Michael T. Mainieri Jr. (born July 4, 1938) is an American vibraphonist, known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead. He is married to the singer-songwriter and harpist Dee Carstensen.

Biography

Mainieri was born in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York, United States. Mainieri was a pioneer in introducing an electronic

vibraphone The vibraphone (also called the vibraharp) is a percussion instrument in the metallophone family. It consists of tuned metal bars and is typically played by using Percussion mallet, mallets to strike the bars. A person who plays the vibraphone ...

, known as a synth-vibe, and has recorded with such musicians as Buddy Rich,

Wes Montgomery John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery (March 6, 1923 – June 15, 1968) was an American jazz guitarist. Montgomery was known for his unusual technique of plucking the strings with the side of his thumb and for his extensive use of octaves, which gave him a ...

and

Jeremy Steig Jeremy Steig (September 23, 1942 – April 13, 2016)Peter Keepnews, "Jeremy ...

. He performed for a live album by

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

and was featured on several tracks from the

Dire Straits Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar, backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums, percussion). Th ...

album, '' Love Over Gold'' (1982), as well as on " Ride Across the River" on the album '' Brothers in Arms'' (1985). He performed on the albums '' Heads'' by Bob James, ''Heart to Heart'' by

David Sanborn David William Sanborn (July 30, 1945 – May 12, 2024) was an American alto saxophonist. He worked in many musical genres; his solo recordings typically blended jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He began playing the saxophone at the age o ...

, and '' Tiger in the Rain'' by Michael Franks. He has also released numerous albums and videos as a leader for a variety of labels, most notably his 1980 album for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

titled ''Wanderlust'', which featured

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 a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

and other members of Steps Ahead. He produced three albums for

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Billboard Hot 100, top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation (song), Anticipatio ...

. Mainieri married singer-songwriter/harpist Dee Carstensen in 1993.

Discography

As leader

* '' Blues on the Other Side'' (Argo, 1963) (as The Mike Mainieri Quartet) * '' Journey Thru an Electric Tube'' (Solid State, 1968) * ''Insight'' (Solid State, 1968) (as The Mike Mainieri Quartet) * ''Love Play'' (Arista, 1977) * ''Free Smiles: Live at Montreaux 1978'' (Arista Novus, 1978) (with Warren Bernhardt) * ''Wanderlust'' (Warner Bros., 1981) * ''Man Behind Bars'' (NYC, 1995) * ''An American Diary'' (NYC, 1995) * ''Live at the Seventh Avenue South'' (NYC,1996) (as The Mike Mainieri Quartet) * ''An American Diary: The Dreamings'' (NYC, 1997) * ''Northern Lights'' (NYC, 2006) * ''L'Image 2.0'' (L'Image, 2009) * ''Crescent'' (NYC, 2010)

As a member

With Arista All Stars

* ''Blue Montreux'' (Arista, 1979) – live

With Steps Ahead

Studio albums * ''Step by Step'' (1980) * '' Steps Ahead'' (1983) * ''Modern Times'' (1984) * ''Magnetic'' (1986) * ''N.Y.C.'' (1989) * ''Yin-Yang'' (1992) * ''Vibe'' (1994) * ''Steppin Out'' (2016) Live albums * ''Smokin' in the Pit'' (1980) * ''Paradox'' (1982) * ''Live in Tokyo 1986'' (1986) * ''Holding Together: Live in Europe 1999'' (2002)

As sideman

With

* '' Love over Gold'' (Vertigo, 1982) * '' Brothers in Arms'' (Vertigo, 1985) With

Eliane Elias Eliane Elias (born 19 March 1960) is a Brazilian jazz pianist, singer, composer and arranger. Biography Elias was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on 19 March 1960. She started studying piano when she was seven, and at age twelve she was transcribing ...

* ''

Dreamer The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act, known as the DREAM Act, is a United States legislative proposal that would grant temporary #For conditional resident status, conditional residency, with the right to work, for Illegal ...

'' (Bluebird, 2004) * '' Dance of Time'' (Concord, 2017) * '' Time and Again'' (Candid, 2024) With

Art Farmer Arthur Stewart Farmer (August 21, 1928 – October 4, 1999) was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet–flugelhorn combination especially designed for him. He and his identical twin brother, doub ...

* '' Big Blues'' with Jim Hall (CTI, 1979) * ''

Yama Yama (), also known as Kāla and Dharmarāja, is the Hindu god of death and justice, responsible for the dispensation of law and punishment of sinners in his abode, Naraka. He is often identified with Dharmadeva, the personification of ''Dharm ...

'' with

Joe Henderson Joe Henderson (April 24, 1937 – June 30, 2001) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and very occasional flute player. In a career spanning more than four decades, Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day an ...

(CTI, 1979) With Michael Franks * '' Tiger in the Rain'' (Warner Bros., 1979) * '' Time Together'' (Shanachie, 2011) With

Tim Hardin James Timothy Hardin (December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980) was an American folk music and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his own success, his songs " If I Were a Carpenter", " Reason to Believe", " Misty Roses" and " ...

* '' Tim Hardin 4'' (Verve, 1969) * '' Bird on a Wire'' (Columbia, 1971) With Don McLean * '' American Pie'' (United Artists, 1971) * '' Playin' Favorites'' (United Artists, 1973) With Buddy Rich * '' Buddy Rich Just Sings'' (Verve, 1957) * '' Richcraft'' (Mercury, 1959) * ''

The Driver ''The Driver'' is a 1978 American crime film, crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, and starring Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern and Isabelle Adjani. The film featured only unnamed characters, and follows a getaway driver for robberi ...

'' (EmArcy, 1960) * ''

Playtime ''Playtime'' (stylized as ''PlayTime'' and also written as ''Play Time'') is a 1967 Satire (film and television), satirical comedy film directed and co-written by Jacques Tati. Tati also stars in the film, reprising the role of Monsieur Hulot ...

'' (Argo, 1961) * '' Blues Caravan'' (Verve, 1962) With

* '' Spy'' (Elektra, 1979) * ''

Come Upstairs ''Come Upstairs'' is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Carly Simon, released by Warner Bros. Records on June 16, 1980. It was the first of her three albums for Warner Bros. and it has a harder, more rock-oriented sound than ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1980) * ''

Torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end which can be used as a light source or to set something on fire. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggl ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1981) * '' Hello Big Man'' (Warner Bros., 1983) With

Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter known for his solo work and his collaborations with Art Garfunkel. He and Garfunkel, whom he met in elementary school in 1953, came to prominence in the 1960s as Sim ...

* ''

'' (Columbia, 1972) * '' Hearts and Bones'' (Warner Bros., 1983) With

Sonny Stitt Sonny Stitt (born Edward Hammond Boatner Jr.; February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982) was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his era, recording over ...

* '' What's New!!!'' (Roulette, 1966) * '' I Keep Comin' Back!'' (Roulette, 1966) With

Kazumi Watanabe is a Japanese guitarist. Other guitarists such as Luke Takamura and Sugizo have cited him as an influence. Career Watanabe learned guitar at the age of 12 from Sadanori Nakamure at the Yamaha Music School in Tokyo. He released his first album ...

* '' To Chi Ka'' (Columbia, 1980) * '' Dogatana'' (Denon, 1981) * '' One for All'' (Polydor, 1999) – live * ''Lotus Night'' (Warner Music, 2016) – live With others *

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of lead vocalist Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer, and guitarists Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry and B ...

, '' Toys in the Attic'' (Columbia, 1975) - conductor * Manny Albam, '' The Soul of the City'' (Solid State, 1966) *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American jazz fusion 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 ...

, '' Livin' Inside Your Love'' (Warner Bros., 1979) * Stephen Bishop, ''

Red Cab to Manhattan ''Red Cab to Manhattan'' is the third album by singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop (singer), Stephen Bishop and his first for Warner Bros. Unlike his previous two albums, ''Careless (album), Careless'' and ''Bish (album), Bish'', none of its tracks n ...

'' (Warner Bros., 1980) *

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige Records, Prestige, Blue Note, Verve Records, Verve, CTI Records, CTI, Muse Records, Muse, and Concord Records, Conco ...

, '' A Generation Ago Today'' (Verve, 1967) * Marnix Busstra Trio, ''Twelve Pieces'' (Buzz Music, 2006) * Marc Cohn, '' The Rainy Season'' (Atlantic, 1993) * Paul Desmond, '' Summertime'' (CTI, 1968) *

Will Downing Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American R&B, soul, neo soul, and jazz singer and songwriter. He has released 22 studio albums. Biography Early life Downing was born and raised to a working-class family in Bedford-Stuy ...

, ''Will Downing'' (Island, 1988) * Faith Hope and Charity, ''Faith Hope & Charity'' (20th Century Fox, 1978) * Lotti Golden, ''Lotti Golden'' (GRT, 1971) * Urbie Green, '' The Fox'' (CTI, 1976) * John Hall, '' Power'' (Columbia, 1979) * Bendik Hofseth, ''IX'' (Sony, 1991) * Jake Holmes, ''How Much Time'' (Columbia, 1972) *

Janis Ian Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her signature songs are the 1966/67 hit "Society's Child, Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" an ...

, '' Night Rains'' (Columbia, 1979) – recorded in 1978 * Bob James, '' Heads'' (Tappan Zee, 1977) * Garland Jeffreys, '' Garland Jeffreys'' (Atlantic, 1973) *

Billy Joel William Martin Joel (born May 9, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Piano Man" after his Signature song, signature 1973 song Piano Man (song), of the same name, Joel has ha ...

, '' 52nd Street'' (Columbia, 1978) * Etta Jones, '' Etta Jones Sings'' (Roulette, 1966) *

Mark Knopfler Mark Freuder Knopfler OBE (born 12 August 1949) is a British musician. He was the lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of the rock band Dire Straits from 1977 to 1995, and he is the one of the two members who stayed during the band's existence ...

, '' Local Hero'' (Vertigo, 1983) *

Rickie Lee Jones Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter. Over the course of a career that spans five decades and 15 studio albums, she has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B, pop, soul, an ...

, '' Pieces of Treasure'' (BMG, 2023) * Nils Lofgren, '' I Came to Dance'' (A&M Records, 1977) * Pat Martino, '' Starbright'' (Warner Bros., 1976) *

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...

, '' Kisses on the Bottom'' (Hear Music, 2012) * Van McCoy, ''My Favorite Fantasy'' (MCA, 1978) * Brother Jack McDuff, '' Who Knows What Tomorrow's Gonna Bring?'' (Blue Note, 1970) *

Marcus Miller William Henry Marcus Miller Jr. (born June 14, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer. He has worked with trumpeter Miles Davis, pianist Herbie Hancock, singer Luther Vandross, and saxophonists Wayne Shorter and David Sa ...

, '' Suddenly'' (Warner Bros., 1983) * Monday Orchestra, ''Never Alone: The Music of Michael Brecker'' (Barnum For Art, 2018) *

, '' Down Here on the Ground'' (CTI, 1968) *

, '' Season of Lights'' (Columbia, 1977) – live recorded in 1976 *

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is an American singer who has performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin music. Ronstadt has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three A ...

, '' Living in the USA'' (Asylum, 1978) * Ali Ryerson, ''Con Brio!'' (ACR Music, 2011) *

, '' Time Again'' (Verve, 2003) * Boz Scaggs, ''Speak Low'' (Decca, 2008) * Chris Smither, '' Honeysuckle Dog'' (Okra-Tone, 2005) – recorded in 1973 * Bert Sommer, ''Bert Sommer'' (Buddah, 1970) * Swiss Jazz Orchestra, ''Pools: Live at Jazzfestival Bern'' (Mons, 2016) – live recorded in 2015 * Livingston Taylor, '' Over the Rainbow'' (Capricorn, 1972) *

Tony Orlando and Dawn Tony Orlando and Dawn (also known simply as Dawn) is an American pop music group that was popular in the 1970s, composed of singer Tony Orlando and the backing vocal group Dawn (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson). Their signature hits inclu ...

, '' Dawn's New Ragtime Follies'' (Bell, 1973) – recorded in 1972-1973 * Tony Orlando and Dawn, ''To Be With You'' (Elektra, 1976) * Stefano Zeni, ''Parallel Paths'' (Zanetti, 2018) * Zulema, ''Z-licious'' (Lejoint, 1978)

References

External links

Official web site
*
Mike's featured page on the Party Of The Century international music projectMike Mainieri interview at allaboutjazz.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mainieri, Mike 1938 births Living people American jazz vibraphonists American jazz bandleaders American people of Italian descent Musicians from the Bronx Jazz musicians from New York (state) Steps Ahead members White Elephant Orchestra members