Jan Hammer

Biography

Czech-American composer and keyboardist Jan Hammer was a principal architect of the jazz-rock fusion sound. As a member of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, he pioneered the use of the Minimoog synthesizer, crafting a revolutionary pitch-bending, guitar-like lead voice. This innovative technique defined his subsequent work with musicians like *Jeff Beck* and *Al Di Meola*, and with his own Jan Hammer Group. His celebrated scoring for the television series *Miami Vice*, including the chart-topping 'Miami Vice Theme', brought his electronic textures to a global audience, earning him two Grammy Awards and cementing his influence on synthesizer performance and composition.