Mitchel Forman

Mitchel Forman’s path through jazz has unfolded with repeated shifts in direction. He completed his studies at the Manhattan School of Music in 1978, after which he issued three unaccompanied piano discs on the Japanese New Wave and Soul Note imprints while also collaborating with Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Carla Bley, and Mel Tormé. Electric keyboards ultimately became the setting in which he left his clearest mark, appearing with the reunited Mahavishnu Orchestra and Wayne Shorter and cutting sessions for Magenta in 1985 and Novus in 1991. In 1992 he delivered a persuasive acoustic-trio homage to Bill Evans on Novus, yet the following year he resumed modern fusion on Lipstick. He contributed to Richard Elliot’s Jumpin’ Off in 1997, issued Hand Made the next year, and followed it in 2000 with Patience, recorded alongside his trio. Mr. Clean reached listeners in spring 2001. Equally assured on acoustic and electric instruments, Forman’s trajectory remains one to follow closely.