Jack Waldman
Encyclopedia
Jack Waldman was a jazz and rock musician, composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey
.
Waldman was best known for his studio work and performances with singer Robert Palmer, and also worked with artists such as Billy Idol
, Madonna
, Joe Jackson
, Foreigner
and Whitney Houston
. He was classically trained from childhood, and played keyboards, synthesizer, bassoon, saxophone and flute. He died in 1986 from HIV-related lymphoma.
. He began classical piano lessons at the age of five, and had perfect pitch. In his teenage years, Waldman switched his focus from classical to jazz piano, studying with Morris Nanton. After attending Metuchen High School
, which created the Jack Waldman Memorial Scholarship in his honor, Waldman studied at Rutgers College, The Juilliard School
of Music and Livingston College between 1970 and 1974. Waldman graduated in 1974 with a BA in Music from Rutgers. After college, he relocated to New York City, where he remained until his death in 1986 from HIV-related lymphoma.
. He quickly became a prolific studio musician, playing keyboards and synthesizer with well-known artists and producing remixes for single releases. Concurrently, Waldman worked on a number of independent musical projects, including Tornader with Larry Alexander, and the more noteworthy Air Force 1 with Elliot Sokolov. Waldman and Sokolov co-wrote and produced "See the Light / Feel the Heat," released in 1984 on Streetwise records, in which they sampled public domain clips of then-president Ronald Reagan
. The piece, also known as the "Ronald Reagan Rap," was one of the earliest records featuring entirely sampled
vocals. In 1984, MTV aired a video promotion for the piece. Early in his career, Waldman began recording and performing with rock artist Robert Palmer. Waldman's first release with Palmer was Secrets
in 1979, and they continued working together throughout the 1980s. Waldman also worked with more avant-garde performance artists, including Klaus Nomi
. He did arrangements for Nomi, who mixed synth-driven new wave, 1920s German cabaret music, disco and opera. Other noteworthy artists with whom Waldman worked include Gloria Gaynor
, Joe Jackson
, Billy Idol
, Foreigner
, Aretha Franklin
, Madonna
, and Whitney Houston
.
2. Video of Waldman performing with Robert Palmer
Perth Amboy, New Jersey
Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The City of Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 50,814. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to Raritan Bay.-Name:The Lenape...
.
Waldman was best known for his studio work and performances with singer Robert Palmer, and also worked with artists such as Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson (musician)
Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
, Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
. He was classically trained from childhood, and played keyboards, synthesizer, bassoon, saxophone and flute. He died in 1986 from HIV-related lymphoma.
Personal history
Jack Waldman was born September 6, 1952 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and grew up in Metuchen, New JerseyMetuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
. He began classical piano lessons at the age of five, and had perfect pitch. In his teenage years, Waldman switched his focus from classical to jazz piano, studying with Morris Nanton. After attending Metuchen High School
Metuchen High School
Metuchen High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Metuchen in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Metuchen School District...
, which created the Jack Waldman Memorial Scholarship in his honor, Waldman studied at Rutgers College, The Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
of Music and Livingston College between 1970 and 1974. Waldman graduated in 1974 with a BA in Music from Rutgers. After college, he relocated to New York City, where he remained until his death in 1986 from HIV-related lymphoma.
Music career
After relocating to New York in 1974, Waldman met and performed with jazz guitarist Joe BeckJoe Beck
Joe Beck was an American guitarist who had been notable in jazz for more than 30 years.Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Beck also briefly flirted with rock music in the late 1960s and early 1970s...
. He quickly became a prolific studio musician, playing keyboards and synthesizer with well-known artists and producing remixes for single releases. Concurrently, Waldman worked on a number of independent musical projects, including Tornader with Larry Alexander, and the more noteworthy Air Force 1 with Elliot Sokolov. Waldman and Sokolov co-wrote and produced "See the Light / Feel the Heat," released in 1984 on Streetwise records, in which they sampled public domain clips of then-president Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. The piece, also known as the "Ronald Reagan Rap," was one of the earliest records featuring entirely sampled
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
vocals. In 1984, MTV aired a video promotion for the piece. Early in his career, Waldman began recording and performing with rock artist Robert Palmer. Waldman's first release with Palmer was Secrets
Secrets (Robert Palmer album)
Secrets is Robert Palmer's fifth solo album, released in 1979. It includes "Bad Case of Loving You " which peaked at #14 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1979, and "Can We Still Be Friends", which peaked at #52 in 1980...
in 1979, and they continued working together throughout the 1980s. Waldman also worked with more avant-garde performance artists, including Klaus Nomi
Klaus Nomi
Klaus Sperber , better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona....
. He did arrangements for Nomi, who mixed synth-driven new wave, 1920s German cabaret music, disco and opera. Other noteworthy artists with whom Waldman worked include Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
, Joe Jackson
Joe Jackson (musician)
Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
, Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
, Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, and Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among...
.
Discography
Appears on:- 1977: Glorious, Gloria GaynorGloria GaynorGloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
- 1979: Niteflyte, Niteflyte
- 1979: SecretsSecrets (Robert Palmer album)Secrets is Robert Palmer's fifth solo album, released in 1979. It includes "Bad Case of Loving You " which peaked at #14 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in 1979, and "Can We Still Be Friends", which peaked at #52 in 1980...
, Robert Palmer - 1980: Clues, Robert Palmer
- 1980: Ding Dong, Klaus NomiKlaus NomiKlaus Sperber , better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona....
- 1982: Maybe It's LiveMaybe It's Live (album)Maybe It's Live is Robert Palmer's seventh solo album, released in 1982. It combines six live tracks of old songs with four new songs recorded in the studio, including "Some Guys Have All the Luck", which was a hit for Palmer in the UK., peaking at #16 on the UK chart.The album peaked at #23 in...
, Robert Palmer - 1982: Night And Day, Joe JacksonJoe Jackson (musician)Joe Jackson is an English musician and singer-songwriter now living in Berlin, whose five Grammy Award nominations span from 1979 to 2001...
- 1982: Simple Man, Klaus NomiKlaus NomiKlaus Sperber , better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona....
- 1983: Encore!, Klaus NomiKlaus NomiKlaus Sperber , better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for his wide vocal range and an unusual, otherworldly stage persona....
- 1983: PridePride (Robert Palmer album)Pride is Robert Palmer's eighth solo album, released in 1983. The album peaked at #37 in the UK chart. The album also peaked at #12 in France, #15 in Netherland and #36 in Sweden.-Track listing:All songs by Robert Palmer; except where noted....
, Robert Palmer - 1983: Rebel YellRebel Yell (album)Rebel Yell is the second album by British punk rock artist Billy Idol, released in 1983. It was very successful with four singles on the U.S. Hot 100 charts, while the album reached #6 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts...
, Billy IdolBilly IdolWilliam Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X... - 1983: Rhythm Of Life, Paul HaigPaul HaigPaul Haig is a Scottish indie composer, musician and singer. He was originally a member of 1980s post-punk band Josef K who were signed to the Postcard record label...
- 1983: Secret, Classix NouveauxClassix NouveauxClassix Nouveaux were an English 1980s new wave band. They had number one hits in Poland, Portugal, the former Yugoslavia, Israel, Iceland, and other countries...
- 1984: Agent Provocateur, ForeignerForeigner (band)Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
- 1984: Feeling Cavalier, Ēbn-Ōzn
- 1984: Sapphire, John Martyn
- 1984: See The Light, Air Force 1
- 1984: Snap, Peter Brown
- 1984: Some People, Belouis SomeBelouis SomeBelouis Some is a British New Wave musician. He had hits in the 1980s with "Some People", "Round Round", , plus "Imagination" which also achieved success on the European and , and can be heard in the films Ghost Chase and The Business...
- 1984: The Mexican, Jellybean (John Benitez)
- 1984: Wotupski!?!, Jellybean (John Benitez)
- 1985: Cierta Gente, Belouis SomeBelouis SomeBelouis Some is a British New Wave musician. He had hits in the 1980s with "Some People", "Round Round", , plus "Imagination" which also achieved success on the European and , and can be heard in the films Ghost Chase and The Business...
- 1985: Love's Gonna Get You, Jocelyn BrownJocelyn BrownJocelyn Lorette Brown is an American R&B and dance music singer...
- 1985: RiptideRiptide (album)Riptide is the ninth solo album by the British singer Robert Palmer, released in November 1985. It featured his hit single "Addicted to Love" which reached #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1986, helped by a memorable music video...
, Robert Palmer - 1985: Some People, Belouis SomeBelouis SomeBelouis Some is a British New Wave musician. He had hits in the 1980s with "Some People", "Round Round", , plus "Imagination" which also achieved success on the European and , and can be heard in the films Ghost Chase and The Business...
- 1985: Surprise, Surprise, Various artists
- 1985: The Sun Always Shines On T.V., a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
- 1985: What The Papers Say, Bad Manners
- 1985: When Midnight Comes, Surgin'
- 1985: Who's Zoomin' Who, Aretha FranklinAretha FranklinAretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
- 1986: Frantic RomanticFrantic RomanticFrantic Romantic is a 1986 bestselling album by Jermaine Stewart. The album included Stewart's biggest pop hit, "We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off," as well as the minor follow-up hit, "Jody," for whom Stewart's former Soul Train dance-mate Jody Watley was the inspiration...
, Jermaine Stewart - 1986: Shakey's Got The Blues, Seven Windows
- 1987: Holiday / Over And Over, MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
- 1987: One From The Heart, Jocelyn BrownJocelyn BrownJocelyn Lorette Brown is an American R&B and dance music singer...
- 1987: WhitneyWhitney (album)Whitney is the second studio album by American pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston, released in the United States on June 2, 1987 by Arista Records as the follow-up to her best selling debut album, Whitney Houston. The album met the expectations of many people and was sensationally popular after its...
, Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among... - 1987: You Can Dance, MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
- 1988: Love Will Save The DayLove Will Save the Day"Love Will Save the Day" was the fifth single by American singer-songwriter Whitney Houston from her second multi-platinum studio album Whitney. The single was released in July 1988 by Arista Records....
, Whitney HoustonWhitney HoustonWhitney Elizabeth Houston is an American singer, actress, producer and a former model. Houston is the most awarded female act of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 1 Emmy Award, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among... - 1989: 45 R.P.M. Club, a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
- 1989: Addictions Volume 1, Robert Palmer
- 2002: The Definitive, ForeignerForeigner (band)Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
- 2007: Electro Funk Sessions, Various Artists
- 2008: Body Language Six, Various Artists
External links
1. Video promotion for "See the Light / Feel the Heat"2. Video of Waldman performing with Robert Palmer