Biography

DAVID CHESKY

"Urban Music"

David Chesky is without doubt a modern-day Renaissance man. He has earned indisputable respect for his unique, eclectic musical compositions spanning both jazz and classical idioms, in addition to his prominence in the audiophile community for the development of new recording technologies.

Born in Miami in 1956, David Chesky came to New York in 1974. Four years later, he officially began his career in music as the composer, arranger and pianist in his own jazz big band. With that big band, David performed at every major jazz club and festival (Storyville, The Village Vanguard and The Newport, JVC and Monterey Jazz Festivals, to name a few) and released the album Rush Hour on the Columbia label in 1978. David, however, did not limit himself to the study of jazz composition, but continually studied classical techniques and immersed himself in composing, arranging and orchestrating in both jazz and classical styles as first displayed in 1984 when he composed Central Park Morning for the Empire Brass Quintet and Orchestra.

In 1987, Chesky released his first jazz quintet recording on his label entitled Club de Sol, which was an unequivocal success, garnering critical raves from the jazz community. Following this release, David continued to explore the possibilities of a jazz/classical hybrid in a piano and guitar format with his 1990 release, The New York Chorinhos, which featured noted Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo. The New York Chorinhos was a stunning departure, taking the classical Brazilian Chorinho form and updating it by featuring Brazilian rhythms that blend in with contemporary jazz and classical harmonies. In 1992, David took this piano and guitar concept one step further with The Tangos & Dances, representing a darker and more passionate take on Latin American music. Four years later, David composed The Fantasies for solo piano, a tour de force demonstrating the full potential of the piano as an expressive instrument. The work borrows from all that's best in Latin music while finding inspiration in the grand tradition of the classical Fantasia form.

In 1997, David composed Three Psalms for String Orchestra, three compositions based on Psalms 1, 2 & 3 as reflections on inner spirituality in the modern world. David followed this orchestral work with The Agnostic, a synthesis of existential philosophies of the last century into a powerful hymn for modern-day man. In 2001, David recorded Psalms 4, 5 & 6: Remembrance for the Victims of the Modern Holocausts for orchestra, cello and clarinet soloists. The work further explored the relationship between spiritual depravity, oppression and injustice in our world. In 2002, David composed Power & Innocence, an oratorio exploring the travesty of child exploitation in the modern world. This powerful, dark piece is scored for full orchestra, choir, boys' choir, soprano, alto, tenor and baritone soloists.

David underwent heart surgery in 2002. One day after the operation, he began thinking about his life in music and wanted to completely change his style from composing dark, large orchestral works. He decided to write about the music and rhythms that were closest to him. David wanted to create a new American style: Urban Music. To do so, he draws from the sounds of New York and infuses all the styles he hears around him - Latin, jazz, hip hop and funk - into this new type of orchestral writing. The new urban works composed in 2002 were the Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra, Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra and the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra; in 2003, there were the Violin Concerto, The Central Park Dances and the Clarinet Concerto; in 2004, the Bassoon Concerto and the Cello Concerto; in 2005, the Concerto for Orchestra, the Piano Concerto and Chesky's critically acclaimed Area 31 project; in 2006, The New York Concerto; and in 2007 David's Urban Concerto's CD was released with great success; in addition he composed the Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra as well.

David has also composed three ballets. The Central Park Dances in 2003, and The Zephrytine in 2006, a full length children's ballet, and Urbanicity in 2007, a wild reflection of modern life in a large fast urban city.

In addition to composing modern orchestral music, David composes and plays piano with The Body Acoustic. The Grammy-nominated Latin jazz group plays a mixture of Latin jazz music fused with 12-tone and contemporary classical harmonies.

In 1986, David co-founded Chesky Records with his brother Norman. The New York-based, Grammy-winning imprint has released numerous classical, jazz and world titles and is today considered the preeminent audiophile record label. David acts as producer and artistic director on all Chesky recordings and is known throughout the world as being one of the leaders in the advancement of technical research on recording methods - creating new, advanced recording techniques in order to make the finest musical recordings currently available. David has pioneered and is responsible for the creation of the world's first 128x oversampled recordings, the world's first 96kHz/24bit recordings and the world's first 6.0 multichannel 96/24 DVD-Audio Discs. In addition to recording David has designed the acoustic architecture for many audio products that are based on his 6.0 theories of acoustical spatial reproduction.

Foreseeing our nation's children growing up without an appreciation for music and the possibility of empty concert halls, David was recently inspired to create a fun way to endear classical music to a young audience. The result is Chesky Records Kids, a new division of Chesky Records which focuses on music education and environmental awareness. The first release from the new division was Classical Cats™ - A Children's Introduction to the Orchestra, which was followed by The Snowbears of Lake Louise™.

Drawing inspiration and influences from a variety of musical, artistic and emotional sources around the world, David Chesky encompasses and recasts it all with a skill and veracity that touches every listener fortunate enough to hear his music.

BIOGRAPHY