Guitarist, composer, producer, and arranger Chieli Minucci is longtime leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group SPECIAL EFX featuring Chieli Minucci, a major force on the jazz and world music scene for over 40 years.

Chieli recently released the long-awaited, Special EFX featuring Chieli Minucci - “The Hits”! This ambitious project is comprised of 14 songs, including re-mastered favorites and chart-toppers from the band’s long multi-decade career, as well as brand new songs, and a few surprises!

Chieli also released the powerhouse new single, Been So Long. With its relentless groove combined with Minucci’s nonstop melodic fretboard acrobatics, as well as Eric Marienthal’s distinctive, soaring alto, the composition conjures up images of a heated, passionate affair, and the anticipation of a love reunion. Been So Long also features the melodic vocalizations of American Idol finalist, Elliott Yamin. Chieli’s melodies and recognizable guitar playing caps off the imagery with its ultra-smooth, high-energy performance.

2024 and 2025 were big years for Chieli and Special EFX. “Meant to Be”, the chart-topping single, and the summer of 2024 hit, “Cool Summer”, both reached the #1 spot on Billboard - with Cool Summer hitting the #1 spot on 5 charts simultaneously!

Chieli has also recently released 3 unique projects - “Return to Budapest With Love”, is an archived, 1990 live concert recording of Special EFX from their early days on tour in Europe; the solo, and mainly acoustic release, “Someone’s Singing”; as well as the 40th anniversary Special EFX CD, “Twenty Twenty 2”.

Chieli & Special EFX’s previous release saw title track, “Deep as the Night”, win Billboard Magazine’s 2018 top honors, best-song-of-the-year.

Besides writing and performing his own music, Chieli shares his guitar brilliance throughout the entertainment world. He has recorded and performed with many top artists, such as Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Marc Anthony, Michael Bolton, Rupert Holmes, Anastasia, even classic artists Eartha Kitt, and Eddie Fisher. He’s collaborated and worked alongside contemporary jazz artists Kirk Whalum, Maysa, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Bernie Williams, Marion Meadows, Lao Tizer, Mindi Abair, Rick Braun, Gerald Veasley, Omar Hakim, and many others.

Although renowned in the jazz and pop world, Chieli is also a gifted television and film composer. He has won 3 Emmy Awards and been nominated 10 times for his eclectic compositional work. His music can also be heard on the soundtracks of the films No Country for Old Men, Bowfinger, Legally Blonde, Panic, and others. Chieli's original scoring work can be heard in live stage productions of Peter Pan, Dora the Explorer, Thomas the Tank Engine, and others.

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Keyboardist wizard Jay Rowe attended New England Conservatory of Music where he became a part of the New Haven music scene, along with fellow Connecticut natives Marion Meadows and Rohn Lawrence. He formed a band that began playing as an opening act for whatever smooth and contemporary jazz acts that played in New Haven, including The Rippingtons, David Benoit, Bela Fleck, Stanley Jordan, and Jeff Lorber. When sax player Marion Meadows got his record deal and went out on the road, he took Jay with him as part of his band. Jay credits Marion and sax player Nelson Rangell for being the catalysts that started his career. “Marion was a really big influence and a great band leader in the Connecticut area. Between Marion and Nelson, they were really what started me out, what got my reputation going on a national level. I was writing songs for Nelson and playing live with Marion.” Jay worked with Nelson on his In Every Moment CD. Since then he has racked up an impressive resume. He’s played with Acoustic Alchemy, Marion Meadows, Angela Bofill, Phil Perry, Chieli Minucci & Special EFX, Ken Navarro, the late Wayman Tisdale, Kim Waters, Jeff Kashiwa and Steve Oliver.
There are so many musicians over the years and across the genres that have influenced Jay that there are far too many to list, but his biggest are Vince Guaraldi, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample, and Jeff Lorber. His talents are well known throughout the smooth jazz community, making him a much-respected player in the smooth jazz world. His talents make him an in demand smooth jazz keyboard player. Says Chieli Minucci, “He has been with Special EFX for many years and during our concerts there is always a moment when he does the ‘spin’. Picture this, he’s in the midst of a blistering piano solo, and it’s building, building, and suddenly…he does his little pirouette! The crowd goes wild, first because he’s a KILLING player, and secondly because he’s a damn fine dancer.”
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Bassist David Livolsi attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA for two semesters. It was there in Boston where he began combining all of his influences of Rock, Jazz, R&B, Blues, Fusion, Funk, and Soul Music to create his "sound" on the bass. David has gone on to work with such notable artists such as, John Scofield, Bill Evans, Jazz Is Dead, T Lavitz, Jerry Goodman, Roberta Flack, Maysa, Najee, Chuck Loeb, Sam Rivers, Kung Fu, John Tropea, David Spinozza, Nelson Rangell, and many more.
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Joel Rosenblatt is a world-renowned drummer and producer. He has performed and recorded with such greats as: Spyro Gyra, Christopher Cross, Lee Ritenour, Freddy Jackson, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton. Eileen Ivers, Michel Camilo, Chick Corea, Steps Ahead, Paquito d Rivera, Manhattan Transfer, Randy Brecker, Ken Navarro, Bill Evans and many more. Having toured the world many times over, Joel brings an international musical awareness to the music. Currently the owner and main engineer at world class Cliff Sound Productions, Joel is also actively involved in producing and cultivating new artists.
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Saxophonist David Mann has been a part of the NYC music scene since the 80’s. David has performed and recorded with many of the biggest names in music, including Tower of Power (1993-1996) James Taylor, The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Sting, Tony Bennett, Lady Gaga, Pat Metheny, Luther Vandross, Special EFX, and Blood Sweat and Tears. A busy studio musician for many decades, David has been featured on over 1000 commercially released CDs. David has 3 solo albums to his name "Games" and "Insight" on Island Records and "Touch" on N-Coded Records.