Kenneth Lee Ascher (born October 26, 1944 in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who is active in jazz, rock, classical, and musical theater genres — in live venues, recording studios, and cinema production.''Who's Who in Rock Music'', by

William York William Herbert "Lum" York (November 16, 1918 – August 15, 2004) was a musician best known as the bass player in Hank Williams Drifting Cowboys from 1944–1949. After leaving the Drifting Cowboys, York played bass in Lefty Frizzell's ba ...

Charles Scribner's Sons Charles Scribner's Sons, or simply Scribner's or Scribner, is an American publisher based in New York City, known for publishing American authors including Henry James, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, Marjorie Kinnan R ...

(1982); With Paul Williams, he wrote the song "

Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film ''The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reache ...

" for ''

The Muppet Movie ''The Muppet Movie'' is a 1979 American musical road comedy film directed by James Frawley, produced by Jim Henson, and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets. A co-production between the United Kingdom and the United States, the fil ...

''. Both Williams and Ascher received Oscar nominations for the 1979

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

Best Original Song This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

("Rainbow Connection") and Best Original Score (''

'' Soundtrack). The song was also nominated for the

Golden Globes The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of ...

for "

" that same year.

His work

Ascher's work through the years has included keyboard parts and string arrangements on

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 ...

's albums '' Mind Games'', ''

Walls and Bridges ''Walls and Bridges'' is the fifth studio album by English musician John Lennon. It was issued by Apple Records on 26 September 1974 in the United States and on 4 October in the United Kingdom. Written, recorded and released during his 18-month ...

'' and ''

Rock 'n' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

'' and

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 ...

's '' A Story'', music for several songs from

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 ...

's remake of '' A Star Is Born'' (where he also served as music coordinator), and arrangements for portions of

Jim Steinman James Richard Steinman (November 1, 1947 – April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, mus ...

and

Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...

's masterpiece ''

Bat Out of Hell ''Bat Out of Hell'' is the 1977 debut album by American rock singer Meat Loaf and composer Jim Steinman. It is one of the best-selling albums in history. The album was developed from a musical, ''Neverland'', a futuristic rock version of '' ...

'' (produced by

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

). Ascher's own rendition of ''

The Rainbow Connection "Rainbow Connection" is a song from the 1979 film '' The Muppet Movie'', with music and lyrics written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. The song was performed by Jim Henson – as Kermit the Frog – in the film. "Rainbow Connection" reach ...

'' was featured in the closing credits of ''

The Break-Up ''The Break-Up'' is a 2006 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Peyton Reed, starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. It was written by Jay Lavender and Jeremy Garelick from a story by them and Vaughn, and produced by Universal Pict ...

'' (starring

Vince Vaughn Vincent Anthony Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American actor. Vaughn began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 comedy-drama film '' Swingers''. He has appeared in ...

and

Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...

). Ascher is the pianist with the

Birdland Big Band The Birdland Big Band is a 16-piece jazz orchestra that performs at the Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. The Birdland Big Band is led by saxophonist David DeJesus DeJesus joined as saxophonist and leader in October 2017 and brought with him an ...

, which performs Fridays from 5:15 to 7 at Birdland in New York City. The Birdland Big Band performs ''The Rainbow Connection'', arranged by

Lew Anderson Lewis Burr Anderson (May 7, 1922 – May 14, 2006) was an American actor and musician. He is widely known by TV fans as the third and final actor to portray Clarabell the Clown on ''Howdy Doody'' between 1954 and 1960. He famously spoke C ...

. In the latter 1960s, Ascher played piano and arranged for the Woody Herman Orchestra. Herman hired Ascher — on the advice of Frank Foster — to replace Nat Pierce, who had departed. Ascher has been a member of ASCAP since 1968.

Selected compositions

* ''Three for the Show'', m & arr. Ascher (1960) * ''The White Rabbit'', music & arr. Ascher (1960) * ''Scotch Mist'', music & arr. by Ascher (1960) * ''Theme for Ken's Men'', m & arr. Ascher (1960) * ''Retrospect'', words & arr. Ascher (1960) * ''Typically April: A Revolutionary Musical'', lyrics and music by Ascher (1966) * ''Stars and Sand'' (1967) * ''Nightling'' (1967) * ''April's in my Lady's Face'' (1967) * ''Colors'' (1967) * ''Dressed Up For a Dream'' (1967) * ''These blues were made for cookin' '' (1967) * ''Who can hear the nightingale?'' (1967) * ''It seems different to me now'' (1967) * ''Lullaby'' (1967) * ''Last night's rain'' (1967) * ''Laughin' Place'' (1967) * ''Miss Fitz'' (1967) * ''Maybe another spring (1967) * ''Funny little girl'' (1967) * ''Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra'' (1968) * ''1968 Baltimore Colts Highlights (ASCAP 1968) * ''Music for Orchestra'' (Master's essay,

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

) (1968) * ''Bittersweet wild child'', words by Donna Lee, music by Ascher (1968) * ''Cavettina'' (1968) * ''Silent Partners'', words Donna Lee, music Ascher (1968) * ''So I told it to the rain'', words Donna Lee Levitt (Donna Lee), music by Ascher (1968) * ''You can't make this child cry'', words Donna Lee Levitt, music by Ascher (1968) * ''Here I Go Again'', words Donna Lee (Donna Lee Levitt), music by Ascher (1968) * ''My memory bank's been robbed'', words Donna Lee (Donna Lee Levitt), music by Ascher (1968) * ''Leaf in the Wind'', words and music by Lon Ritchie & Ascher (1969) * ''Omnibus'', words & music by Ascher, Donna Lee & Joe Renzetti (1969) * ''One for Jim'' (1970) * ''Another Kind of Blues'' (1970) * ''Mosaics : a piece for guitar, string quartet and woodwind quartet with accompanying aesthetic commentary and description'' (thesis for

) (1972) * ''Inspiration'', by Paul Williams, Ascher (1973) * ''Bugaloo and Such'' (1973) * ''Play, piper, play'', words Donna Lee Levitt, music Ascher (1973) * ''Little Bit of Love'', words & music by Paul Williams & Ascher (1974) * ''Lone Star'', words & music by Paul Williams & Ascher (1974) * ''Loneliness'', words & music Paul Williams & Ascher (1974) * ''Nilsson sings Newman'', by Paul Williams, Ascher (1974) * ''Sad Song'', words & music Paul Williams & Ascher (1974) * ''Sunday'', words & music Paul Williams & Ascher (1974) * ''You Know Me'', by Paul Williams, Ascher (1974) * ''She Sings for Free'', words & music by Paul Williams & Ascher (1974, 2002) * ''

You and Me Against the World ''You and Me Against the World'' is the fifth studio album from Norwegian electronic rock music band Apoptygma Berzerk. The album was released in 2005, and gave way to a very different sound in the band, whereas previous records had a more tradit ...

'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1974) * ''Makin' the same mistakes'' (1974) * ''Isn't It Odd?'' (1974) * ''Candlelight Dreamer'' (1974) * ''Bein' a Movie Star'' (1974) * ''Coming Undone'' (1974) * ''With You'', words

Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...

, music Ascher (1975) * ''Don't you worry child'', words

, music Ascher (1975) *From the 1976 film, '' A Star is Born'' *# ''Watch Closely Now'', Paul Williams, Ascher *# ''Hellacious Acres'', Paul Williams, Ascher *# ''The Woman in the Moon'', Paul Williams, Ascher *# ''Finale: With One More Look at You/Watch Closely Now'', Paul Williams, Ascher * ''Run for life'', vocal music by Ascher, lyrics by Albert Lerman (1978) *From the 1979 film, ''

'' *# ''

'', words & music by Ascher and Paul Williams (1979) *# ''Movin' Right Along'', Paul Williams & Ascher (1979) *# '' Never Before, Never Again!'', –

Miss Piggy Miss Piggy is one of the Muppet characters known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's ''The Muppet Show''. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her temperamental diva superstar personality, tendency to use French phrases i ...

, Paul Williams & Ascher (1979) *# '' Never Before, Never Again!'', –

Instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to inst ...

, Paul Williams & Ascher (1979) *# '' I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along!'', – Kermit and Rowlf, Paul Williams & Ascher (1979) *# ''Can You Picture That?'', Paul Williams & Ascher (1979) *# '' I Hope That Somethin' Better Comes Along!'', – Instrumental *# ''For Goodness Sake'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) *# ''Finale, the magic store'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) * ''For the Life of Me'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) * ''Making Friends'', Waring & LaRosa; arr. Ascher (1979) * ''Gift'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) * ''Little more like you'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) * ''Save me a dream'', Paul Williams, Ascher (1979) * ''Go Away'' * ''Song for children of all ages'', words and music by Ascher * ''Kenny's ballad'', music by Ascher (1980) * ''Perfect Crime'', music & lyrics by Ascher & John Barranco (1989)

Selected discography

As leader * Kenny Ascher, the Moog Machine, ''

Switched-On Rock ''Switched-On Rock'' is an album by the Moog Machine, released in 1969 on Columbia Records. It comprises instrumental cover song, covers of popular songs from the 1960s, performed on the Moog modular synthesizer, Moog synthesizer. It was one of a s ...

'' (played on Moog by Kenny) Columbia Records (1969) * Kenny Ascher, ''Christmas Becomes Electric / The Moog'' (played on Moog by Kenny) Columbia Records (1970) As arranger *

Woody Herman Woodrow Charles Herman (May 16, 1913 – October 29, 1987) was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, singer, and big band leader. Leading groups called "The Herd", Herman came to prominence in the late 1930s and was active until his dea ...

and the Thundering Herd, ''Concerto for Herd'' ( Monterey Jazz Festival),

Verve Records Verve Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). Founded in 1956 by Norman Granz, the label is home to the world's largest jazz catalogue, which includes recordings by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simon ...

(September 17, 1967) : ''Woody's Boogaloo'', arranged by Ascher * Paul Williams, ''

Here Comes Inspiration ''Here Comes Inspiration'' is a studio album by Paul Williams, released in 1974. Notable songs from the album include " Rainy Days & Mondays", "You & Me Against the World" and "If We Could Still Be Friends". Kenny Ascher was credited for the pro ...

'', (LP) (Ascher is producer, conductor, arranger, writer and pianist)

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

(1974) * Airto Moreira, '' Virgin Land'' (Salvation, 1974) * Helen Reddy, ''No Way To Treat A Lady'', Capitol Records (1975) : B3 – ''You Know Me'', by Ascher and Williams * Lori Lieberman, ''Letting Go'', RCA Victor, arrangements by Ascher (June 19, 1978) As sideman or band member, on keyboards * Howard Tate, ''Keep Cool (Don't Be a Fool)'',

The Hit Factory The Hit Factory is a recording studio in New York City owned and operated by Troy Germano. History On March 6, 1975, Edward Germano, a singer, record producer, and one of the principal owners of the Record Plant Studios New York, purchased the ...

(Oct 12, 1971) * Tom Scott, ''Smoothin' On Down'', Epic/

Ode An ode (from grc, ᾠδή, ōdḗ) is a type of lyric poetry. Odes are elaborately structured poems praising or glorifying an event or individual, describing nature intellectually as well as emotionally. A classic ode is structured in three majo ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

(July 1971) *

The J.B.s The J.B.'s (sometimes punctuated The JB's or The J.B.s) was the name of James Brown's band from 1970 through the early 1980s. On records the band was sometimes billed under alternate names such as Fred Wesley and the JBs, The James Brown Soul T ...

, "Food For Thought" People Records New York, 1971, (Ascher electric piano) * Patti LaBelle, '' Moon Shadow'' (Ascher performs on tracks A3, A4, B2, B4),

Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...

(1972) * Yvonne Elliman, ''Yvonne Elliman'', Decca Records (1972) *

Bill Quateman Bill Quateman (born November 4, 1947, Chicago, Illinois)Joel Whitburn, ''The Billboard Albums''. 6th edn. Record Research, 2006. is an American singer-songwriter. Quateman released four albums in the 1970s and charted with the single "Only Love", ...

, ''Bill Quatemen'', (Ascher plays keyboards, produced the album, and wrote the string arrangements)

CBS Records CBS Records may refer to: * CBS Records or CBS/Sony, former name of Sony Music, a global record company * CBS Records International, label for Columbia Records recordings released outside North America from 1962 to 1990 * CBS Records (2006), founde ...

(1972) *

, '' Mind Games'' (1973) *

Johnny Hartman John Maurice Hartman (July 3, 1923 – September 15, 1983) was an American jazz singer who specialized in ballads. He sang and recorded with Earl Hines' and Dizzy Gillespie's big bands and with Erroll Garner. Hartman is best remembered for his ...

, ''I've Been There'' (1973) * Cecil Holmes, ''Cecil Homes Soulful Sounds, The – Black Motion Picture Experience'',

Buddah Records Buddah Records (later known as Buddha Records) was an American record label founded in 1967 in New York City. The label was born out of Kama Sutra Records, an MGM Records-distributed label, which remained a key imprint following Buddah's foun ...

(1973) * Bette Midler, '' Bette Midler'', Atlantic Records (1973) *

Morgana King Maria Grazia Morgana Messina (June 4, 1930 – March 22, 2018), known as Morgana King, was an American jazz singer and actress.Liner notes by Joel Dorn – Morgana King album ''The Complete Reprise Recordings'' (2000).Liner notes by Ed Osborne � ...

, ''New Beginnings'', Paramount Records (1973) : A4 – The Sands of Time and Changes (Ascher, piano) : B2 – ''A Song for You'' (Ascher, piano) * Mark Murphy, ''Mark II'',

Muse Records Muse Records was a jazz record company and label founded in New York City by Joe Fields (producer), Joe Fields in 1972. Fields worked as an executive for Prestige Records in the 1960s. Several of the albums were previously released on Cobbleston ...

(1973) *

John Prine John Edward Prine (; October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter of country-folk music. He was active as a composer, recording artist, live performer, and occasional actor from the early 1970s until his death. He ...

, Sweet Revenge, Atlantic Records (1973) * Carly Simon, '' Hotcakes'', Elektra Records (1974) *

Martha Reeves Martha Rose Reeves (born July 18, 1941) is an American R&B and pop singer. She is the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas which scored over a dozen hit singles, including " Come and Get These Memories", " Nowhere to R ...

, ''Martha Reeves'',

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 w ...

(1974) : B2 – ''Sweet Misery'' (Ascher plays clavinet and organ) *

Johnny Winter John Dawson Winter III (February 23, 1944 – July 16, 2014) was an American singer and guitarist. Winter was known for his high-energy blues rock albums and live performances in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also produced three Grammy Award-win ...

, ''

John Dawson Winter III ''John Dawson Winter III'' is the seventh studio album by Johnny Winter, released in 1974. It again follows Winter's pattern of mixing original songs with cover versions, including covering an Allen Toussaint song for the second album running. ...

'' Columbia Records (1974) *

, " Whatever Gets You thru the Night" (single) (Ascher plays clavinet)

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Ma ...

(1974) *

, ''

'' (Ascher plays keyboards),

(1974) * Paul Williams, ''A Little Bit of Love'', by Ascher & ''Nice to Be Around'', by Williams (Ascher is producer, conductor, arranger, writer and pianist) 45 RMP, Promo (1974) * Paul Williams, '' A Little Bit of Love'' (Ascher is producer, conductor, arranger, writer and pianist),

(1974) : A1 – ''A Little Bit of Love'', by Ascher : A4 – ''Sunday'', by Ascher : B2 – ''She Sings for Free'', by Ascher : B5 – ''Loneliness'', by Ascher : B6 – ''Sad Song'', by Ascher *

James Taylor James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...

, ''

Walking Man ''Walking Man'' is the fifth studio album by singer-songwriter James Taylor. Released in June 1974, it was not as successful as his previous efforts, reaching only No. 13 on the Billboard Album Chart and selling 300,000 copies in the United State ...

'', Warner Bros. Records (1974) *

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal ov ...

, '' Pussy Cats'' (Ascher: piano, conductor, orchestration), RCA Victor (1974) *

, '' Feeling the Space'' (recorded 1974, released 1997) *

Airto Airto Guimorvan Moreira (born August 5, 1941) is a Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist. He is married to jazz singer Flora Purim, and their daughter Diana Moreira is also a singer. Coming to prominence in the late 1960s as a member of the B ...

, ''Virgin Land'',

Salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its ...

(Feb. 1974) : B4 – ''I Don't Have to Do What I Don't Want to Do'' (Ascher plays melletron on this track) * Judy Collins, '' Judith'', Elektra Records (1975) *

Merry Clayton Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948) is an American soul and gospel singer. She provided a number of backing vocal tracks for major performing artists in the 1960s, most notably in her duet with Mick Jagger on the Rolling Stones song " Gimme S ...

, ''Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow'',

Ode Records Ode Records (also known as Ode Sounds and Visuals) was an American record label, started by Lou Adler in 1967 after he sold Dunhill Records to ABC Records. It was distributed by CBS's Epic Records except between 1970 and 1976, when the label was ...

(1975) *

, ''

'' (Ascher plays keyboards), Capitol Records (1975) * Paul Simon, ''

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. ...

'' (Ascher plays organ),

(1975) *

Gladys Knight & The Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B, soul and funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades starting from the early 1950s. Starting out as simply ...

, '' 2nd Anniversary'' (Ascher plays keyboards) (1975) : B1 – ''

'', arr Don Hannah, written by Ascher and Williams *

John Tropea 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, harmo ...

, ''The Jingle'', West Orange, New Jersey,

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) * Frankie Valli, ''Closeup'',

Private Stock Records Private Stock Records was a record label that operated from 1974 to 1978. The label was founded by Larry Uttal after he was ousted from Bell Records. The label primarily focused on pop music and had numerous hit records, many of them one-hit wo ...

(1975) * Dr. John, ''

Hollywood Be Thy Name ''Hollywood Be Thy Name'' is a live album by New Orleans R&B artist Dr. John. It was produced by producer Bob Ezrin. The recording venue, Willie Purple's Niteclub, was in reality Cherokee Recording Studios with a live audience. Track listing P ...

'',

United Artists Records United Artists Records was an American record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 to issue movie soundtracks. The label expanded into other genres, such as easy listening, jazz, pop, and R&B. History Genres In 1959, ...

(1975) * Nanette Natal, ''The Beginning'', New York, Evolution (date unknown, prob late 1970s) *

Leslie West Leslie West (born Leslie Abel Weinstein; October 22, 1945 – December 23, 2020) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was the co-founder, guitarist and co-lead vocalist of the rock band Mountain. Life and career Early years: 1 ...

, '' The Leslie West Band'' Phantom Records, distributed by

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...

, and later, ESP Management Inc. (1975) *

and

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are " Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", " Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and " Help Me Make It Through the ...

, ''A Star Is Born'' (soundtrack), Columbia Records (1976) : A1 – ''Watch Closely Now'', by Ascher : A5 – ''Hellacious Acres'', by Ascher : B1 – ''The Woman in the Moon'', by Ascher and Williams : B4 – ''Finale: With One More Look At You / Watch Closely Now'', by Ascher and Williams * Paul Williams, ''Classics'',

(1977) : A2 – ''You and Me Against the World'', by Ascher and Williams : A4 – ''Loneliness'', by Ascher and Williams : B2 – ''With One More Look at You'', by Ascher and Williams :: (Ascher produced tracks: A2, A4, B4, B5) *

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 ...

, '' Never Letting Go'', Columbia Records (Ascher performs on keyboards and orchestrates on selections) (1977) * Frankie Valli, '' Lady Put the Light Out'',

(1977) *

, ''

'', Epic Records (1977) (RIAA 14xPlatinum Certified) : A3 – ''Heaven Can Wait'' (string arrangement by Ascher) : B1 – ''Two Out of Three Ain't Bad'' (string arrangement by Ascher) * Tom Scott, '' Blow It Out'',

(1977) : A2 – ''Smoothin' On Down'' (Ascher plays clavinet on this track) * Maynard Ferguson, '' Conquistador'', Columbia Records (1977) *

The Muppets The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety- sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...

, ''Movin' Right Along'', (45 RPM) CBS Records Australia (1979) *

, ''

'' Original Soundtrack Recording (Ascher co-writes, co-arranges, and performs on keyboards), Columbia Records (1979) * Perry Como, '' Perry Como'', RCA Victor (1980) *

Earl Klugh Earl Klugh ( ; born September 16, 1953) is an American acoustic guitarist and composer. He has won one Grammy award and thirteen nominations. Klugh was awarded the “1977” Best Recording Award For Performance and Sound” for his album “Fin ...

, ''Late Night Guitar'' *

, ''Walking On Thin Ice'' (45 RPM),

Geffen Records Geffen Records is an American record label established by David Geffen and owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M Records imprint. Founded in 1980, Geffen Records has been a part of Interscope Geffen A&M since 1999 and h ...

(1981) : B – ''It Happened'' (Ascher, keyboards on the flipside only) *

Marvin Stamm Marvin Louis Stamm (born May 23, 1939) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career Stamm was born in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Stamm began on trumpet at age twelve. He attended North Texas State University, where he was a member of the One ...

, ''Stammpede'', New York,

Palo Alto Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The city was es ...

(1983) * Peter Dean, ''Radio'', Inner City Records, New York (1984) * Pat Williams' New York Band, ''10th Avenue'', New York, Soundwings (Dec. 1986) *

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 ...

, ''Hands On'' (Kenny performs on the 2nd and 4th works) (CD) (1987) * Dr. John, ''Mos' Scocious: The Dr. John Anthology'',

Rhino Records A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

(1993) : 2-15 – ''Back by the River'' (Ascher plays keyboard) * David Matthews Orchestra, ''Furuhata Jazz in N.Y.'', New York, WEA (Japan) (1997) * ''

The Wiz ''The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz"'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls (and others) and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's children's novel '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' ...

'' (Original Soundtrack),

(1997) * Gary LeMel, ''Moonlighting'' (Ascher is assistant conductor), Skylark Atlantic 83178-2 (1998) * Alex Donner, ''White Tie'', New York & Astoria, Black Tie Records (Mar 10, 1998-Sep 8, 2000) * Patti LaBelle, ''Labelle'', Wounded Bird Records (2000) : 1 – ''Morning Much Better'', Ascher – piano : 6 – ''Running Out of Fools – If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody'', Ascher – piano : 10 – ''Time'', Ascher – piano : 11 – ''When the Sun Comes Shining Through (The Ladder)'', Ascher – piano * Wally Dunbar, ''Everything in Time'', Nardis Consolidated Artists CAP953 (2000) * Nelson Foltz, ''The Longing Hours'', New York & Northvale, N.J., Syberdelix (2001) *

Jane Monheit Jane Monheit (born November 3, 1977"Jane Monheit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 33. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2001. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 2017-05-07.) is an American jazz and pop singer. Early life Monheit was bo ...

, ''In the Sun'', New York, N Coded Music (March–June 2002) *

, ''Live at the Rainbow Room'', N Coded Music (September 23, 2002) * Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra East, ''Live at "Birdland"'', Summit Records (March 10, 2003) *

Clay Aiken Clayton Holmes Aiken (''né'' Grissom; born November 30, 1978) is an American singer, television personality, actor, politician, and activist. Aiken finished second place on the second season of ''American Idol'' in 2003, and his debut album, ' ...

, '' Merry Christmas with Love'',

(2004) * Susan Robkin, ''Surfacing to Breathe'' (May 2004) * Don Payne (bass), ''Rhapsodic Echoes'', (Ascher plays piano on tracks 5 & 8
Recycled Notes Music Company
(May 5, 2004) : 5 – ''Unscheduled Departures'' : 8 – ''M.A.P.S.'' (Bob Mann, Kenny Ascher, Don Payne, Allen Schwartzberg) * Scott Whitfield, ''Diamonds for Nat'', New York, Summit Records (April 12 & 13, 2005) * Rod Stewart, '' Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV'', J-Records (Oct. 18, 2005) *

Steve Tyrell ''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen Notable people with the name include: steve jops * Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people * Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people * Steve ...

, ''The Disney Standards'',

Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from The Walt Disney Company's motion picture studios, television series, theme parks, and traditional studio albums produced by its ...

(2006) : 10 – ''When She Loved Me'' (Ascher, keyboards) : 14 – '' Baby Mine'', (Ascher, keyboards & string arrangements) *

, ''Back to Bacharach'',

Koch Records MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch", formerly known as Koch Records and eOne Music) is a New York City-based independent record label and music management company. It was formed in 2009 from the music assets of Koch Entertainment, which had ...

(2008) : 4 – ''One Less Bell to Answer'' (piano, Ascher; arr

Bacharach Bacharach (, also known as ''Bacharach am Rhein'') is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Rhein-Nahe, whose seat is in Bingen am Rhein, although that town is not withi ...

; strings arr, Ascher) : 11 – ''Close to You'' (Ascher, piano) : 12 – ''A House is Not a Home'' (Ascher, piano) * The Birdland Big Band, ''The Lew Anderson Tribute Concert (live)'', I.E.G. Inc. (June 1, 2007) * Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band, ''Live from New York'' (DVD) I.E.G. Inc. (Jan 1, 2009) ) * Andy Farber and His Orchestra, ''This Could be the Start of Something Big'' (2009) * Tommy Igoe and the Birdland Big Band, ''Eleven'' (11-11-11) * Ron Sunshine "Bring It Home" Rondette Jazz (November 20, 2015) Ascher piano.

Awards & award nominations

Awards * 1976 — Golden Globe for Best Original Score, ''A Star is Born'', 34th Golden Globe Awards, Kenny Ascher & Paul Williams Nominations * 1978 — Anthony Asquith Award nomination for Film Music, ''A Star is Born'',

British Academy of Film and Television Arts British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

, Kenny Ascher * 1979 — Golden Globe nomination for

, ''

'', 37th Golden Globe Awards, Kenny Ascher & Paul Williams * 1979 —

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

nomination for Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score, ''

'',

52nd Academy Awards The 52nd Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored films released in 1979 and took place on April 14, 1980, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p ...

, Kenny Ascher & Paul Williams * 1979 —

nomination for

, ''

'',

, Kenny Ascher & Paul Williams

Critically acclaimed live performances

* Feb 1973 — Ascher played piano with

at Sam's Jazz Upstairs (1220 2nd Avenue at 64th St., New York City): Bob Dougherty (bass) and Ronnie Zito on drums. Stamm said, "In 21 years of playing music, this is the best group of musicians I've ever been with." Reflecting on that statement, John Stuart Wilson (1913–2002), longtime jazz critic for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

,'' said, "That might have sounded like a fatuous statement leaders often make in introducing their musicians to a jazz club audience. In this case, however, it was completely believable because Mr. Stamm's quartet is the most exciting group that has turned-up in New York for a long time." * May 1973 — Kenny Ascher Trio, Sundays, Jimmy Weston's, 131 E 54th St., New York City * Jan 13, 2009 — Mike Berkowitz and The New

Gene Krupa Eugene Bertram Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973), known as Gene Krupa, was an American jazz drummer, bandleader and composer who performed with energy and showmanship. His drum solo on Benny Goodman's 1937 recording of " Sing, Sing, ...

Orchestra,

Iridium Iridium is a chemical element with the symbol Ir and atomic number 77. A very hard, brittle, silvery-white transition metal of the platinum group, it is considered the second-densest naturally occurring metal (after osmium) with a density of ...

* Dec 2000 — Michael Feinstein with a small swing band led by Kenny Ascher, the Regency, New York City * July 2001 —

Jay Leonhart Jay Leonhart (born December 6, 1940) is a double bassist, singer, and songwriter who has worked in jazz and popular music. He has performed with Judy Garland, Bucky Pizzarelli, Carly Simon, Frank Sinatra, and Sting. Leonhart is noted for his cle ...

with Kenny Ascher and

Michael Leonhart Michael Leonhart (born April 21, 1974) is an American jazz trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist. Solo career In 1992 Leonhart was honored with the first Grammy Award for outstanding high school musician in the US (he attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia ...

, July 13–21, Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel

Jingle writing

Ascher has composed (or co-composed) jingles for: * The 1968 Baltimore Colts * Federal Express # ''Applause'' # ''Gotcha'' # ''Larry'' # ''Mr. Calm'' *

Heineken Heineken Lager Beer ( nl, Heineken Pilsener), or simply Heineken () is a pale lager beer with 5% alcohol by volume produced by the Dutch brewing company Heineken N.V. Heineken beer is sold in a green bottle with a red star. History On 15 Feb ...

#''The Beer'' #''Combined'' *

General Electric General Electric Company (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate founded in 1892, and incorporated in New York state and headquartered in Boston. The company operated in sectors including healthcare, aviation, power, renewable en ...

# ''Brilliant Idea/ GE Brings Good Things to Life'' # ''Cooking'' *

Pizza Hut Pizza Hut is an American multinational restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas by Dan and Frank Carney. They serve their signature pan pizza and other dishes including pasta, breadsticks and dessert a ...

''(Class Act)'' * NFL * Campbell's Soup – ''Never Underestimate the Power of Soup'' campaign # ''Never Underestimate'' # ''Canned Chef'' # ''Hockey'' # ''Makes Itself'' # ''Red Dress'' # ''Snowman'' # ''Stay Young'' # ''Storm Radio – Winter'' # ''Superhero'' # ''Superman'' # ''Tennis Anyone?'' # ''Wild Ride'' *

Frigidaire Frigidaire Appliance Company is the American consumer and commercial home appliances brand subsidiary of multinational company Electrolux. Frigidaire was founded as the Guardian Frigerator Company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and developed the first s ...

''(Nightfeeding)'' *

Diet Pepsi Diet Pepsi is a Diet drink, diet carbonation, carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio (soda), Patio Diet Cola, it was re-branded as ' ...

''(Uh-Huh Blues – You've Got The Right One, Baby'', with

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

)'' * American Dairy ''(Warm All Over)'' *

Coors Brewing Company The Coors Brewing Company started as an American brewery and beer company in Golden, Colorado. In 2005, Adolph Coors Company, the holding company that owned Coors Brewing, merged with Molson, Inc. to become Molson Coors. The first Coors b ...

# Herman Joseph – ''Polo'', revised'' arr by Kenny Ascher (1981) # Herman Joseph – ''Tennis'', comp. & arr. by Kenny Ascher (1981) # ''Sailboat'' music and arr. by Kenneth Ascher (1980) # ''Billiards'', music and arr. by Kenneth Ascher (1980) * National Airlines ''(Generic/scope)'', music by Ken Ascher (1978) *

Ford Motors Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobile ...

''(National Test Drive)'' Many of Ascher's jingle compositions were (i) produced by Sunday Productions (Hilary Jay Lipsitz, born 1933, president), (ii) published by Ahoskie Music, Inc. (Hilary Jay Lipsitz, president), and (iii) licensed by ASCAP.

Academic education

Ascher holds three diplomas from

: * 1966 —

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

(music composition), Columbia College, Columbia University * 1968 —

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

(music composition), Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Columbia University * 1971 —

Doctor of Musical Arts The Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) is a doctoral academic degree in music. The DMA combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually music performance, music composition, or conducting) with graduate-level academic study in su ...

(music composition), School of the Arts, Columbia University While at Columbia, Ascher studied composition with Otto Luening, Jack Beeson, and

Vladimir Ussachevsky Vladimir Alexeevich Ussachevsky (November 3, 1911 in Hailar, China – January 2, 1990 in New York, New York) was a composer, particularly known for his work in electronic music. Biography Vladimir Ussachevsky was born in the Hailar District ...

and piano with William Albert Beller
The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz
'' the late

Leonard Feather Leonard Geoffrey Feather (13 September 1914 – 22 September 1994) was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, who was best known for his music journalism and other writing. Biography Feather was born in London, England, into an u ...

(ed.) & the late

Ira Gitler Ira Gitler (December 18, 1928 – February 23, 2019) was an American jazz historian and journalist. The co-author of ''The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz'' with Leonard Feather—the most recent edition appeared in 1999—he wrote hundreds of ...

, Oxford University Press (1999), pg. 110; (1900–1986). Ascher graduated from William F. Dykes High School in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

, as

valedictorian Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution. The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA ...

, and entered Columbia College, Columbia University on a math scholarship. In 1966, while in college, the Kenny Ascher Quintet performed live in

WKCR WKCR-FM (89.9 FM) is a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States. The station is owned by Columbia University and serves the New York metropolitan area. Founded in 1941, the station traces its history back to 1908 with the fir ...

's ''Stone Soup'' at midnight."Radio: Music", ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', pg. 77, col. 2, December 16, 1966

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ascher, Kenney American jazz pianists Post-bop pianists Big band pianists American film score composers American male film score composers American jazz composers American male jazz composers American rock pianists American male pianists American organists Golden Globe Award-winning musicians 20th-century American keyboardists Musicians from New York (state) Musicians from Washington, D.C. Songwriters from New York (state) Songwriters from Washington, D.C. Living people 1944 births Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Plastic Ono Band members ASCAP composers and authors 20th-century American pianists Columbia College (New York) alumni Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences alumni