The 1970s was a decade dominated by glam, punk, heavy metal, new wave, disco and funk. It was a decade where notions of pop and rock authenticity and hipness were constantly being contested and redefined. In the midst of such a heady maelstrom, a handful of artists such as Gino Vannelli and Steely Dan opted to buck all the trends, writing and producing sophisticated jazz-inflected pop. In Vannelli's case, such decade defining hits as "People Gotta Move" and "I Just Wanna Stop" came wrapped in elaborate arrangements dominated by multiple synthesizers while being totally bereft of guitars. While Vannelli wasn't a favorite with the Rolling Stone wing of rock critics, he managed to rack up ten Billboard pop chart hits, seven of which also charted Adult Contemporary, three of which crossed over to the R&B charts. Gino Vannelli remains one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary pop music.
Gino's international recognition continues to grow as he continues to explore new boundaries of popular music. Whether he is performing with his jazz combo at venues across Europe or playing with his full band to throngs of enthusiastic fans in such diverse locales as Las Vegas, New Orleans, Indonesia, and South Africa, Gino Vannelli's reputation as a high quality performer and brilliant music creator along with his engaging personality keep his career soaring to greater and greater heights.
