Dave Grusin has been a highly successful performer, producer, composer, record label executive, arranger, and bandleader. His piano playing ranges from mildly challenging to competent to routine, but he's primarily an accomplished film and television soundtrack composer.
Grusin played with
Terry Gibbs and
Johnny Smith while studying at the University of Colorado. He was the assistant music director and pianist for
Andy Williams from 1959 to 1966, and then started his television composing career.
Grusin recorded with
Benny Goodman in 1960 and recorded with a hard bop trio who included
Milt Hinton and
Don Lamond in the early '60s. He also played and did a session with a quintet including
Thad Jones and
Frank Foster.
Grusin did arrangements and recorded with
Sarah Vaughan,
Quincy Jones, and
Carmen McRae in the early '70s. He played electric keyboards with
Gerry Mulligan and
Lee Ritenour in the mid-'70s, then helped to establish GRP Records out of a production company. GRP developed into one of the top contemporary jazz and fusion companies; they were later taken over by Arista, then by MCA.
Grusin continued recording through the '80s and '90s, doing numerous projects, from fusion and pop to working with symphony orchestras. He has also conducted
the GRP Big Band, scored such films as The Fabulous Baker Boys, and performed duet sessions with his brother,
Don, and
Ritenour. In addition to his numerous GRP releases,
Grusin has also recorded for Columbia, Sheffield Lab, and Polygram. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide