Grant Geissman, born April 13, 1953 in Berkeley, California, is a jazz guitarist and an Emmy-nominated composer for network TV series and TV movies. An in-demand studio musician, he has recorded extensively for several labels since 1976, and he can be heard playing guitar on the theme for Monk and other TV series. 13 April is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... Berkeley as seen from the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. ...

Growing up in San Jose, California, Geissman took guitar lessons from a succession of San Jose musicians, including Geoff Levin (of the pop group People!) and local jazz favorites Bud Dimock, Don Cirallo and Terry Saunders. Encouraged by these teachers to learn jazz standards and to improvise, he began playing in rock bands on weekends and also with small jazz groups and big bands. Nickname: Capital of Silicon Valley Official website: http://www. ...

As a high school senior, he entered formal study with avant-garde guitarist Jerry Hahn, who introduced him to the music of Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman. After graduating from Prospect High School, Geissman attended De Anza Junior College, where he played in both De Anza's jazz band and the Daddio Band (of older professionals). Both were led by well-known jazz educator Dr. Herb Patnoe, who was the director of Stan Kenton's Jazz Clinics. Since the Kenton band at that time had no guitar player, Patnoe recommended Geissman to teach at Kenton's summer clinics in both Sacramento and in Southern California. While teaching at these clinics for several summers, Geissman first met (and played with) drummer Peter Erskine and pianist Dan Haerle. Charlie Parker Charles Christopher Bird Parker, Jr. ... Davis 1959 album Kind of Blue, likely the best-selling jazz album ever. ... John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. ... Ornette Coleman Ornette Coleman (born March 19, 1930) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. ... Prospect High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school of the Campbell Union High School District, located at the intersection of Lawrence Expressway and Prospect Road in the northeastern corner of Saratoga, California, on its border with San Jose. ... Stanley Newcomb Kenton (December 15, 1911 - August 25, 1979) led a highly innovative, influential, and often controversial American jazz orchestra. ... Peter Erskine (born June 5, 1954) is a jazz drummer. ...

Relocating to Los Angeles in 1973, Geissman attended one semester at Cal State Fullerton, where he played in the band led by pianist/clarinetist Tom Ranier. Transferring to Cal State Northridge in 1974 to be closer to the Hollywood studio scene, Grant began playing in the Northridge "A" band led by jazz educator Joel Leach. While at Northridge, Grant began playing in both Gerald Wilson's Big Band and with Louie Bellson's Big Band, recording several albums with Bellson. For Louie Bellson's Live at the Concord Summer Festival, Geissman contributed an original composition, "Starship Concord." He began playing in local jazz joints with Tony Rizzi's guitar band, recording Tony Rizzi's Five Guitars Play Charlie Christian (1976), which featured Tom Ranier and Pete Christlieb. California State University, Fullerton The California State University, Fullerton, often referred to as Cal State Fullerton, is a part of the California State University System located in Fullerton, California. ... A state-funded university in Northridge, California, part of the California State University System, formerly the San Fernando Valley State College. ...

Geissman's first gig with fluegelhornist/composer Chuck Mangione was at the Santa Monica Civic auditorium on November 9, 1976. A short tour of the Pacific Northwest followed, and soon after Mangione asked Geissman to become a permanent member of the band. Mangione's new band included Geissman, Charles Meeks on bass, Chris Vadala on woodwinds and James Bradley, Jr. on drums, and the first album with Mangione's new band was Feels So Good (1977), which sold two million albums and remains one of the top-selling instrumental albums today. On radio, the single "Feels So Good", featuring Geissman's now legendary guitar solo, was a huge international hit with many airplays, and a 1980 issue of Current Biography called it the most recognized tune since "Michelle" by The Beatles. Chuck Mangione on his Feels So Good record album cover. ... November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... Michelle is the title of a love ballad by the Beatles,written by Paul McCartney(with help from Lennon), which featured on their Rubber Soul album. ... The Beatles were a pop and rock music group from Liverpool, England, who continue to be held in the very highest regard for their artistic achievements, their huge commercial success, and their groundbreaking role in the history of popular music. ...

With Mangione, Geissman appeared on many of the major TV/variety shows of the time, including The Tonight Show, Dinah Shore, Merv Griffin, Phil Donahue, The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. Geissman's other albums with Mangione include Children of Sanchez (1978), Live at the Hollywood Bowl (1979) and Fun and Games (1980).

In 1978 Geissman released his first album as a leader, "Good Stuff" (Concord Jazz), which featured fellow Northridge alumnus Gordon Goodwin on sax, Tom Ranier on piano, Bob Magnussen on bass and Steve Shaeffer on drums. Grant left Mangione's band in 1981 to pursue other endeavors, including his own albums, session work and composing. To date Grant has released 13 albums as a leader. In 2006, he released his 13th album as a leader, Say That!, on his own label, Futurism Records. A throwback to the jazz music that first influenced him, he has described the sound of this album as "Wes Montgomery meets Horace Silver meets Jimmy Smith." Gordon Goodwins Big Phat Band is a 21st Century Big Band featuring the talents of players such as Wayne Bergeron. ... John Leslie Wes Montgomery was an African-American jazz guitarist. ... Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silver (born September 2, 1928 in Norwalk, CT) is a famous jazz pianist and composer. ... This article refers to Jimmy Smith the jazz musician. ...

Apart from his musical career, Geissman is an authority on Mad and EC Comics and has written three books on the subject: Collectibly MAD (Kitchen Sink Press, 1995); Tales of Terror! The EC Comics Companion, co-authored with Fred von Bernewitz (Fantagraphics, 2000); and Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious 1950s E.C. Comics! (HarperDesign, 2005). He has also compiled and/or written annotations for ten other Mad-related books. Harvey Kurtzmans cover for the first issue of the comic book Mad Mad is an American humor magazine founded by publisher William Gaines and editor Harvey Kurtzman in 1952. ... Entertaining Comics was headed by William Gaines but is better known by its publishing name of EC Comics. ...

Recordings as a leader

• Good Stuff (Concord Jazz, 1978)
• Put Away Childish Toys (Pausa, 1983)
• Drinkin' from the Money River (TBA, 1986)
• Snapshots (TBA, 1987)
• All My Tomorrows (TBA, 1988)
• Take Another Look (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1989)
• Flying Colors (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1990)
• Reruns (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1991)
• Time Will Tell (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1992)
• Rustic Technology (Mesa/Bluemoon, 1993)
• Business As Usual (Positive Music, 1995)
• In with the Out Crowd (Higher Octave Music, 1998)
• Say That! (Futurism, 2006)

Listen to

• Business As Usual audio clips
• "Feels So Good" short version
• Van Dyke Parks' "Wall Street" (9/11/02) with Parks, Geissman, Don Heffington, Richard Greene

External links

• JazzReview.com: Beatrice Richardson interviews Grant Geissman
• Grant Geissman's official site