G. F. Mlely, born 1936 in Seattle, Washington, has been a musician throughout his life, garnering wide international acclaim for work in live performing as a featured artist and on recordings. He is in a cultural tradition that includes Duke Ellington, Hampton Hawes, George Gershwin, Art Tatum, Phineas Newborn Jr., Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Miles Davis - even Europeans, such as Erik Satie, Jaques Brell, Maurice Ravel, et al, Still, he is recognized for, and has emerged from that cultural tradition with a singular artistic identity that has led to innovative achievements.
Critics around the world have underscored this aspect to Mlely’s playing and composing. Mlely says, it has not been the object of his musical approach to be ‘far out,’ but to expand in certain musical directions while maintaining recognizable connections to tradition.
Recordings produced by JazCraft, are A Little Night Waltz (2003), 88 Keys And Counting (2001), Re-Entry (2000).
Produced on Capitol Blue Note, the Was She Really There? track sung by Phil Perry on Freddie Hubbard release Times Are Changing (1990), which was multi-charted going to #1 in Radio & Records, #15 in Billboard.
Produced on Discovery, the I Think (That’s How I Feel) track on The Cunninghams Grammy-Nominated release Strings And Swing (1989).
Additional vinyl albums were produced by Alternatives In American Music, Trio (1981), The Soloist (1980), Original Edition (1979).
Produced on Golden Avatar and George Harrison’s Apple labels, Gopinath (1974), ensemble arranged and directed by Mlely, on the market over 20 years.
Dr. Marshal Stokes, reviewing for the Washington Post, writes Mlely is “A tour de force of leading edge pianists.” Earl ‘Fatha’ Hines, recognizing Mlely’s talent, considered becoming Mlely’s manager, interrupted when Hines succumbed to the illness that ultimately led to Hines’ death. Jon Hendricks said that Mlely was in the line of the great jazz pianists.
ORIGINAL THEATER WORK:
Threnody composition used for How The Cookie Crumbles by Adé Ademola, New York theatrical production presented on stage by the Xoregos Performing Company, continuously running performances in New York 2008 into 2010, including Theatre in The Park and unknown number of performances outside the city, using track composed, recorded and performed by Mlely from his Re-Entry cd.
Venice, 2-act musical play, a reading/singing of Mlely’s music, words and book performed by the Bookshop Theatre Ensemble, Cindy Jenkins, dramaturg/director (2008).
And All That Jazz, 1-act musical play, music, words, book, performer, music director 14-member cast, 4-month run San Francisco (1977).
CHORAL WORK:
Mlely’s choral work has premiered at several churches in Los Angeles and in Honolulu. Most noteworthy is the 10th Bi-Annual fund-raising concert at the Crossroad Church in Honolulu, Hawaii, directed by Don Conover, that featured monodic songs and choral work of G. F. Mlely. (2001)
TELEVISION:
Jazz Piano With G. F. Mlely, video series over 2 years in rerun on Olelo Television of Hawai’i (1999-2001).
EDUCATIONAL AND LITERARY:
As Artist In Residence, taught nation’s first songwriting workshop as curriculum study in a secondary school, Kaimuki High School, Honolulu, Hawaii (2003).
Author of The 8-Tone Quarto-Modes Concept, published by JazCraft, a 60-page treatise of new music theory, which is obtainable online at JazCraft.
Full-length Book, New Music And American Christendom - A Critique free download online at JazCraft.
3 essays on the art, craft and politics of jazz and songwriting, also freely downloadable online: Jas - Academic Antithesis, Jazz and the American Christian - Letting Go The Reins of Culture, Politics versus Excellence - Freeform ‘Jazz’.
TEACHING
Held teaching positions at the following:
San Francisco Community Center, Faculty Teacher of Theory and Jazz Piano (1976-1982)
Holy Family Catholic Academy [mid-school], Honolulu, Hawaii (organized student jazz ensemble 2002).
The Pacific Songwriters Workshop (Oahu, HI and Long Beach, CA 1997-2006
Studio 107, Culver City, California (private piano training and jazz improvisation 1990-1995).
Neighborhood House Program [centers for adolescent dropouts], New York City (organized student jazz ensembles 1960-1962).
Studio 107, Culver City, CA (Jazz piano, music theory, songwriting 1990-1995).
For some extraordinary events that have occurred in Mlely’s life and career, read Nathan Gold’s succinct article, G. F. Mlely, A Trail of Endurance, published on numerous web sites.
Mlely now lives with his wife and business partner, Billie Jay-Kalua, herself a dancer and dance teacher, in Long Beach, California. .
