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Ian Underwood | |
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| Born | (1939-05-22)May 22, 1939 (age 85) New York City, New York, United States |
| Genres | Jazz,avant garde,experimental rock,jazz fusion,doo-wop,comedy rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Keyboards, saxophone, clarinet, flute, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1959–present |
Ian Robertson Underwood (born May 22, 1939) is a woodwind and keyboards player, known as a member of the original version ofFrank Zappa's bandthe Mothers of Invention. Following the original band's split in late 1969, Underwood continued to work with Zappa extensively during the 1970s.
Underwood graduated fromThe Choate School in 1957 andYale University with a bachelor's degree in composition in 1961 and a master's degree in composition atUC Berkeley in 1966. He began his career by playing San Francisco Bay Area coffeehouses and bars with his improvisational group, the Jazz Mice, in the mid-1960s before he became a member ofFrank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention in 1967 for their third studio album,We're Only in It for the Money. He speaks onUncle Meat; on the track "Ian Underwood Whips It Out" he relates how he first met Zappa and demonstrated his capabilities on the saxophone at Zappa's invitation. Underwood later worked with Frank Zappa on his solo recordings, including 1969'sHot Rats.[1] He marriedRuth Komanoff (Underwood), marimbist/percussionist from the Mothers of Invention in May 1969. Underwood left the Mothers of Invention in September 1973. He and Ruth divorced in 1986.
After his association with Frank Zappa, he pursued a career as asession keyboardist. Underwood has since been proficient on theMinimoog synthesizer, mostly in film.[2] He has been credited in recordings forQuincy Jones,Barbra Streisand,Ronee Blakley,Hugh Cornwell,Freddie Hubbard,Jean-Luc Ponty,Herb Alpert,Hugh Masekela,Peggy Lee,Dolly Parton,Chicago,Janet Jackson,Dave Grusin,Jefferson Airplane,Frankie Valli,the Carpenters,James Ingram, andBarry Manilow. Underwood was also one of the musicians who played the main title theme for the 1980s hit seriesKnight Rider.[3] Underwood was the uncredited producer of the debut album byAlice Cooper,Pretties For You, in 1969.[4]
Underwood contributed synthesizers and programming to the historic recording of theMichael Jackson/Lionel Richie single "We Are the World" (produced byQuincy Jones in 1985); he has also been a featured performer (mostly on keyboard) withJames Horner on numerous James Horner film scores includingTitanic (1997) andSneakers (1992).[5]
Lenox School of Jazz Concert, 1959 w/Ornette Coleman,Herb Pomeroy
WithFrank Zappa/The Mothers of Invention
WithSandy Hurvitz
WithAlice Cooper
WithJean-Luc Ponty
WithFreddie Hubbard
WithQuincy Jones
WithGábor Szabó
WithAlphonse Mouzon
WithPorter Wagoner andDolly Parton
WithFlo & Eddie
WithSpirit
WithCarmen McRae
WithSeawind
WithAlphonso Johnson
WithAmbrosia
WithLalo Schifrin
WithHerb Alpert
WithBarbra Streisand
WithPeggy Lee
WithChicago
WithJanet Jackson
Some of his work on Film Scores
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