Gil Goldstein
Encyclopedia
Gil Goldstein is American jazz pianist and synthesizer
player who started on the accordion
.
He began studying accordion at age 5, but later moved on to cello and piano. He studied at the Berklee College of Music
and by 1973 was working with Pat Martino
, Lee Konitz
, and others. He started with the Gil Evans
Orchestra in the early 1980s and also worked with Wayne Shorter
. He has also worked in films including De-Lovely
, where he performed "I Love Paris" and coached Kevin Kline
, and in Little Buddha
as an arranger.
He resumed doing occasional accordion work in the 1980s. The most notable of his accordion efforts in the 1980s might be when accompanying Michel Petrucciani
and on his own. As an accordionist he toured with Richard Galliano
in 2000, but also played piano on the tour.
During the 1980s and 90s he was a member of the group Elements
.
Goldstein has also composed music for films including the 1994 film Radio Inside
. 1999's Simply Irresistible called for rousing big-band ballroom music which goes from source music
to programmatic
during the climactic dance scenes.
He has won three Grammy Award
s two of which came from his production and arrangement credits for Michael Brecker
's Wide Angles
.
In 2007 he co-released an album Your Songs: The Music of Elton John on ObliqSound
with legends Steve Swallow, Paul Motian, and well known Italian saxophonist Pietro Tonolo. The quartet performed jazz arrangements of some of Elton John's most popular songs.
Goldstein is currently a professor at New York University
.
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
player who started on the accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
.
He began studying accordion at age 5, but later moved on to cello and piano. He studied at the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
and by 1973 was working with Pat Martino
Pat Martino
Pat Martino is an Italian-American jazz guitarist and composer within the post bop, fusion, mainstream jazz, soul jazz and hard bop idioms.-Biography:...
, Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz is an American jazz composer and alto saxophonist born in Chicago, Illinois.Generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings...
, and others. He started with the Gil Evans
Gil Evans
Gil Evans was a jazz pianist, arranger, composer and bandleader, active in the United States...
Orchestra in the early 1980s and also worked with Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter
Wayne Shorter is an American jazz saxophonist and composer.He is generally acknowledged to be jazz's greatest living composer, and many of his compositions have become standards...
. He has also worked in films including De-Lovely
De-Lovely
De-Lovely is a 2004 musical biopic directed by Irwin Winkler. The screenplay by Jay Cocks is based on the life and career of Cole Porter, from his first meeting with Linda Lee Thomas until his death...
, where he performed "I Love Paris" and coached Kevin Kline
Kevin Kline
Kevin Delaney Kline is an American theatre, voice, film actor and comedian. He has won an Academy Award and two Tony Awards, and has been nominated for five Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards and an Emmy Award.- Early life :...
, and in Little Buddha
Little Buddha
Little Buddha is a 1994 feature film by Italian director Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Bridget Fonda and Keanu Reeves. Made by Bertolucci's regular partner, British producer Jeremy Thomas, it marked the team's return to the East after The Last Emperor....
as an arranger.
He resumed doing occasional accordion work in the 1980s. The most notable of his accordion efforts in the 1980s might be when accompanying Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani was a French jazz pianist.-Biography:...
and on his own. As an accordionist he toured with Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano is a French accordionist.-Biography:He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4, influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.After a long and intense period of study Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950,...
in 2000, but also played piano on the tour.
During the 1980s and 90s he was a member of the group Elements
Elements (band)
Elements was an American jazz fusion ensemble founded by bass guitarist Mark Egan and drummer Danny Gottlieb in 1982. Both Egan and Gottlieb were former members of the Pat Metheny Group, and Elements' sound draws deeply from their experience as Metheney's former rhythm section...
.
Goldstein has also composed music for films including the 1994 film Radio Inside
Radio Inside
Radio Inside is a 1994 American drama film, written and directed by Jeffrey Jackson Bell.-Plot:Having graduated from college, Matthew Anderson travels to Florida to spend some time with his older brother while deciding what career to pursue...
. 1999's Simply Irresistible called for rousing big-band ballroom music which goes from source music
Source music
Source music refers to music that is part of a fictional setting, such as films or video games. It is usually either played in this setting in the background or by characters of the medium...
to programmatic
Program music
Program music or programme music is a type of art music that attempts to musically render an extra-musical narrative. The narrative itself might be offered to the audience in the form of program notes, inviting imaginative correlations with the music...
during the climactic dance scenes.
He has won three Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s two of which came from his production and arrangement credits for Michael Brecker
Michael Brecker
Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...
's Wide Angles
Wide Angles (album)
-Track listing:#"Broadband" - 6:45#"Cool Day in Hell" - 7:51#"Angle of Repose" - 6:41#"Tumbuktu" - 7:51#"Night Jessamine" - 5:20#"Scylla" - 10:39#"Brexterity" - 6:39#"Evening Faces" - 7:13#"Modus Operandy" - 5:26#"Never Alone" - 5:39-Musicians:...
.
In 2007 he co-released an album Your Songs: The Music of Elton John on ObliqSound
ObliqSound
ObliqSound is an independent record label based in New York City, Paris and Hamburg.It provides a home for artists around the globe interested in creating music that crosses the boundaries of traditional music labeling. Dedicated to both an instrumental and vocal series, ObliqSound endeavors to...
with legends Steve Swallow, Paul Motian, and well known Italian saxophonist Pietro Tonolo. The quartet performed jazz arrangements of some of Elton John's most popular songs.
Goldstein is currently a professor at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
.