Chuck Greenberg
Encyclopedia
Chuck Greenberg born in Chicago, Illinois, was an American
musical artist, composer and producer.
He began his musical career in the Midwest, including a backup band tour with the Bee Gees
, then relocated to Los Angeles, California
in 1978.
Though Greenberg's band Shadowfax
, first formed in 1972, his success as a producer and artist was marked by his series of recordings, with Alex de Grassi
and Will Ackerman, beginning in 1982 on the Windham Hill label. Shadowfax won a Grammy in 1988 for Best New Age Performance for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village
.
This ground-breaking work combined jazz
, rock, folk, and world music elements into a singular musical vision that featured flawless recordings and cohesive compositions.
His work on the lyricon
, the first electronic wind instrument, which he helped develop with engineer Bill Bernardi, became the signature sound of Shadowfax.
In live performances, Greenberg appeared as a featured artist at Carnegie Hall
, Montreux
, Ravinia, The Greek Theater, Wolftrap, Red Rocks, and the Universal Theater, among others. His final work was a live Shadowfax recording and full-length concert from Santa Cruz, California
, in 1995.
He died on Santa Cruz Island
, on September 4, 1995, after suffering a heart attack, leaving a wife and three sons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musical artist, composer and producer.
He began his musical career in the Midwest, including a backup band tour with the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
, then relocated to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1978.
Though Greenberg's band Shadowfax
Shadowfax (band)
Shadowfax was a new age/electronic musical group, best known for their albums Shadowfax and Folksongs for a Nuclear Village. In 1988 they won the Grammy for Best New Age Performance for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village...
, first formed in 1972, his success as a producer and artist was marked by his series of recordings, with Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi
Alex de Grassi is an American Grammy Award-nominated fingerstyle guitarist.-Early life and influences:Though born in Yokosuka, Japan, de Grassi grew up in San Francisco, California, where his grandfather played violin for the San Francisco Symphony and his father was a classical pianist...
and Will Ackerman, beginning in 1982 on the Windham Hill label. Shadowfax won a Grammy in 1988 for Best New Age Performance for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village
Folksongs for a Nuclear Village
Folksongs for a Nuclear Village is the sixth studio album by New Age/Jazz group Shadowfax, their first for Capitol Records. It won a Grammy Award in 1988 for Best New Age Performance....
.
This ground-breaking work combined jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, rock, folk, and world music elements into a singular musical vision that featured flawless recordings and cohesive compositions.
His work on the lyricon
Lyricon
The Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument, the first wind controller to be constructed.Invented by Bill Bernardi , it was manufactured by a company called Computone Inc in Massachusetts...
, the first electronic wind instrument, which he helped develop with engineer Bill Bernardi, became the signature sound of Shadowfax.
In live performances, Greenberg appeared as a featured artist at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, Montreux
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
, Ravinia, The Greek Theater, Wolftrap, Red Rocks, and the Universal Theater, among others. His final work was a live Shadowfax recording and full-length concert from Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
, in 1995.
He died on Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island was the largest privately owned island off the continental United States, but is currently part-owned by the National Park service . The island, located off the coast of California, is long and from wide...
, on September 4, 1995, after suffering a heart attack, leaving a wife and three sons.
Sources
- Greenberg, Joy (2006) A Pause in the Rain ISBN 1-60145-018-4
- Larkin, Colin (1995) The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music ISBN 1-56159-176-9
- Chuck Greenberg, Musician, Dies at 45 New York Times obituary, September 9, 1995
- Rusch, Bob (Mar. 1976) Cadence Vol. 1, No. 3, p. 44
- Sonic Images Press Release
- Yurochko, Bob (1993) A Short History of Jazz ISBN 0-83041-595-5