John Tropea
John Tropea is an American guitarist.Career
Tropea began guitar studies at the age of 12. His musical education continued at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he studied jazz guitar, harmony, musical composition, and big band arranging. After arriving in Boston, Tropea began playing jazz and R&B with local bands, including The Three Degrees. He was influenced by Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, Luiz Bonfá, Pat Martino, and George Benson. Among his mentors were Hammond B3 organ players Jack McDuff and Jimmy Smith.
After Berklee, Tropea recorded and toured with Eumir Deodato. Moving to New York City in 1967, he became one of the most sought after session players. In 1974, he played on Van Morrison's "Bulbs" and "Cul de Sac" included on the album Veedon Fleece and issued as the single. Tropea wrote and produced three critically acclaimed solo albums for TK Records. His first solo album Tropea, was released in 1975, followed by Short Trip to Space, and To Touch You Again. With those early recordings and other projects, Tropea formed close musical alliances with other leading New York musicians such as Warren Bernhardt, Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Steve Gadd, Don Grolnick, Anthony Jackson, David Sanborn, David Spinozza, and Richard Tee.
He played guitar on "Baby Now That I've Found You" recorded by Dan Schafer on Tortoise International Records, an RCA Records subsidiary released in 1977. In March 2012, this version was included on the compilation album, Perhaps...The Very Best of Dan Schafer. He has played with Billy Cobham, Eumir Deodato, Laura Nyro, Harry Chapin, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, and Dr. John. Tropea has written and arranged music for film and broadcast advertising. With his frequent co-producer and friend Will Lee, he released Simple Way to Say 'I Love You' , and Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blues, live performances by The Tropea Band at Mikell's in New York City. He composed the song "Tambourine", which was used as the close for WABC's Eyewitness News broadcasts from 1977 to 1980.Discography
Solo
- Tropea
- Short Trip to Space
- To Touch You Again
- Live at Mikell's
- NYC Cats Direct
- A Simple Way to Say I Love You
- Something Old, New, Borrowed and Blues
- Standard Influence
- Standard Influence II: Rock Candy
- Tropea 10: The Time Is Right
- Take Me Back to the Ol' School
- Gotcha Rhythm Right Here
Guest appearances
- 1972 Also Sprach Zarathustra , Eumir Deodato
- 1973 Deodato 2, Eumir Deodato
- 1973 Spectrum, Billy Cobham
- 1974 Whirlwinds, Eumir Deodato
- 1974 Artistry, Eumir Deodato
- 1974 Veedon Fleece, Van Morrison
- 1974 Satan, Sonny Stitt
- 1974 Streetlights, Bonnie Raitt
- 1974 Continental American, Peter Allen
- 1974 Big Bad Bo, Bo Diddley
- 1974 Many Shades of Blue, Blue Mitchell
- 1975 Then Came You, Dionne Warwick
- 1975 First Cuckoo, Eumir Deodato
- 1976 Second Childhood, Phoebe Snow
- 1976 Smile, Laura Nyro
- 1976 Black Widow, Lalo Schifrin
- 1977 Towering Toccata, Lalo Schifrin
- 1977 Intergalactic Touring Band
- 1977 Lady Put the Light Out, Frankie Valli
- 1977 Baby Now That I've Found You, Dan Schafer
- 1977 Ringo the 4th, Ringo Starr
- 1977 Blue Lights in the Basement, Roberta Flack
- 1978 Burchfield Nines, Michael Franks
- 1978 Nested, Laura Nyro
- 1978 Songbird, Barbra Streisand
- 1979 Yama, Art Farmer with Joe Henderson
- 1979 Raw Silk, Randy Crawford
- 1979 I Could Have Been a Sailor, Peter Allen
- 1980 Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway, Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway
- 1980 Body Language, Patti Austin
- 1980 Red Cab to Manhattan, Stephen Bishop
- 1981 I Got the Melody, Odyssey
- 1981 La Cuna, Ray Barretto
- 1981 Super Strings, Ron Carter
- 1982 Anyone Can See, Irene Cara
- 1982 It's Alright , Yoko Ono
- 1982 Gloria Gaynor, Gloria Gaynor
- 1983 Passionfruit, Michael Franks.
- 1983 In My Life, Patti Austin
- 1984 Milk and Honey, John Lennon, Yoko Ono
- 1988 CK, Chaka Khan
- 1989 Journeyman, Eric Clapton
- 1996 Gently, Liza Minnelli
