John Tropea (pronounced 'tro-pay'; born January 7, 1946) is an American guitarist.

Career

Tropea began guitar studies at the age of 12. His musical education continued at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied jazz guitar, harmony, musical composition, and

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

arranging. After arriving in Boston, Tropea began playing jazz and R&B with local bands, including The Three Degrees. He was influenced by Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, Luiz Bonfá, Pat Martino, and

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, play ...

. Among his mentors were Hammond B3 organ players Jack McDuff and Jimmy Smith. After Berklee, Tropea recorded and toured with

Eumir Deodato Eumir Deodato de Almeida (; born 22 June 1942) is a Brazilian pianist, composer, arranger and record producer, primarily in jazz but who has been known for his eclectic melding of genres, such as pop, rock, disco, rhythm and blues, classical, ...

. Moving to New York City in 1967, he became one of the most sought after session players. In 1974, he played on

Van Morrison Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards. As a teenager in t ...

's " Bulbs" and "Cul de Sac" included on the album ''

Veedon Fleece ''Veedon Fleece'' is the eighth studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on 5 October 1974. Morrison recorded the album shortly after his divorce from wife Janet (Planet) Rigsbee. With his broken marriage in the pa ...

'' and issued as the single. Tropea wrote and produced three critically acclaimed solo albums for

TK Records TK Records was an American independent record label founded by record distributor Henry Stone and Steve Alaimo in 1972. and based in Hialeah, Florida. The record label went bankrupt in 1981. "TK" was inspired by the initials of sound engineer ...

. His first solo album ''Tropea'', was released in 1975, followed by ''Short Trip to Space'', and ''To Touch You Again''. With those early recordings and other projects, Tropea formed close musical alliances with other leading New York musicians such as

Warren Bernhardt Warren Bernhardt (November 13, 1938 – August 19, 2022)''WBGO'', (Newark, NJ)"Warren Bernhardt, pianist with Steps Ahead, Steely Dan and other bands, dies at 83" August 24, 2022. Retrieved on August 24, 2022. was an American pianist in jazz, pop ...

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of M ...

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on No ...

Steve Gadd Stephen Kendall Gadd (born April 9, 1945) is an American drummer, percussionist, and session musician. Gadd is one of the best-known and highly regarded session and studio drummers in the industry, recognized by his induction into the '' Modern ...

Don Grolnick Don Grolnick (September 23, 1947 – June 1, 1996) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and record producer. He was a member of the groups Steps Ahead and Dreams, both with Michael Brecker, and played often with the Brecker Brothers. As a sess ...

, Anthony Jackson,

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...

David Spinozza David Spinozza is an American guitarist and producer. He worked with former Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon during the 1970s, and had a long collaboration with singer-songwriter James Taylor, producing Taylor's album '' Walkin ...

, and

Richard Tee Richard Edward Tee (born Richard Edward Ten Ryk; November 24, 1943 – July 21, 1993) was an American pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "In Your Eyes", " Sl ...

He played guitar on "

Baby Now That I've Found You "Baby, Now That I've Found You" is a song written by Tony Macaulay and John MacLeod, and performed by the Foundations. Part of the song was written in the same bar of a Soho tavern where Karl Marx is supposed to have written ''Das Kapital''. The ...

" recorded by Dan Schafer on Tortoise International Records, an RCA Records subsidiary released in 1977. In March 2012, this version was included on the compilation album, ''Perhaps...The Very Best of Dan Schafer''. He has played with

Billy Cobham William Emanuel Cobham Jr. (born May 16, 1944) is a Panamanian–American jazz drummer who came to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with the Mahavishnu Orchestra. He was inducted into the ''Mode ...

Laura Nyro Laura Nyro ( ; born Laura Nigro; October 18, 1947 – April 8, 1997) was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums ''Eli and the Thirteenth Confession'' (1968 ...

, Harry Chapin, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, and Dr. John. Tropea has written and arranged music for film and broadcast advertising. With his frequent co-producer and friend

Will Lee William Lee (born William Lubovsky; August 6, 1908 – December 7, 1982) was an American actor who appeared in numerous television and film roles, but was best known for playing Mr. Hooper, the original store proprietor of the eponymous Hoope ...

, he released ''Simple Way to Say 'I Love You' '', and ''Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blues'', live performances by The Tropea Band at Mikell's in New York City. He composed the song "Tambourine", which was used as the close for WABC's '' Eyewitness News'' broadcasts from 1977 to 1980.

Discography

Solo

* ''Tropea'' (

Marlin Marlins are fish from the family Istiophoridae, which includes about 10 species. A marlin has an elongated body, a spear-like snout or bill, and a long, rigid dorsal fin which extends forward to form a crest. Its common name is thought to deri ...

, 1975) * ''Short Trip to Space'' (Marlin, 1977) * ''To Touch You Again'' (Marlin, 1979) * ''Live at Mikell's'' (Video Arts, 1982) * ''NYC Cats Direct'' ( DMP 1986) * ''A Simple Way to Say I Love You'' (Video Arts, 1997) * ''Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blues'' (Video Arts, 1999) * ''Standard Influence'' (Video Arts, 2003) * ''Standard Influence II: Rock Candy'' (Video Arts, 2005) * ''Tropea 10: The Time Is Right'' (Video Arts, 2007) * ''Take Me Back to the Ol' School'' (STP, 2007) * ''Gotcha Rhythm Right Here'' (STP, 2014)

Guest appearances

* 1972 ''Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001 Theme)'',

(CTI) * 1973 ''

Spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of colors ...

'',

(Atlantic) * 1973 ''Deodato 2'', Eumir Deodato (CTI) * 1974 '' Continental American'', Peter Allen (A&M) * 1974 ''Whirlwinds'', Eumir Deodato (MCA) * 1974 ''Artistry'', Eumir Deodato (MCA) * 1974 '' Big Bad Bo'',

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

(Chess) * 1974 '' Many Shades of Blue'',

Blue Mitchell Richard Allen "Blue" Mitchell (March 13, 1930 – May 21, 1979) was an American trumpeter and composer who worked in jazz, rhythm and blues, soul, rock and funk. He recorded albums as leader and sideman for Riverside, Mainstream Records, and ...

( Mainstream) * 1974 ''

'',

* 1974 ''

Streetlights A street light, light pole, lamp pole, lamppost, street lamp, light standard, or lamp standard is a raised source of light on the edge of a road or path. Similar lights may be found on a railway platform. When urban electric power distribution ...

'', Bonnie Raitt (Warner Bros.) * 1974 '' Satan'', Sonny Stitt (Cadet) * 1975 ''First Cuckoo'', Eumir Deodato (MCA) * 1975 ''

Still Crazy After All These Years ''Still Crazy After All These Years'' is the fourth solo studio album by Paul Simon. Recorded and released in 1975, the album produced four U.S. Top 40 hits: " 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" (No. 1), " Gone at Last" (No. 23), " My Little Town" (No. ...

'', Paul Simon (Columbia) * 1975 ''Then Came You'', Dionne Warwick (Warner Bros.) * 1976 ''

Smile A smile is a facial expression formed primarily by flexing the muscles at the sides of the mouth. Some smiles include a contraction of the muscles at the corner of the eyes, an action known as a Duchenne smile. Among humans, a smile expresses ...

'',

(Columbia) * 1976 '' Black Widow'', Lalo Schifrin ( CTI) * 1976 '' Second Childhood'',

Phoebe Snow Phoebe Snow (born Phoebe Ann Laub; July 17, 1950 – April 26, 2011) was an American roots music singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for her hit 1974 and 1975 songs " San Francisco Bay Blues", " Poetry Man", "Harpo's Blues", and her credited ...

(Columbia) * 1977 ''

Blue Lights in the Basement ''Blue Lights in the Basement'' is the sixth studio album by American singer Roberta Flack released by Atlantic on December 13, 1977. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number eight on the US ''Billboard'' 200, becoming her third t ...

'', Roberta Flack (Atlantic) * 1977 '' Intergalactic Touring Band'' ( Passport) * 1977 ''

'', Dan Schafer (RCA/Tortoise International) * 1977 ''

Towering Toccata ''Towering Toccata'' is an album by Argentine composer, pianist and conductor Lalo Schifrin recorded in 1976 and released on the CTI Records, CTI label.Payne, DCTI Records discographyaccessed March 1, 2012 Reception The Allmusic review states "it ...

'', Lalo Schifrin (CTI) * 1977 '' Ringo the 4th'', Ringo Starr (Polydor) * 1977 '' Lady Put the Light Out'', Frankie Valli (Private Stock) * 1978 ''

Burchfield Nines ''Burchfield Nines'' is a jazz vocal album by Michael Franks, released in 1978 by Warner Bros. Records. Track listing Reception Gene DellaSala of Audioholics.com praised the vinyl record to CD transfer, stating, "the sound quality of th ...

'', Michael Franks (Warner Bros.) * 1978 '' Nested'',

(CBS) * 1978 ''

Songbird A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5000 ...

'',

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

(Columbia) * 1979 '' I Could Have Been a Sailor'', Peter Allen (A&M) * 1979 ''Raw Silk'',

Randy Crawford Veronica "Randy" Crawford (born February 18, 1952) is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has ap ...

(Warner Bros.) * 1979 '' Yama'', Art Farmer with Joe Henderson (CTI) * 1980 ''Body Language'', Patti Austin (CTI) * 1980 '' Red Cab to Manhattan'', Stephen Bishop (Warner Bros.) * 1980 ''

Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway ''Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway'' is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack. Released via Atlantic in March 1980, the album features posthumous vocals by close friend and collaborator Donny Hathaway, who had ...

'', Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway (Atlantic) * 1980 '' Morning Dance'', Spyro Gyra, (MCA) * 1981 ''La Cuna'', Ray Barretto * 1981 ''Repeat Repeat'', Peter Baumann * 1981 '' Super Strings'', Ron Carter (Milestone) * 1981 ''I Got the Melody'',

Odyssey The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the ''Iliad'', th ...

* 1982 '' Anyone Can See'', Irene Cara (Network) * 1982 '' Gloria Gaynor'', Gloria Gaynor (Atlantic) * 1982 ''

Cityscape In the visual arts, a cityscape (urban landscape) is an artistic representation, such as a painting, drawing, Publishing, print or photograph, of the physical aspects of a city or urban area. It is the urban equivalent of a landscape. ''Town ...

'',

Claus Ogerman Claus Ogerman (born Klaus Ogermann; 29 April 1930 – 8 March 2016) was a German arranger, conductor, and composer best known for his work with Billie Holiday, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Frank Sinatra, Michael Brecker, and Diana Krall. Life and wor ...

(Warner Bros.) * 1982 ''

It's Alright (I See Rainbows) ''It's Alright (I See Rainbows)'' is the sixth solo album by Yoko Ono, and her second release after the death of husband John Lennon. As a variation of a theme concerning its predecessor, the back cover features a transparent image of Lennon in a ...

'',

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

(Polydor) * 1983 ''In My Life'', Patti Austin (CTI) * 1983 '' Passionfruit'', Michael Franks (Warner Bros). * 1984 '' Milk and Honey'',

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

(Polydor) * 1988 '' CK'', Chaka Khan (Warner Bros.) * 1989 ''

Journeyman A journeyman, journeywoman, or journeyperson is a worker, skilled in a given building trade or craft, who has successfully completed an official apprenticeship qualification. Journeymen are considered competent and authorized to work in that fie ...

'', Eric Clapton (Reprise) * 1996 '' Gently'', Liza Minnelli (Angel)

References

External links

Official web site

IMDb listing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tropea, John Berklee College of Music alumni Living people American jazz guitarists 1946 births American rock guitarists American session musicians American pop guitarists American soul guitarists American rhythm and blues guitarists Lead guitarists Rhythm guitarists American funk guitarists Guitarists from New York City 20th-century American guitarists Jazz musicians from New York (state) The Blues Brothers members American people of Italian descent