Michael Wolff

This article is about the musician. For other uses, see Michael Wolff (disambiguation).
Michael Wolff
Birth name Michael Blieden Wolff
Born (1952-07-31) July 31, 1952
Victorville, California, U.S.
Origin New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, composer, recording artist, producer, educator
Instruments Piano, vocals, accordion
Years active 1975–present
Labels Columbia Records, Fantasy Records,[1] Verve Records,[2] Capitol Records, A&M Records
Website michaelwolff.com
Notable instruments
Piano

Michael Blieden Wolff[3] (born July 31, 1952)[3] is an American jazz pianist, composer, producer, and recording artist.[4][5] He was honored as a Steinway Artist and obtained a Broadcast Music, Inc. award. Wolff has Tourette syndrome.[6][7]

Wolff was the musical director for jazz singer Nancy Wilson and later became the bandleader for the Fox syndicated late night talk show Arsenio Hall (1989–94), where he met his wife when she appeared as a special guest.[8] Wolff provided the score and co-produced The Tic Code (1999). He co-starred alongside his sons, Nat and Alex, in the Nickelodeon musical comedy series The Naked Brothers Band (2007-09), earning him a BMI Cable Award for producing the series' music. Wolff was the leader of the jazz band Impure Thoughts. Reconstructed as Wolff & Clark Expedition, it is a jazz-funk group.

Childhood and family life

Wolff was born in Victorville, California and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana.[3] His family is culturally Jewish[9] and is the son of Lise (Silverman) and Marvin Wolff,[10] a medical doctor, who treated Elvis Presley when the Wolffs' settled in Memphis, Tennessee. At age nine, his family moved to Berkeley, California,[3] and began studying classical piano at age eight before playing drums at age 12. While attending Berkeley High School, Wolff had begun playing piano with the University of California Jazz Ensembles under the direction of Dr. David W. Tucker. After graduating from high school, Wolff attended the University of California, Berkeley before enrolling at the University of California, Los Angeles.[8]

Wolff's mother remarried psychiatrist Neal Blumenfeld (Wolff's stepfather), who died on December 1, 2013. He has two step-siblings, Mimi and Judy.[11] Wolff married actress Polly Draper in 1992;[12] they have two sons together, Nat Wolff and Alex Wolff, who starred in and wrote the music for The Naked Brothers Band film and series that was created and produced by Draper.[13] Draper also wrote and starred in The Tic Code, a musical drama film influenced by Wolff's life with Tourette syndrome to which he contributed the score.[9]

Career

Wolff left college in 1972 to begin his music career, joining Cal Tjader's band.[14] He then joined Cannonball Adderley's band in 1975. In 1977, he formed the band Answering Service with saxophonist Alex Foster.[15] Wolff worked with other famous artists including Warren Zevon, The Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Jean-Luc Ponty, Children On The Corner, Terri Lyne Carrington, Tony Williams, and Christian McBride.[14][16] Wolff composed and played original music—and served as host—for the Riverside Shakespeare Company production of The Mandrake in New York City in 1975.

In 1978, singer Nancy Wilson chose Wolff as her musical director.[8] Arsenio Hall was Wilson's opening act, and in 1989, when Hall was given his own talk show, Wolff was chosen to serve as its bandleader and musical director.[17] He met his wife, actress Polly Draper, when she appeared as a guest on the show.[8] In 1995, he released Jumpstart featuring Christian McBride and Tony Williams[18] and in 1997 the trio released 2AM.[19] Wolff was the leader of the jazz band Impure Thoughts which features Indian tabla player Badal Roy, drummer Mike Clark, percussionist Frank Colón and electric bassist John B. Williams.

He wrote music for the films Who's the Man?, The Tic Code, and Made up,[7] as well as writing for and performing in other films.[5][20] Wolff co-starred with his sons in The Naked Brothers Band television series on Nickelodeon, serving as the co-executive producer and music supervisor, which Draper created and executive produced. In addition, Wolff co-starred in and produced the music for The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie, which later served as the pilot for the TV series.[13]

Wolff is on the faculty at The New School For Jazz And Contemporary Music.[4] In the 2010s, he formed the jazz-funk band called Wolff & Clark Expedition, consisting of Wolff and Clark as band leaders, with Steve Wilson and Lenny Pickett as saxophonists, and James Genus as the bassist.

Discography

As leader

As sideman

With Cal Tjader

With Cal Tjader and Charlie Byrd

With Cannonball Adderley

With Tom Harrell

With Sonny Rollins

With Nancy Wilson

With David Axelrod

With Warren Zevon

With Children On The Corner

With Alex Foster

With Dave Samuels

With Pastiche

With Sam Morrison

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Notes
1987 Magic Sticks Bob[21]
1999 The Tic Code Engineer #2 Also co-producer and wrote original score[22]
2005 The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie Dad Also contributed the underscore and produced and arranged the music[23]
2007 The Girl In The Park Jazz Club Piano Player[24]

Television

Year Program or series Role Notes
1989–1994 The Arsenio Hall Show Himself Bandleader and musical director
1990 Beverly Hills, 90210 Duane[24] "Every Dream Has Its Price (Tag)" episode
2007–2009 The Naked Brothers Band Dad/Mr. Wolff/Sonny Wolff Also co-executive producer, music producer, and music supervisor[23]

Honors and awards

Wolff was honored as a Steinway Artist in June 2006. The Tic Code won awards at the Berlin International Film Festival, Giffoni Film Festival and Hamptons International Film Festival.[20] Along with his sons, Wolff won a Broadcast Music, Inc. Cable Award in 2007 for the music on The Naked Brothers Band TV series.

References

  1. ↑ "Cal Tjader - Tambu CD". CD Universe. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Berg, Chuck (December 1998). "Dave Samuels - Tjaderized: A Cal Tjader Tribute". Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Wolff / Impure Thoughts Biography". Oldies.com. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  4. 1 2 "The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music: Private Instrumental Instruction Faculty". The New School. Retrieved May 23, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Michael Wolff (I)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  6. ↑ "TSA Organization and Finances: National Board of Directors". Tourette Syndrome Association. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
  7. 1 2 "TSA Family Portrait: Jazz Musician Michael Wolff" (PDF). Tourette Syndrome Association. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Michael Wolff: Composer/Co-Producer". FLP. Retrieved January 12, 2006.
  9. 1 2 Smason, Alan (2006-11-02). "Cleveland set to enjoy smooth jazz stylings of Michael Wolff". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
  10. ↑ http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2009-03-26/article/32558?headline=Lise-Blumenfeld-1931-2009--By-Neal-Blumenfeld
  11. ↑ "Obituaries: Neal M. Blumenfeld, MD - 1930-2013". Berkeley Daily Planet. December 9, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Polly Draper Biography (1956-)". Film Reference. Retrieved January 16, 2012.
  13. 1 2 "Nickelodeon's New TEENick Series The Naked Brothers Band to Bow With Star-Studded TV Movie on Saturday, January 27, and 'Rock On' With Weekly Episodes Starting February 3.". Digital Media Online. 27 January 2007. Archived from the original on February 3, 2007.
  14. 1 2 MacArthur, Paul J. (October 12, 2000). "Michael Wolff & Impure Thoughts: Life after Arsenio". Houston Press. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  15. ↑ "The Production: Michael Wolff - Composer/Pianist". FourBoys Films. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Terri Lyne Carrington Discography (2011)" (PDF). Jazz Corner. Terri Lyne Carrington Discography. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  17. ↑ Seidel, Mitchell (September 2007). "Michael Wolff: The jazz pianist may be the least famous member of his immediate family". Jazz Times. Retrieved May 22, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Michael Wolff - Jumpstart CD". CD Universe. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Michael Wolff - 2AM CD". CD Universe. Retrieved May 26, 2011.
  20. 1 2 "The Tic Code (1999)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 9, 2006.
  21. ↑ "Magic Sticks (1987)". Internet Movie Databae. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  22. ↑ "The Tic Code (1999): Full Cast & Crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  23. 1 2 Lee, Felicia R. (January 25, 2007). "A TV Family Bound by Blood and a Band". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
  24. 1 2 "The Girl in the Park (2007): Full Cast & Crew". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved May 21, 2011.
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