Hey, Jerry (1950-Present)

Grammy-winning arranger, multi-instrumentalist and orchestrator born in Dixon, Illinois, who attended Indiana University and the National Music Camp and studied with Bill Adam. At IU, he and Kim Hutchcroft and Larry Williams co-founded the jazz fusion group, Seawind. They released a self-titled album in 1976, followed by Window of a Child in 1977 and Light the Light in 1979.

Jerry’s discography barely starts there. As an arranger, flugelhorn player, saxophonist and trumpeter, he has made himself invaluable in the recording studios and shaped the sound of R&B-inflected pop in the ’70s and ’80s.

Here is but a handful of recordings on which he has worked: Above and Beyond the Doll of Cutey by Pam Tillis; Bad, Off the Wall and Thriller by Michael Jackson; Bodies and Souls and Mecca for Moderns by The Manhattan Transfer; Bossa Nova Hotel by Michael Sembello; Cat and the Hat by Ben Sidran; Desire and Target by Tom Scott; Eaten Alive by Diana Ross; Electric Universe, Faces, I Am, Powerlight and Raise! by Earth, Wind & Fire; Every Home Should Have One by Patti Austin; Heartbreaker and 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs by Dolly Parton; Heart of the Matter by Kenny Rogers; Hits! by Boz Scaggs; Hollywood by Maynard Ferguson; Hot on the Trail and When Love Comes Calling by Deniece Williams; Incognito by Spyro Gyra; In the Nick of Time by Nicolette Larson; It’s Your Night by James Ingram; L.A. is My Lady by Frank Sinatra; Pipes of Peace by Paul McCartney; Playin’ My Thang by Steve Cropper; Pulse by Greg Phillinganes; Runaway and Single by Bill Champlin; September Morn by Neil Diamond; Set My Love in Motionby Syreeta; Sometimes Late at Night by Carole Bayer Sager; Special Part of Me by Johnny Mathis; Sunrise by Paulinho Da Costa; That’s What Friends Are For by Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams; 21 at 33 by Elton John; and, Workin’ it Back by Teddy Pendergrass.

Some of the songs that bear his signature sound include “Bad”, “Burn This Disco Out” and “Workin’ Day and Night” by Michael Jackson, “Boogie Down” by Al Jarreau and Michael Omartian, “I’m Going to Rio” by Paulinho Da Costa, and “Target” by Tom Scott.

Soundtracks on which he has worked as a musician and/or orchestrator include Big Trouble, Bridge to Terabithia, City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold, The Color Purple, The Company Men, Flashdance, For Colored Girls, Give My Regards to Broad Street, Hairspray, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, John Q., The Last Waltz, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, The Notebook, The Proposal, Raw Deal, Reality Bites, Running Scared, St. Elmo’s Fire, Superbad, The Ugly Truth, and The Wiz.

He has won Grammy awards in the following categories: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special for Flashdance; Best Arrangement on an Instrumental with Quincy Jones, Ian Prince and Rod Temperton for “Birdland” and Best Instrumental Arrangement with Quincy Jones for “Ai No Corrida” and “Dinorah, Dinorah” and with David Paich and Jeff Porcaro for “Rosanna”.

Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams recordings
Emotion (Barry Gibb/Robin Gibb)
S CBS 6164B (UK 45)

Sources:

Hey, Jerry (1950-Present)

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