ArtistInfo

Sam Purkin

Producer

Producer- Songwriter Sam Purkin grew up in Calgary, Canada. He studied music at world- renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and in 1988 graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Music Synthesis and keyboards. The primary tool used in the Synth program was the “brand new” Apple Macintosh computer—a Mac Plus. While a student, Sam won various songwriting competitions within the college and with ASCAP in NY. Various publishers and administrators pursued him and eventually he signed with Len Freedman Music in Los Angeles—the Business Manager for Lionel Richie and artists such as Donald Fagen and Tom Scott. In 1988 Sam pursued a music career in Los Angeles, and quickly joined forces with Michael Boddicker—keyboard and synth ace—who introduced him to Quincy Jones. Sam worked as computer programmer on the hit record, Back On The Block. Word got around the music community that Sam was the “go to” guy for anything computer-related to music; a Mac expert, who also used the same equipment in the same professional method. Soon he was working with artists such as Beck, Sheila E, Rickie Lee Jones and super Producer, Trevor Horn (Seal, Yes, ABC). As word spread to the film music community Sam worked with greats like Michael Kamen (Lethal Weapon, X- Men), Basil Poledouris (Conan, Robocop), Bruce Broughton (Silverado) and Ira Newborn (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Dragnet). In 1989, Sam met Canadian Saxophonist Warren Hill, also a Berklee Graduate. The two began regularly writing music together into the wee hours of the morning. Sam co-wrote and co-produced Warren’s first RCA CD, titled Kiss Under The Moon. The CD debuted in Billboard magazine at #18 on the Jazz charts. Warren opened for Natalie Cole on her ‘Unforgettable’ tour in 1991. Sam joined Warren, playing keyboards with the band and opening 44 shows across the US and Canada, including 3 sold out shows at Radio City Hall in NY. Sam and Warren continued writing and produced a string of number one, chart topping Jazz CDs from 1991-1995. Sam’s music has been heard on radio stations worldwide and has appeared on ASCAP’s lists for so many consecutive periods that several of his songs earned the status of “recognized works.” They have also been heard as recurring tracks on TV shows such as The Young & The Restless, Days of our Lives, Extra, etc. Sam went on to write a track with bassist/composer Nathan East of the jazz Super-Group, Fourplay (Bob James, Lee Ritenour, Nathan East & Harvey Mason). The track titled Any Time Of Day, earned Sam his first Gold Record in 1998 and was also included on the CD, The Best of Fourplay. Sam and Nathan also wrote several tracks for well-known Korean Saxophonist, Danny Jung. In 1997, Sam met Jazz great, Don Grusin, who had originally hired Sam to work on his computers. The two went on to co-write the title track for Don’s CD, Laguna Cove in addition to tracks for other artists. Married to Rachel Purkin.

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