Jan Hammer – Biography, Discography & Instruments

Biography

Jan Hammer is a jazz musician who plays piano, drum kit, musical keyboard and keyboard instrument. Jan Hammer was born on 17 April 1948 in Prague. The music is usually filed under jazz, jazz fusion and pop rock. The discography here lists 17 albums, from “The First Seven Days” (1975) to “Seasons, Pt. 2” (2022). Honours include Grammy Awards.

Jan Hammer (born 17 April 1948) is a Czech-American musician, composer, and record producer. He rose to prominence while playing keyboards with the Mahavishnu Orchestra during the early 1970s, as well as with his film scores for television and film including "Miami Vice Theme" and "Crockett's Theme", from the 1980s television program Miami Vice. He has continued to work as both a musical performer and producer. Hammer has collaborated with some of the era's most influential jazz and rock musicians such as John McLaughlin, Jeff Beck, Billy Cobham, Al Di Meola, Mick Jagger, Carlos Santana, Stanley Clarke, Tommy Bolin, Neal Schon, Steve Lukather, John Abercrombie and Elvin Jones. He has composed and produced at least 14 original motion picture soundtracks, the music for 90 episodes of Miami Vice and 20 episodes of the television series Chancer. His compositions have won him two Grammy Awards.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

The First Seven Days 1975 · Atlantic Black Sheep 1978 · Asylum Records Hammer 1979 · Asylum Records City Slicker 1985 · Absolute Records Snapshots 1989 · MCA Records Beyond the Mind’s Eye 1992 · Miramar Drive 1994 · Miramar Miami Vice: The Complete Collection 2002 · One Way Records Police Quest 3 - The Kindred Soundtrack 2006 · Quest Studios

Live In Berlin 2010 · Live

Miami Vice: Special Edition 2018 Seasons, Pt. 1 2018 · Red Gate Records Sketches in Jazz 2020 · Red Gate Records Seasons, Pt. 2 2022 · Country & Eastern Music Inc.

Hip Address

Secret Admirer · MCA Records Time Is Free · Universe

Also plays on

Albums where Jan Hammer is credited as a sideman

1971	The Inner Mounting Flame — The Mahavishnu Orchestra with John McLaughlin	keyboard, piano
1972	Merry-Go-Round — Elvin Jones	electric piano, piano
1973	Love Devotion Surrender — Carlos Santana & Mahavishnu John McLaughlin	drums (drum set)
1973	Mr. Jones — Elvin Jones	piano
1973	Spectrum — Billy Cobham	electric piano, Moog, piano
1973	Birds of Fire — Mahavishnu Orchestra	keyboard, Moog
1973	Between Nothingness & Eternity — Mahavishnu Orchestra	keyboard
1974	The Loud Minority — Frank Foster	piano
1974	Like Children — Jerry Goodman & Jan Hammer	percussion, drums (drum set), synthesizer, piano, vocals
1975	Teaser — Tommy Bolin	drums (drum set), synthesizer, piano, electronic organ
1975	Timeless — John Abercrombie	synthesizer, organ, piano, Hammond organ
1976	Helen 12 Trees — Charlie Mariano	electric piano, piano, synthesizer
1977	Elegant Gypsy — Al Di Meola	keyboard, electric piano, Minimoog
1979	The Joy of Flying — Tony Williams	Moog, Rhodes piano, synthesizer, mix, recording, Minimoog
1980	Splendido Hotel — Al Di Meola	synthesizer
1982	Tour de Force - "Live" — Al Di Meola	keyboard
1983	Scenario — Al Di Meola	drum machine, synthesizer, electric bass guitar, keyboard, Moog, piano
1984	Night — John Abercrombie	keyboard
1985	Flash — Jeff Beck	programming
1989	Lukather — Steve Lukather	Hammond organ, synthesizer
1995	Electric Anthology — Al Di Meola	electric piano, Minimoog, keyboard
1999	The Lost Trident Sessions — Mahavishnu Orchestra	keyboard
2006	Drum 'n' Voice 2 — Billy Cobham	synthesizer
2011	Drum 'n' Voices, Volumes I + II — Billy Cobham	synthesizer
2017	Live at the Hollywood Bowl — Jeff Beck	synthesizer
2017	Red Baron — Billy Cobham	electric piano, Moog, piano
—	Earthmover — Harvey Mason	Minimoog