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Guitarist
Chieli Minucci is best known as one half of the popular world fusion band
Special EFX, his musical partnership with the late percussionist
George Jinda. Together, they created accessible yet slightly experimental music that combined their love of smooth jazz, rock, and various African and Latin rhythms.
Minucci attended Ithaca College, playing guitar in a variety of rock and pop groups, and had developed his own approach to the guitar when he met up with
Jinda in 1982.
Their band recorded extensively with GRP (1984-1992) and also made three CDs for JVC (1993-1995) before parting ways.
Jinda continued on with the
Special EFX name, releasing the album
Here to Stay before suffering a stroke and lapsing into a coma; he died in 2001 at age 60. Outside of
Special EFX,
Minucci also worked as a producer and writer for other musicians including
Deborah Henson-Conant and
Kim Pensyl, and he worked in the studios, appearing on a variety of R&B dates by the likes of
Chaka Khan,
Roberta Flack,
Noel Pointer, and
Angela Bofill.
Minucci began his solo career by cutting three CDs as a leader with Jewels (1994), Renaissance (1996), and It's Gonna Be Good (1998). While those albums showcased a similar crossover approach to his work with
Special EFX, they also displayed more of a modern electronic, dance, and R&B influence.
Minucci continued in this vein, releasing several more well-received, stylistically varied albums including
Sweet on You (2000), which featured guest appearances from saxophonist
Gerald Albright and vocalist
Roseanna Vitro; the melodic yet funky
Night Grooves (2003); and
Got It Goin' On (2005), which included contributions from saxophonists
Jeff Kashiwa,
Kim Waters, and
Marion Meadows.
After
Jinda's passing,
Minucci respectfully decided to continue recording under the
Special EFX banner, occasionally appearing as
Chieli Minucci & Special EFX. He debuted the new moniker with the album
Sweet Surrender (2007), which found him revisiting many of
Special EFX's eclectic stylistic influences, from Latin to funk to fusion jazz. He then returned to his solo work with the atmospheric, new age-infused companion albums Travels (2008) and East of the Sun (2008).
In 2010,
Minucci returned to
Special EFX for the two-disc
Without You. He then delivered
Genesis (2013), which featured several longtime
Special EFX associates including percussionist
Omar Hakim, saxophonist/flute player
David Mann, and pianist
Lao Tizer. In 2017,
Minucci marked
Special EFX's 35th anniversary with the release of
Deep as the Night. Featured on the album were guest appearances from
Tizer as well as violinist
Antoine Silverman and saxophonist
Elan Trotman. ~ Scott Yanow