Mamet first saw the light of day in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He took up piano studies upon turning five, though creative impulses ran through the rest of his family as well. Brother David Mamet has earned recognition as a playwright and screenwriter, brother Tony performs rock music, and sister Lynn also works as a screenwriter. Following high school, Mamet enrolled at Johns Hopkins University to pursue law before redirecting his focus to music, an interest he developed further at Peabody Conservatory, then Pepperdine University, and subsequently the Dick Grove School of Music. Professional engagements came next with the fusion ensemble Panacea, after which he chose to devote himself to composition by establishing the music-services firm Music Pac alongside partner Kevin Klingler. Under that banner he supplied music for television programs and advertising spots while also scoring several films, among them Necromancer (1988) along with Aftershock and Caged In Paradiso (both 1990). By the early 1990s he had changed course toward smooth jazz, appearing and recording as a solo pianist while collaborating with saxophonists Gerald Albright and Eric Marienthal. A duo recording with fellow jazz pianist David Benoit appeared under the title Adventures In Jazz. By blending elements of both classic and contemporary jazz piano styles, Mamet has drawn listeners from a broad spectrum.
