Alan Pasqua
Encyclopedia
Alan Pasqua is a jazz pianist, educator and composer who co-composed the CBS Evening News
theme. He also has had an extensive career in pop and rock music, most notably as a founding member, keyboardist and songwriter of the 80s hard rock
band
, Giant
. He studied at Indiana University
and the New England Conservatory of Music. His latest album Twin Bill, released on October 20, 2011, has been recently nominated a Grammy award
.
Pasqua grew up in Roselle Park, New Jersey
.
and appeared on the albums Believe It
and Million Dollar Legs
. He then went on to perform with Eddie Money
's band, after which he then joined Bob Dylan
's band. Pasqua recorded two albums with Dylan (Bob Dylan at Budokan
and Street-Legal). In the 1980s he performed with John Fogerty
on the album Eye of the Zombie
, with Starship
on the album No Protection and joined Carlos Santana
as keyboardist on Marathon, Zebop!
and Havana Moon
. He was a founding member of the rock band Giant
.
Later he composed and performed jazz, including trio recordings with Peter Erskine
(including the CD Standards). He has also recorded with Allan Holdsworth
.
. In 2007 he married Lina Brunkell. He has one daughter, Greta, born 1998, from a previous marriage.
CBS Evening News
CBS Evening News is the flagship nightly television news program of the American television network CBS. The network has broadcast this program since 1948, and has used the CBS Evening News title since 1963....
theme. He also has had an extensive career in pop and rock music, most notably as a founding member, keyboardist and songwriter of the 80s hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, Giant
Giant (band)
Giant is an American melodic hard rock band that was formed in 1987.The band consisted of founding members Dann Huff and Alan Pasqua , and had Dann's brother David Huff on drums and Mike Brignardello on bass....
. He studied at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
and the New England Conservatory of Music. His latest album Twin Bill, released on October 20, 2011, has been recently nominated a 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...
.
Pasqua grew up in Roselle Park, New Jersey
Roselle Park, New Jersey
Roselle Park is a borough in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 13,297....
.
Music
Pasqua joined The New Tony Williams LifetimeThe Tony Williams Lifetime
The Tony Williams Lifetime was a jazz-rock fusion group led by jazz drummer Tony Williams.-Original line-up:The Tony Williams Lifetime was founded in 1969 as a power trio with John McLaughlin on electric guitar, and Larry Young on organ. The band was possibly named for Williams' debut album as a...
and appeared on the albums Believe It
Believe It
Believe It is the first album by The New Tony Williams Lifetime, released in 1975 on Columbia Records.The New Lifetime was a jazz fusion band formed by the drummer Tony Williams with Allan Holdsworth on guitar, Alan Pasqua on keyboards and Tony Newton on bass...
and Million Dollar Legs
Million Dollar Legs (album)
Million Dollar Legs is the second album by The New Tony Williams Lifetime, released in 1976 on Columbia Records.The album features the jazz fusion drummer Tony Williams with Allan Holdsworth, Alan Pasqua and Tony Newton. The Allmusic review awards this album with 1 star...
. He then went on to perform with Eddie Money
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
's band, after which he then joined Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's band. Pasqua recorded two albums with Dylan (Bob Dylan at Budokan
Bob Dylan at Budokan
Bob Dylan at Budokan is a live album by Bob Dylan, released in 1979 by Columbia Records. It was recorded during his 1978 world tour and is composed mostly of the artist's "greatest hits"...
and Street-Legal). In the 1980s he performed with John Fogerty
John Fogerty
John Cameron Fogerty is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his time with the swamp rock/roots rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival and as a #1 solo recording artist. Fogerty has a rare distinction of being named on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest...
on the album Eye of the Zombie
Eye of the Zombie
Eye of the Zombie is a 1986 album by American singer/songwriter John Fogerty. It was his first album with a backing band, and it includes the Creedence-inspired track "Change in the Weather" as well as "Wasn't That a Woman" and "Soda Pop," his first forays into 60s-70s Motown-sounding funk and R&B...
, with Starship
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
on the album No Protection and joined Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
as keyboardist on Marathon, Zebop!
Zebop!
Zebop! is the eleventh studio album by Santana. The album has had several releases, and several different colour backgrounds for the cover have been produced, including pink and red...
and Havana Moon
Havana Moon
Havana Moon is a 1983 album by Carlos Santana released as a solo project.It features covers of Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry songs and performances by Booker T & the MGs, Willie Nelson and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and also Carlos' father Jose singing "Vereda Tropical" — a song Carlos had first...
. He was a founding member of the rock band Giant
Giant (band)
Giant is an American melodic hard rock band that was formed in 1987.The band consisted of founding members Dann Huff and Alan Pasqua , and had Dann's brother David Huff on drums and Mike Brignardello on bass....
.
Later he composed and performed jazz, including trio recordings with Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine is an American jazz drummer and composer. He has enjoyed a long and successful career as a session drummer, recording and touring with many famous jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan and Weather Report...
(including the CD Standards). He has also recorded with Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth
Allan Holdsworth is an English guitarist and composer. He has released twelve studio albums as a solo artist and played many different styles of music over a period of four decades, but first drew attention for his work in jazz fusion...
.
Personal life
He is currently chair of Jazz Studies, Associate Professor, at the University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. In 2007 he married Lina Brunkell. He has one daughter, Greta, born 1998, from a previous marriage.
Discography and filmography
- Milagro - CD (Postcards RecordsPostcards RecordsPostcards Records was an American jazz record label active during the 1990s, an imprint of Arkadia Jazz.-Discography:...
- Dedications - CD (Postcards)
- My New Old Friend with Peter Erskine - CD
- Live at Rocco with Peter Erskine - CD
- Badlands with Peter Erskine - CD
- Standards with Peter Erskine - CD
- Alan Pasqua / Solo Piano - CD
- Live at Yoshi's DVD with Allan Holdsworth - DVD
- The Anti Social Club - CD
- Twin Bill: Two Piano Music of Bill Evans - CD
- Blues For Tony - CD