Mitchel Forman


Mitchel Forman is an American jazz and fusion keyboard player.

Biography and music career

Mitchel Forman began studying classical piano at the age of seven. At 17 he entered the Manhattan School of Music for three years of study and began working with bands in New York. Shortly after graduating from MSM he began touring and recording with Gerry Mulligan, playing in both Mulligan's big band and quartet, and work with Stan Getz followed. In 1980 Forman's solo career began with a piano performance at the Newport Jazz Festival. This recording became his first album, Live at Newport. In subsequent years he worked on the road with Phil Woods, Carla Bley, Mel Tormé, and Astrud Gilberto. Forman also recorded two solo piano albums for Soul Note and toured in Europe regularly. He joined guitarist John McLaughlin for a year and a half on the road, recording and contributing to two of the band's recordings - the seminal Mahavishnu and Adventures in Radioland. Forman then joined ex-Weather Report saxophonist Wayne Shorter, touring, recording and contributing to Shorter's Phantom Navigator.
In 1985, Forman began leading his own band and recorded his group debut for Magenta Records, Train of Thought. At the same time he continued to work with other well-known jazz and music figures, including guitarist John Scofield, Mike Stern, Janis Siegel of The Manhattan Transfer, Dave Samuels, Diane Schuur, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Simon Phillips, Jimmy Earl, Freddie Hubbard, saxophonist Bill Evans and Rickie Lee Jones. Forman's 1992 tribute to the late pianist Bill Evans, Now & Then, was particularly well regarded. Most of Forman's recordings are of the fusion or jazz genre, however, 1998's Harvest Song features 15 solo piano tracks.
Forman started the record label Marsis Jazz. He has led the band Metro with guitarist Chuck Loeb, has toured in a quartet with Wolfgang Haffner, been a member of the Rick Braun band, a member of BWB band, and has been featured on albums by Jeff Golub.
Forman has cited as influences Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.

Discography

As leader

Childhood Dreams Only a Memory Train of Thought What Else? Hand Made Now and Then Harvest Song New Standards Patience Mr. Clean: Live at the Baked Potato Perspectives Lost and Found
With MetroMetro Tree People Metrocafe Grapevine Live at the A-Trane Express
  • ''Big Band Boom''

As sideman

With Bill EvansLiving in the Crest of a Wave The Alternative Man The Gambler
With Brian BrombergIt's About Time Brian Bromberg You Know That Feeling Compared to That
With Rick BraunFull Stride Kisses in the Rain Esperanto Yours Truly Sessions Vol. 1
With Mark EganMosaic Truth Be Told About Now Direction Home
With Jeff GolubNightlife Dangerous Curves Grand Central
With Chuck LoebMediterranean The Music Inside The Moon, the Stars, and the Setting Sun Presence Silhouette Unspoken
With others