Arif Mardin adına hazırlanan İngilizce özgeçmiş:
One look at Arif Mardin’s discography merits his status among the 20th century’s most important producers. From The Young Rascals” #1 hit “Good Lovin’” to Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” to his most recent works with Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle and Jewel, Arif Mardin has transcended genres and contributed to many of contemporary music’s most brilliant works.
Atlantic Records’ Co-Chairman/Co-CEO Ahmet Ertegun declares: “In a business often driven by trend and fashion, Arif has remained a true artist, a man of incredible musical talent. In contrast to many other producers, Arif does not have one sound that dominates his records. Rather, he creates an environment unique to each performer, the common link being exceptional quality and taste. As a result, for over three decades, he has helped singers and musicians of very different styles do the best work of their careers.”
Over the past 40 years, Arif has worked with many of the most illustrious artists in the history of contemporary music including: Average White Band, Anita Baker, the Bee Gees, Judy Collins, Phil Collins, Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Hall & Oates, Donny Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Melissa Manchester, Bette Midler, Modern Jazz Quartet, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Dusty Springfield and many more.
Mardin began his career at Atlantic Records in 1963 as an assistant to Nesuhi Ertegun. He rose through the ranks quickly, becoming studio manager, label house producer and arranger. In 1969, he became a Vice President and subsequently served as Senior Vice President until May 2001. After retiring from Atlantic in May, EMI Recorded Music North America entered into a unique multi-faceted arrangement with Arif Mardin (along with veteran music executive Ian Ralfini) in September 2001. These industry legends will occupy the newly created positions of Co-Vice-Presidents and General Managers of the re-instituted Manhattan Records label. In this capacity they will be responsible for signing and recording new artists in the adult music area, to be marketed by Angel Records or Blue Note Records. Arif Mardin will produce artists for these labels, as well as for other labels within the worldwide EMI family.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Arif Mardin graduated from Istanbul University and studied at the London School of Economics. Although Arif is a self-professed jazz fanatic, as well as an accomplished orchestrator/arranger, he never intended to pursue a career in music. It was a chance meeting with jazz great Dizzy Gillespie that proved to be a stroke of fate. “Dizzy came through Turkey in 1956, and it was the biggest event of my life. I had the chance to meet him, and he wound up playing one of my pieces and giving me some pointers.” Two years later, Arif became the first recipient of the Quincy Jones Scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After graduation, he taught at Berklee for one year, and was eventually made a trustee of the school and awarded an honorary doctorate.
His collaborations with the Bee Gees led to the smash hit “Jive Talkin’.” Arif’s chart-toppers also include the #1 singles “Pick Up The Pieces” by Average White Band, “Against All Odds” and “Separate Lives” (a duet with Marilyn Martin) by Phil Collins,“I Feel For You” by Chaka Khan and the Grammy-winning “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler.
In his 40-year career, Arif has collected over 40 gold and platinum albums, over 15 Grammy nominations and ten Grammy awards. In 1990, Mardin was inducted into the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. In 1994, in celebration of his 30th anniversary with Atlantic, he was the subject of a special tribute in Billboard. In 1996, Arif earned his sixth Grammy for his production of Atlantic Theater’s Original Broadway Cast Album of Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller. The following year he received a Grammy nomination for the platinum album, The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Rent. In December 1997, Arif was one of the recipients of the NARAS Heroes Award presented by Atlantic Records’ Ahmet Ertegun.
Other projects in 1997 included Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella starring Whitney Houston and Brandy that aired on ABC television. He produced three songs on Patti Labelle’s gold album Flame and three songs on Regina Carter’s Something For Grace. Arif received his 15th Grammy Award nomination for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal for the song “Laura” on Carly Simon’s album, Film Noir. He produced songs on Barbra Streisand’s multi-platinum Higher Ground (including the title track and the second single, “If I Could.” When asked about that year, Arif muses, “Barbra, Bette, Carly, Patti and Whitney made 1997 my ‘Year of the Diva’.”
In 1998, Arif served as Music Producer for the soundtrack for the Warner Brothers Motion Picture “Why Do Fools Fall In Love,” a biography of Frankie Lymon. Other projects included: four tracks on Bette Midler’s Bathhouse Betty as well as on Diana Ross’ Everyday Is A New Day, plus the duet “Love Is All That Matters” for the ABC-TV movie Double Platinum starring Miss Ross and Brandy. He produced the CD recording of Patti Labelle’s live show “One Nite Only” originally broadcast on public television featuring special guests Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey.
Mardin produced two tracks on Barbra Streisand’s A Love Like Ours, and produced the song “Through The Eyes of a Child” on the South Park movie soundtrack with Michael McDonald singing. He also lent his production expertise to Australian singer Marie Wilson.
Arif closed the millennium with Jewel’s Joy: A Holiday Collection. The two also teamed up to perform selections from the record live for the Public Television broadcast of the popular “Sessions at West 54th Street” and the charity concert NET-AID. Arif greeted the new millennium with orchestral arrangements for blues greats Eric Clapton and BB King.
2001 continued to be a year of honors. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences bestowed upon Mardin a Trustees Award--a special merit lifetime achievement Grammy conferred on individuals for significant contributions other than performance. Mardin was named “Man of the Year” by the Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy Foundation, a charitable organization that provides music therapy to autistic and other severely disabled children. He also received the “Ertegun Impact Award” as presented by the Boston Music Awards, and delivered the Keynote Address at the NEMO Conference.
Arif’s most recent projects include two tracks produced for British soul singer Oliver Darley and Blue Note recording artist, singer-songwriter-pianist, Norah Jones.
Mardin also composed his first opera, I Will Wait, and he is currently writing his memoirs. Arif Mardin has made an indelible mark on the music industry. As stated by Universal Records’ CEO Doug Morris “When I entered the music business, I hoped to be able to work alongside people like Arif Mardin; creative, brilliant pioneers who, aside from their talent, convey an unmistakable presence. The consummate gentleman, Arif is someone whose joy for music makes it all worthwhile.”