Life and career

Born in Waban, Massachusetts, he is an alumnus of the New England Conservatory. Kellaway has composed commissioned works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and jazz big band, as well as for film, TV, ballet and stage productions. One of his early mentors, the late Phil Saltman, was his piano teacher and ran a summer music camp called ENCORE in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

In 1964 Roger Kellaway was a piano side man for bandleader-producer Boris Midney’s group The Russian Jazz Quartet's album "Happiness" on the ABC/Impulse jazz records label. Album credits: Boris Midney composer-arranger, alto sax & clarinet. Igor Berukshtis bass. Roger Kellaway piano (also arranged the standards "Secret Love" and Irving Berlin's "Remember"). Grady Tate drums. George Ricci cello and viola. The album was recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's recording studio.

Kellaway wrote and played the closing theme, "Remembering You" for the TV sitcom All in the Family, which ran from 1971 to 1979, and its spinoff Archie Bunker's Place (1979-1983).

In 1970 Kellaway formed the Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet with cellist Edgar Lustgarden, bassist Chuck Domanico and percussionist Emil Richards. The group's piece "Come to the Meadow" was used as the theme for the NPR program Selected Shorts. For a 1978 album Nostalgia Suite, the group became a quintet with drummer Joe Porcaro added.

On November 7 and 8, 2008 Kellaway served as band leader and pianist during the Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl concerts by Van Morrison, celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the acclaimed album that was released in November 1968. Featured also is guitarist Jay Berliner, who played on the album.

Kellaway received an Oscar nomination for Best Adaptation Score for the film A Star Is Born (1976), and a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for the Eddie Daniels album Memos from Paradise (1988). Guitarist Robben Ford credits Kellaway and Tom Scott as a major influence on his musical development, whom he met while playing for Joni Mitchell.

Discography

As leader

• A Portrait of Roger Kellaway (Regina/Fresh Sound Records, 1963)
• The Roger Kellaway Trio (Prestige, 1965)
• Solo Piano (Dobre Records, 1970's)
• "Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet" (1970) - with Chuck Domanico (bass), Emil Richards (marimba), Edgar Lustgarten (cello), also Joe Pass (guitar).
• Center of the circle (A&M Records, 1972)
• "Come to the Meadow" (1974) - also with the Cello Quartet
• "Nostalgia Suite" (1978) - with the Cello Quintet (adding Joe Porcaro (drums))
• Say That Again (Dobre Records)
• Alone Together (Dragon, 1988) with Red Mitchell
• Live At Mayback Recital Hall - Vol. 11 (Concord Jazz, 1991)
• What Was That (Dragon, 1991) with Jan Allan
• Roger Kellaway Meets Gene Bertoncini And Michael Moore (Chianscuro, 1992)
• Life’s A Take (Concord, 1992)
• Inside & Out (Concord, 1995, with Ruby Braff)
• Live At The Jazz Standard (IPO Recordings, 2008)

As arranger

With Carmen McRae

• I Am Music (Blue Note, 1975)

With Diane Schuur

• Love Songs (UMG, 1993)

With Liza Minnelli

• Gently (Angel, 1996) - arranger, conductor, string arrangements, string conductor (also piano)

With Robben Ford

• Supernatural (GRP, 1999) - string arrangements

With Gary Lemel

• Moonlighting (Warner, 1999)

As sideman

With Kenny Burrell

• Guitar Forms (Verve, 1964-65)

With The Russian Jazz Quartet

• Happiness (Impulse! Records, 1964)

With J. J. Johnson and Kai Winding

• Betwixt & Between (A&M/CTI, 1969)

With Herbie Mann

• Herbie Mann Plays The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd (Atlantic, 1965)

With Mark Murphy

• That's How I Love the Blues! (Riverside, 1962)

With Oliver Nelson

• More Blues and the Abstract Truth (Impulse!, 1964)
• Soulful Brass with Steve Allen (Impulse!, 1968)
• Black, Brown and Beautiful (Flying Dutchman, 1969)

With Sonny Rollins

• Alfie (Impulse!, 1966)

With Lalo Schifrin

• There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On (Dot, 1968)

With Bud Shank

• Let It Be (Pacific Jazz, 1970)

With Sonny Stitt

• Broadway Soul (Colpix, 1965)

With Clark Terry

• The Happy Horns of Clark Terry (Impulse!, 1964)
• Tonight (Mainstream, 1965) - with Bob Brookmeyer
• The Power of Positive Swinging (Mainstream, 1965) - with Bob Brookmeyer

With Ben Webster

• See You at the Fair (Impulse!, 1964)

With Jimmy Witherspoon

• Blues for Easy Livers (Prestige, 1965)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]