Chieli Minucci

Chieli Minucci is a New York-born guitarist, composer and producer, and the son of the pianist and composer Ulpio Minucci. He studied classical guitar at Ithaca College, and in 1982 he and percussionist George Jinda formed the contemporary jazz group Special EFX, whose self-titled debut came out on GRP in 1984. The founders went their separate ways in 1995, and the band name later passed back to Minucci, who has led it ever since.

His solo catalogue includes Renaissance (1996) and It’s Gonna Be Good (1998) on JVC, followed by Sweet On You, Night Grooves (2003) and Got It Goin’ On (2005) on Shanachie. Special EFX earned a Grammy nomination for Modern Manners, and his music for the CBS soap opera The Guiding Light has brought him ten Daytime Emmy nominations and three wins. On electric and acoustic guitar he sets melodic lines against strong grooves, and the band’s fusion has long carried Latin and African colours.