Michael Sembello

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Michael Sembello (born April 17, 1954) is a Grammy Award-winning and Oscar-nominated American musician.

Career

Michael Sembello was born on 17 April 1954 in Philadelphia. He began his career as a professional musician by becoming a studio guitarist. The list of pop music personalities he worked with, or wrote for, includes Stevie Wonder from 1974 to 1979, The Temptations, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, George Benson, Barbra Streisand, Stanley Clarke, David Sanborn and Donna Summer.

He released his first solo album in 1983, and the song "Maniac" was selected for inclusion in the movie Flashdance. This song went on to become the third highest grossing song from a soundtrack. His contribution to that soundtrack was rewarded with a Grammy Award in 1983 for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special.

	Michael Sembello - Maniac A sample of "Maniac", Sembello's biggest hit. The song was released in 1983 and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Sembello has done considerable soundtrack work, including such movies as Cocoon, Gremlins, Summer Lovers, The Monster Squad and Independence Day.

In 2008 Michael Sembello worked with Michael Lington on "Heat" which was released September 2, 2008 by NuGroove distributed by Red/Sony to strong reviews,[5] and nominated as Jazztrax Album of the Year for 2008. Michael Lington's duet with Aaron Neville, That's When You Save Me, tied as Jazztrax Best Vocal Song of the Year. Michael and Danny Sembello penned three songs with Michael Lington for "Heat". They include the uptempo and summery Ocean Drive (think: South Beach fun in the sun), hauntingly beautiful ballad Nostalgia; and breezy, Brazilian flavored Chuva, meaning ‘rain’ in Portuguese. Michael Sembello travels to Brazil frequently and is good friends with Daniel Jobim, the grandson of legendary composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. Chuva’s composition began on the vintage piano where the elder Jobim composed his classic The Girl From Ipanema, and features an authentic Rio touch by popular guitarist Torcuato Mariano, born in Buenos Aires and raised in Brazil.

Sembello has recorded his vocals in six languages and is continually writing, producing and releasing albums. Michael intends to tour live in 2009 bringing his unique West Coast Sound around the world.

Discography

Albums

• 1983: Bossa Nova Hotel – #80 U.S.
• 1986: Without Walls
• 1992: Caravan of Dreams
• 1997: Backwards in Time
• 2002: Ancient Future
• 2003: The Lost Years

Singles

• 1983: "Maniac" – #1 U.S. #43 UK
• 1983: "Automatic Man" – #34 U.S.
• 1985: "Gravity" (from the film, Cocoon)
• 1985: "Talk"
• 1986: "Tear Down the Walls"
• 1986: "Wonder Where You Are"
• 1992: "Heavy Weather"

See also

• Cast and music used in Flashdance

External links

• Official website
• Maniac - Live SmoothJazz Version - @Youtube
• Heavy Weather Video - @Youtube