John Platania
Encyclopedia
John Platania is a well-known session musician
, guitar
player, and record producer.
Platania was born in New York
’s Mid-Hudson Valley
, in Ulster County, near Woodstock.
He is most known for his work with Van Morrison
, beginning on Moondance
, and most recently on 2009's Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl
. In 1973 Platania toured with Morrison as a member of his band at the time The Caledonia Soul Orchestra
. The double live album It's Too Late to Stop Now
was released in 1974, which included songs from three nights of the tour. Platania also co-wrote two songs with Morrison, on his compilation album of out-takes The Philosopher's Stone
, as well as playing guitar on several of the tracks on disc one.
He played on several albums for Chip Taylor
, songwriter of "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning
" and from 1974 through 1982, he recorded and or performed with Randy Newman
, Bonnie Raitt
and Judy Collins
.
In 1976, Platania formed a band in Los Angeles
called The Giants. Its members included Ron Elliott
, formerly of The Beau Brummels
, with Karl Rucker from the post-Jim Morrison Doors
, and Bruce Gary
, drummer who went on to The Knack
.
Platania began working with Don McLean
in 1981 playing as his accompanist on every US, Canadian and overseas tour until 1996. John Platania has never been on any records with Don McLean, only on the road. In 2007, Don McLean said "John Platania has been a great friend. He was a completely reliable, fantastically inspired, hard-working, funny and wise human being. I feel very fortunate to have found him and very fortunate that he was willing to devote as much of his time to me and my music as he did" (Howard, 2007).
In 1983, he produced and wrote the score for the Emmy winning musical revue None for the Road, a public service production to educate young people about the dangers of drinking, drugs and driving.
In 1997 he played guitar for Natalie Merchant
on her summer tour.
In 2002, Platania released his solo debut Lucky Dog, featuring on guitar and vocals.
Platania has worked as a producer on three albums for Guy Davis. He also produced Davis’s "I Will Be Your Friend,” the title song for the Southern Poverty Law Center
’s "anti-hate" compilation CD, as well as songs on tribute CDs to Charlie Patton
and Nick Lowe
. He composed the music for Sail Production’s stage version of Harriet Tubman
, which toured the U.S. during Black History Month
.
In 2006, Platania again reunited with Van Morrison, touring on Morrison's "Pay The Devil
" tour and continues playing with the Van Morrison band in 2008. He played guitar with Van Morrison's band at the Montreux Jazz Festival
in July 1980 and appeared on the 2006 issued DVD
Live at Montreux 1980/1974
. On September 15, 2006, he played in Van Morrison's band at the Austin City Limits Music Festival
. A limited edition live album was issued from this concert — Live at Austin City Limits Festival
. He also appeared with Morrison in the Austin City Limits
film that was made for television and shown in November 2006 on the CMT
television channel. He played guitar on several of the tracks on the March 2008 release of Morrison's thirty-third studio album, Keep It Simple
.
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
player, and record producer.
Platania was born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
’s Mid-Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
, in Ulster County, near Woodstock.
He is most known for his work with Van Morrison
Van Morrison
Van Morrison, OBE is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and musician. His live performances at their best are regarded as transcendental and inspired; while some of his recordings, such as the studio albums Astral Weeks and Moondance, and the live album It's Too Late to Stop Now, are widely...
, beginning on Moondance
Moondance
Moondance is the third solo album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on Warner Bros. Records on 28 February 1970 and peaked at #29 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart....
, and most recently on 2009's Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl
Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl is the fifth live album recorded by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, and released in the US on February 24, 2009 and on February 9, 2009 in the UK...
. In 1973 Platania toured with Morrison as a member of his band at the time The Caledonia Soul Orchestra
The Caledonia Soul Orchestra
The Caledonia Soul Orchestra was the band created by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison in 1973. The band is often considered one of the tightest performing backup groups of the 1970s...
. The double live album It's Too Late to Stop Now
It's Too Late to Stop Now
It's Too Late to Stop Now is a live album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released in 1974 . Frequently named as one of the best live albums ever recorded, It's Too Late to Stop Now was recorded during what has often been said to be Morrison's greatest phase as a live...
was released in 1974, which included songs from three nights of the tour. Platania also co-wrote two songs with Morrison, on his compilation album of out-takes The Philosopher's Stone
The Philosopher's Stone (album)
The Philosopher's Stone is a compilation album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison released in 1998 .The songs released on this 2-CD thirty track album were previously unreleased outtakes from 1969 to 1988...
, as well as playing guitar on several of the tracks on disc one.
He played on several albums for Chip Taylor
Chip Taylor
James Wesley Voight , better known by his stage name as Chip Taylor, is an American songwriter, who is noted for writing the songs "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing." He is the brother of actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight...
, songwriter of "Wild Thing" and "Angel of the Morning
Angel of the Morning
"Angel of the Morning" is a popular song that has been recorded numerous times, and has been a charting hit single for several artists including Juice Newton, Merrilee Rush, Nina Simone, P.P...
" and from 1974 through 1982, he recorded and or performed with Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
and Judy Collins
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie "Judy" Collins is an American singer and songwriter, known for her eclectic tastes in the material she records ; and for her social activism. She is an alumna of the University of Colorado.-Musical career:Collins was born and raised in Seattle, Washington...
.
In 1976, Platania formed a band in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
called The Giants. Its members included Ron Elliott
Ron Elliott (musician)
Ron Elliott on October 21, 1943) is an American musician, composer and producer, best known as songwriter and lead guitarist of rock band The Beau Brummels. Elliott wrote or co-wrote the band's 1965 U.S...
, formerly of The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels
The Beau Brummels were an American rock band. Formed in San Francisco in 1964, the band's original lineup included Sal Valentino , Ron Elliott , Ron Meagher , Declan Mulligan , and John Petersen...
, with Karl Rucker from the post-Jim Morrison Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, and Bruce Gary
Bruce Gary
Bruce Gary was best known as the drummer for the music group The Knack. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards as a stage performer, producer, and recording artist....
, drummer who went on to The Knack
The Knack
The Knack was an American New Wave rock quartet based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with their first single, "My Sharona", an international number one hit in 1979.-Founding :...
.
Platania began working with Don McLean
Don McLean
Donald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
in 1981 playing as his accompanist on every US, Canadian and overseas tour until 1996. John Platania has never been on any records with Don McLean, only on the road. In 2007, Don McLean said "John Platania has been a great friend. He was a completely reliable, fantastically inspired, hard-working, funny and wise human being. I feel very fortunate to have found him and very fortunate that he was willing to devote as much of his time to me and my music as he did" (Howard, 2007).
In 1983, he produced and wrote the score for the Emmy winning musical revue None for the Road, a public service production to educate young people about the dangers of drinking, drugs and driving.
In 1997 he played guitar for Natalie Merchant
Natalie Merchant
Natalie Anne Merchant is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She joined the alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and left it to begin her solo career in 1993.-Early life:...
on her summer tour.
In 2002, Platania released his solo debut Lucky Dog, featuring on guitar and vocals.
Platania has worked as a producer on three albums for Guy Davis. He also produced Davis’s "I Will Be Your Friend,” the title song for the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
’s "anti-hate" compilation CD, as well as songs on tribute CDs to Charlie Patton
Charlie Patton
Charlie Patton , better known as Charley Patton, was an American Delta blues musician. He is considered by many to be the "Father of the Delta Blues", and is credited with creating an enduring body of American music and personally inspiring just about every Delta blues man...
and Nick Lowe
Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain "Nick" Lowe , is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer.A pivotal figure in UK pub rock, punk rock and new wave, Lowe has recorded a string of well-reviewed solo albums. Along with vocals, Lowe plays guitar, bass guitar, piano and harmonica...
. He composed the music for Sail Production’s stage version of Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Harriet Ross; (1820 – 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil War. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves...
, which toured the U.S. during Black History Month
Black History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
.
In 2006, Platania again reunited with Van Morrison, touring on Morrison's "Pay The Devil
Pay the Devil
Pay the Devil is the thirty-second album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison, featuring twelve cover versions of American country and western tunes and three original compositions...
" tour and continues playing with the Van Morrison band in 2008. He played guitar with Van Morrison's band at the Montreux Jazz Festival
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...
in July 1980 and appeared on the 2006 issued DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
Live at Montreux 1980/1974
Live at Montreux 1980/1974
Live at Montreux 1980/1974 is the first official DVD by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on October 16, 2006. The films consist of two separate performances by Van Morrison at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland...
. On September 15, 2006, he played in Van Morrison's band at the Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
. A limited edition live album was issued from this concert — Live at Austin City Limits Festival
Live at Austin City Limits Festival
Live at Austin City Limits Festival by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison is a limited edition live album recorded from the Austin City Limits Festival concert at which he was the first night headliner on September 15, 2006...
. He also appeared with Morrison in the Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits
Austin City Limits is an American public television music program recorded live in Austin, Texas by Public Broadcasting Service Public television member station KLRU, and broadcast on many PBS stations around the United States...
film that was made for television and shown in November 2006 on the CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
television channel. He played guitar on several of the tracks on the March 2008 release of Morrison's thirty-third studio album, Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple is the thirty-third solo studio album recorded by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison. It was released on March 17, 2008 by Exile Productions Ltd./Polydor in the U.K.. and on the Lost Highway Records label on April 1, 2008, in the U.S....
.
External links
- John Platania official site
- John Platania @MySpace
- [ John Platania] at Allmusic