Hammer, Jan
active from year 1962

the world's most famous Czech pop musician ever. Son of female singer Vlasta Pruchova and doctor and double bass player Jan Hammer Sr., in his age of 14 he had a jazz band Junior Trio with brothers Alan & Miroslav Vitous (later Weather Report bassist). Studied theory and composition at Prague Musical Academy. In 1968 left to USA. After studies at Berklee School of Music, he played with Sarah Vaughan. In 1971 he became a member of Mahavishnu Orchestra. After 1973 he worked with many famous musicians playing jazz, rock and pop (Santana, Jeff Beck, Al DiMeola, Deep Purple) and made solo records. Heading more and more to movie soundtracks, becoming famous as the author of the music for the TV police-series Miami Vice, which brought him two Grammies in 1985. Since that, he works in his own recording studio, composing both fusion music for fun and pop music on purpose of movies, commercials and video games. His discography as keyboardist counts tens of titles with famous names like Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jerry Goodman, Billy Cobham, Stanley Clarke, Joni Mitchell or Mick Jagger. Just a selection from his solo works is listed here.

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