Chuck_Loeb

Chuck Loeb

Chuck Loeb

American jazz guitarist


Charles Samuel "Chuck" Loeb (December 7, 1955 July 31, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist and a member of the groups Steps Ahead, Metro and Fourplay.

Quick Facts Background information, Birth name ...

Early years and education

Loeb was born in Nyack, New York, near New York City. At a young age, he listened to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. According to a 2005 JazzTimes article, the first song he learned on guitar was Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone", which he would later play at a guest appearance with Dylan.[1] He discovered jazz when he was sixteen through the music of guitarists Wes Montgomery, George Benson, John McLaughlin, and Pat Martino.[2] At that point, Loeb chose to become a musician and "never thought of doing anything else".[3]

He studied with local music teachers, then traveled to Philadelphia and became a student of jazz guitarist Dennis Sandole. In New York City, he learned from Jim Hall.[4] For two years he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, then left in 1976 to seek professional work in New York City.

Groups

In New York, Loeb played with Chico Hamilton, Ray Barreto, and Hubert Laws. Starting in 1979, he was a member of Stan Getz's group.[5] Getz later became the best man at his wedding to singer Carmen Cuesta.[1] Loeb and Mitchel Forman, who was also in Getz's group, formed the jazz fusion band Metro (1994).[6] In the 1980s, he was a member of the group Steps Ahead, which included Michael Brecker, someone Loeb credits as an influence.[7] He replaced Larry Carlton as guitarist in Fourplay (2010).[8]

Loeb and his wife recorded together, with Cuesta providing vocals on his albums and Loeb playing on Cuesta's albums,[9] and their daughters Lizzy and Christina contributing vocals.[10]

Solo career

Loeb began a solo career in 1988 with his debut album My Shining Hour on the Japanese record label Pony Canyon. He released subsequent albums on DMP Digital Music Products among them Life Colors (1990). Loeb ultimately achieved commercial success with Shanachie Records on The Music Inside (1996). The title song from the album held the number one position on the jazz charts for six weeks.[4] Later, he produced Moon, the Stars, & the Setting Sun (1998), Listen (1999) In a Heartbeat (2001), and All There Is (2002).

Loeb's music has appeared on TV shows, commercials,[3] and movie soundtracks, including The Untouchables, You've Got Mail, and Hitch.

His composition Logic of Love was nominated for a Grammy in 2015.[11]

Death

Loeb died of cancer on July 31, 2017, at the age of 61.[12]

Discography

Studio albums

More information #, year ...

With Metro

More information #, year ...

With the Fantasy Band

More information #, year ...

With Fourplay

More information #, year ...

Compilations


More information year, title ...

Live albums

More information year, title ...

With Stan Getz


References

  1. Adler, David R. (June 2005). "Jazz Departments - Chuck Loeb". jazztimes.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  2. Wood, James (November 28, 2012). "Guitarist Chuck Loeb Discusses New Fourplay Album and the Allure of Smooth Jazz". guitarworld.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  3. "Balancing the demands of life and music". Reading Eagle. March 25, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  4. "Chuck Loeb @ All About Jazz". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  5. "Metro Jazz: Early History". Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  6. Mergner, Lee (February 15, 2010). "Larry Carlton Leaving Fourplay". jazztimes.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  7. Goodstein, Jack (February 1, 2014). "Music Review: Carmen Cuesta - 'Toda Una Vida'". seattlepi.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  8. "Silhouette - Chuck Loeb". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  9. "Chuck Loeb - ein Interview". Jazzband Live (in German). Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  10. "Chuck Loeb, Guitarist and Composer, Dies at 61". Jazz Times. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Chuck_Loeb, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.