Before ‘Miami Vice’, There Was Jan Hammer’s 80’s-tacular ‘Sequencer’

Before the music of synthesist Jan Hammer hit the mainstream with his soundtrack for the hit show Miami Vice, he was best known as a fusion jazz keyboardist.

He collaborated with jazz guitarist Al Di Meola on a series albums in the 80s, which offered a preview of Hammer’s later Miami Vice work.

Sequencer, from Di Meola’s album Scenario, is one of Hammer’s compositions and prominently features his trademark Fairlight CMI sound and soloing. The music video could not be much more 80’s-tacular, and the music presages the iconic Miami Vice theme.

via cjr71244

12 thoughts on “Before ‘Miami Vice’, There Was Jan Hammer’s 80’s-tacular ‘Sequencer’”

  2. This album also had Phil Collins, Tony Levin, AND Bill Bruford. It was amazing for the time (for those of us into the ‘fusion’ scene).

      2. They are of the same calibre.
        Al and Chick even had a band together, which was inspired by the Mahavishnu Orchestra, in which Jan was the keyboard player.
        Chick even admitted borrowing Jan’s Minimoog playing techniques.
        Jan went into movie scoring early 80’s because there wasn’t much happening in the Fusion scene.
        There was a resurgence in Fusion in the latter half of the 80’s, especially with the GRP label.
        CCEB was a phenomenon which we’ll never see happen again.

  4. Yes, that’s the typical Jan Hammer trademark style throughout the whole video, even though he does not appear in it. Might as well had him playing the guitar lines on his keyboard and it would have sounded exactly the same. The best “guitar” keyboard player ever.

  5. I bought the vinyl LP when it came out (still have it in MINT condition!!)
    I loved this track and being a Fairlight tragic, knowing the synth was on it just made it even better…. I had no idea there was a video for it … first time I’ve seen it… they don’t write ’em like that anymore 😉

  6. haha – same, Coco! I still have mine in mint condition, as my habit was to tape from LP, so chances are that the LP has only been played once or twice :). Now own it digitally … I always loved that album. Sure it is SO 80s and you could argue it is more than a bit cold – but I don’t care.

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