rehearsed Ono's band to tour her native Japan, but parted ways with her when the tour began. After no communication for several years, Ono contacted Spinozza late in 1980, for his permission to release "It Happened", a track from A Story, as a B-side to "Walking on Thin Ice
Walking on Thin Ice
"Walking on Thin Ice" is a New Wave/dance song by Yoko Ono, released in 1981. She and John Lennon concluded the recording of the song on December 8, 1980. It was upon their return from the recording studio to The Dakota that Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman...
", her tribute to the recently-assassinated John Lennon and the last song they had recorded together. Spinozza gave his permission. The track appeared with a new coda
Coda (music)
Coda is a term used in music in a number of different senses, primarily to designate a passage that brings a piece to an end. Technically, it is an expanded cadence...
, recorded by Lennon and Ono's band from Double Fantasy
Double Fantasy
Double Fantasy is an album released by John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, in 1980. Though initially poorly received, the album is notable for its association with Lennon's murder three weeks after its release, whereupon it become a worldwide commercial success, and went on to win the 1981 Album...
.
Spinozza also appeared on Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
's 1977 album Ringo the 4th
Ringo the 4th
Ringo the 4th is the sixth album by Ringo Starr, released in 1977.After the commercial disappointment of Ringo's Rotogravure , Starr decided to shift his formula of using his well-known musician friends to write songs and appear on his albums...
, earning him the distinction of having recorded with three of the four Beatles.
Spinozza played the guitar solo on Dr. John
Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist, whose music combines blues, pop, jazz as well as Zydeco, boogie woogie and rock and roll.Active as a session musician since the late 1950s, he came to wider...
's hit, "Right Place Wrong Time", Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
's albums Paul Simon
Paul Simon (album)
Paul Simon is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon as a solo artist. . It was released in January 1972, nearly two years after he split up with longtime musical partner Art Garfunkel...
and There Goes Rhymin' Simon
There Goes Rhymin' Simon
There Goes Rhymin' Simon is the third solo studio album by American musician Paul Simon rush-released on May 5, 1973. It contains songs covering several styles and genres, such as gospel and dixieland . It received two nominations at the Grammy Awards of 1974, including Best Male Pop Vocal...
, Don McLean
Don McLean
Donald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
's American Pie
American Pie (album)
American Pie is the title of a 1971 music album by Don McLean, best known for its title track about The Day the Music Died. The third track, "Vincent," is a tribute to the famed artist Vincent Van Gogh....
, and later made contributions to the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s of the movies Dead Man Walking
Dead Man Walking (film)
Dead Man Walking is a 1995 American drama film directed by Tim Robbins, who adapted the screenplay from the non-fiction book of the same name...
, Happiness, and Just the Ticket
Just the Ticket (film)
Just the Ticket is a 1999 film starring Andy García and Andie MacDowell. Garcia was also the producer. The movie was originally titled The Ticket Scalper.- Plot :...
.
He held the first guitar chair in the Broadway orchestra of Hairspray
Hairspray (musical)
Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
, and is currently appearing with his reunited band from 1973, "L'Image" which also includes Mike Mainieri
Mike Mainieri
Michael T. Mainieri, Jr. is a vibraphonist best known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead....
, Warren Bernhardt
Warren Bernhardt
Warren Bernhardt is a noted pianist in jazz, pop and classical music.His father was a pianist, leading him to have early childhood exposure to piano, and he learned some rudiments of keyboarding from his friends. At five his parents moved to New York City where he began studying seriously under...
, Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
and Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
.