Jan Hammer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jan Hammer
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Jan Hammer in 1977
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jan Hammer |
| Born | 17 April 1948 Prague, Czechoslovakia |
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| Years active | 1968–present |
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Jan Hammer (born 17 April 1948) is a musician, composer, and record producer from the Czech Republic. He became famous playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in the early 1970s. He is also well-known for his music for TV shows and movies. His most famous songs include "Miami Vice Theme" and "Crockett's Theme" from the 1980s TV show Miami Vice. Jan Hammer still works as a musician and producer today.
He has worked with many important jazz and rock musicians. Some of these include John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, Billy Cobham, and Carlos Santana. He has written music for at least 14 movies. He also composed music for 90 episodes of Miami Vice and 20 episodes of the TV show Chancer. His music has won him two Grammy Awards.
Contents
About Jan Hammer
Early Life and Music Journey
Jan Hammer was born in Prague, which was then part of Czechoslovakia. His mother, Vlasta Průchová, was a famous Czech singer. His father was a doctor who also played music. Jan started playing the piano when he was four years old. He began formal music lessons two years later.
When he was 14, Jan formed a jazz trio in high school. They performed and recorded music across Eastern Europe. He later studied at the Prague Academy of Musical Arts. His studies were cut short in 1968 when the Warsaw Pact invaded Czechoslovakia.
Jan then moved to the United States. He received a scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston. After finishing his studies, he toured with singer Sarah Vaughan. He also recorded music with other artists.
Joining the Mahavishnu Orchestra
In 1971, Jan Hammer moved to New York City. He joined the original group of the Mahavishnu Orchestra. This was a very successful jazz fusion band. They played over 500 shows together. Jan was one of the first musicians to play the Minimoog Moog synthesizer live on stage.
After leaving the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jan started his solo career. His first album, The First Seven Days, came out in 1975. He recorded this album at his own studio, Red Gate Studio. This studio has been the place for his recordings ever since.
In 1976, Jan formed the Jan Hammer Group. They toured and received good reviews. The group released several albums, including Oh, Yeah?. They also worked with Jeff Beck on the platinum album Wired. Their live album, Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group Live, also sold very well.
Music for TV and Movies
Jan Hammer has composed music for many films and TV shows. His biggest challenge came in 1984. He was asked to create music for the TV series Miami Vice.
His music for Miami Vice became very popular. In 1985, the Miami Vice Soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts. It sold over four million copies.
At the Grammy Awards in 1986, "Miami Vice Theme" won Jan Hammer two awards. He won for "Best Pop Instrumental Performance" and "Best Instrumental Composition". He was also nominated for Emmy awards for his music.
In 1988, Jan stopped working full-time on Miami Vice. However, the theme song he composed was used until the show ended in 1989.
Later Work and Albums
In the early 1990s, Jan Hammer toured with drummer Tony Williams. He also continued to compose music for films and TV shows. These included I Come in Peace and the British TV series Chancer. He also worked on episodes of HBO's Tales from the Crypt.
"Crockett's Theme" was re-released in the UK in 1991. This happened after it was used in commercials.
From 1993 to 2000, Jan Hammer composed all the original music for TV Nova. This was the first commercial TV network in his home country, the Czech Republic. He created themes for many shows and station IDs.
In 1994, Jan released Drive, his first album of new music in several years. He worked with Jeff Beck again on the song "Underground".
He continued to score films like A Modern Affair and In the Kingdom of the Blind the Man with One Eye Is King. In 1997, he composed music for the CD-ROM game Outlaw Racers.
In 1999, Jan wrote a song called "Even Odds" for Jeff Beck's album Who Else!. Also, The Lost Trident Sessions was released in 1999. This was an album from his old band, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, recorded in 1973.
2000s and Beyond
In 2004, Jan Hammer released The Best of Miami Vice. This album included new versions of "Miami Vice Theme" and "Crockett's Theme". It also had a bonus track.
In 2005, the first season of Miami Vice was released on DVD. It included an interview with Jan Hammer. In 2006, Jan worked with singer TQ on a new version of "Crockett's Theme". This new song became very popular in Europe.
In 2012, Jan Hammer mentioned he was working on a collection of unreleased music. In 2014, he recorded a version of the Squidbillies theme song.
On 20 July 2018, he released Seasons - Part 1. This was his first album of new music in over 10 years.
Personal Life
Jan Hammer became a US citizen in 1978. He has a son named Paul. Paul is the leader of the band Savoir Adore.
Discography
See also
In Spanish: Jan Hammer para niños
