Charles Samuel "Chuck" Loeb (December 7, 1955 – July 31, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist and a member of the groups Steps Ahead, Metro and Fourplay.

Chuck Loeb
Chuck Loeb
Chuck Loeb
Background information
Birth nameCharles Samuel Loeb
Born(1955-12-07)December 7, 1955
Nyack, New York, U.S.
DiedJuly 31, 2017(2017-07-31) (aged 61)
Hastings on Hudson, New York, U.S.
GenresJazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, record producer, arranger
InstrumentGuitar
Years active1970s–2017
LabelsPony Canyon, DMP, Shanachie, Heads Up
Formerly of

Early years and education

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Loeb was born in Nyack, New York, near New York City. At a young age, he listened to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. According to a 2005 JazzTimes article, the first song he learned on guitar was Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone", which he would later play at a guest appearance with Dylan.[1] He discovered jazz when he was sixteen through the music of guitarists Wes Montgomery, George Benson, John McLaughlin, and Pat Martino.[2] At that point, Loeb chose to become a musician and "never thought of doing anything else".[3]

He studied with local music teachers, then traveled to Philadelphia and became a student of jazz guitarist Dennis Sandole. In New York City, he learned from Jim Hall.[4] For two years he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, then left in 1976 to seek professional work in New York City.

Groups

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In New York, Loeb played with Chico Hamilton, Ray Barreto, and Hubert Laws. Starting in 1979, he was a member of Stan Getz's group.[5] Getz later became the best man at his wedding to singer Carmen Cuesta.[1] Loeb and Mitchel Forman, who was also in Getz's group, formed the jazz fusion band Metro (1994).[6] In the 1980s, he was a member of the group Steps Ahead, which included Michael Brecker, someone Loeb credits as an influence.[7] He replaced Larry Carlton as guitarist in Fourplay (2010).[8]

Loeb and his wife recorded together, with Cuesta providing vocals on his albums and Loeb playing on Cuesta's albums,[9] and their daughters Lizzy and Christina contributing vocals.[10]

Solo career

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Loeb began a solo career in 1988 with his debut album My Shining Hour on the Japanese record label Pony Canyon. He released subsequent albums on DMP Digital Music Products among them Life Colors (1990). Loeb ultimately achieved commercial success with Shanachie Records on The Music Inside (1996). The title song from the album held the number one position on the jazz charts for six weeks.[4] Later, he produced Moon, the Stars, & the Setting Sun (1998), Listen (1999) In a Heartbeat (2001), and All There Is (2002).

Loeb's music has appeared on TV shows, commercials,[3] and movie soundtracks, including The Untouchables, You've Got Mail, and Hitch.

His composition Logic of Love was nominated for a Grammy in 2015.[11]

Death

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Loeb died of cancer on July 31, 2017, at the age of 61.[12]

Discography

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Studio albums

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# year title label notes
1 1989 My Shining Hour Pony Canyon, Jazz City with John Patitucci, Dave Weckl
2 1990 Magic Fingers DMP with Andy LaVerne
3 1990 Life Colors DMP
4 1991 Balance DMP
5 1993 Mediterranean DMP
6 1994 Simple Things DMP
7 1996 The Music Inside Shanachie
8 1998 The Moon, the Stars and the Setting Sun Shanachie
9 1999 Listen Shanachie
10 2001 In a Heartbeat Shanachie
11 2002 All There Is Shanachie
12 2003 eBop Shanachie
13 2005 When I'm With You Shanachie
14 2007 Presence Heads Up
15 2009 Between 2 Worlds Heads Up
16 2011 Plain 'n' Simple Tweety with Pat Bianchi, Harvey Mason
17 2013 Silhouette Shanachie
18 2014 Jazz Funk Soul Shanachie with Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp
19 2015 Bridges Shanachie with Eric Marienthal
20 2016 More Serious Business Shanachie with Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp
21 2016 Unspoken Shanachie

With Metro

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# year title label notes
1 1994 Metro Lipstick
2 1995 Tree People Lipstick
3 2000 Metrocafe Hip Bop/Koch
4 2002 Grapevine Hip Bop/Koch
5 2004 Live At The A-Trane Marsis Jazz
6 2007 Express Marsis Jazz
7 2015 Big Band Boom Jazzline with WDR Big Band Cologne

With the Fantasy Band

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# year title label notes
1 1993 The Fantasy Band DMP with George Jinda, Dave Samuels
2 1994 Sweet Dreams DMP with George Jinda, Dave Samuels
3 1997 The Kiss Shanachie

With Fourplay

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# year title label notes
1 2010 Let´s touch the sky Heads up with Bob James, Nathan East, Harvey Mason
2 2012 Esprit de Four Heads up
3 2015 Silver Heads up

Compilations

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year title label notes
2004 Jazz for Couch Potatoes! Shanachie by The Couch Potato All-Stars (Chuck Loeb with David Mann, Eric Alexander, Randy Brecker, Dave Samuels, Mike Ricchiuti, David Finck, Ron Jenkins, Mike Pope, Brian Dunne, David Charles)
2007 The Love Song Collection Shanachie compilation
2009 No. 1 Smooth Jazz Radio Hits Shanachie compilation

Live albums

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year title label notes
2003 Live 1994 AA (Japan) with Adam Holzman, Paul Wertico

With Stan Getz

References

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  1. ^ a b Adler, David R. (June 2005). "Jazz Departments - Chuck Loeb". jazztimes.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  2. ^ Wood, James (November 28, 2012). "Guitarist Chuck Loeb Discusses New Fourplay Album and the Allure of Smooth Jazz". guitarworld.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Balancing the demands of life and music". Reading Eagle. March 25, 2007. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Chuck Loeb @ All About Jazz". allaboutjazz.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  5. ^ Yanow, Scott. "Chuck Loeb Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  6. ^ "Metro Jazz: Early History". Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  7. ^ "Chuck Loeb, Guitarist, Composer, Arranger, Producer, Educator, Recording Artist". Chuck Loeb. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  8. ^ Mergner, Lee (February 15, 2010). "Larry Carlton Leaving Fourplay". jazztimes.com. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  9. ^ Goodstein, Jack (February 1, 2014). "Music Review: Carmen Cuesta - 'Toda Una Vida'". seattlepi.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  10. ^ "Silhouette - Chuck Loeb". allmusic.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.
  11. ^ "Chuck Loeb - ein Interview". Jazzband Live (in German). Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  12. ^ "Chuck Loeb, Guitarist and Composer, Dies at 61". Jazz Times. August 1, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
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