Meek began his career in the early 1980s playing woodwinds in the big bands of the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop, and keyboards and woodwinds for local club dates, weddings and private parties.[2] In the mid-'80s he toured with Dionne Warwick, playing keyboards.
In 1987, Meek began a two-decade association with Brazilian jazz artists Airto Moreira and Flora Purim. In 1990, joined by Jose Neto, they formed Fourth World. This band toured the U.S.,[3] Europe,[4] Asia,[5] South Africa and Eastern Europe for five years,[6] releasing a live album in 1992, Live at Ronnie Scott's. Three years later, Meek joined Herb Alpert's world tour in support of Alpert's Second Wind album.[7] The following year, Meek toured the U.S. and Europe playing saxes, flute and keyboards for Al Jarreau.
Meek's first album as a leader and saxophonist, 1991's Gary Meek, comprises 11 songs all written or cowritten by Meek. He has released four other solo projects to date, including Time One,[8]Live at Ronnie Scott's, Good Friends, and Step 7.[9]
Through the 1990s and early 2000s, Meek began several enduring collaborations, some with artists who contributed session work for his solo efforts.[10] After keyboardist Jeff Lorber appeared on Gary Meek, Meek played for several Lorber albums, including the Billboard Top 5 West Side Stories in 1994. Meek's first studio work for bassist Brian Bromberg, on 1997's You Know That Feeling, led to several tours and albums including Downright Upright, nominated for the "Best Contemporary Jazz Album" Grammy in 2007.[11]
In 2003, Meek played woodwinds for the album Playful Heart[14] by guitarist and bossa nova pioneer Oscar Castro-Neves.[15] The release, named one of that year's best albums by Downbeat, included an arrangement of "Four Brothers" that Castro-Neves wrote to feature Meek on all the woodwind parts.[16] Meek was later featured on Castro-Neves' 2006 album All One.
Dave Weckl Acoustic Band in Phoenix, 2016
In 2002, Meek collaborated for the first time with drummer Dave Weckl for the Dave Weckl Band album, "Live (and Very Plugged In)"[17] and a subsequent world tour. He also played with Weckl for 2005's Multiplicity,[18] and with Weckl and keyboardist Jay Oliver for Convergence in 2012.
In 2015, the Dave Weckl Acoustic Band[19] released its debut album, Of the Same Mind, and subsequently touring in Europe,[20] Asia and the U.S.[21] The band included Weckl, Meek, keyboardist Makoto Ozone and bassist Tom Kennedy.[22]
In 2017 Meek recorded Originals which was listed in Downbeat magazine's "Best Jazz Albums of 2018".[citation needed]
Meek lives with his wife, Maureen, in the Monterey, California area, where he is a traveling clinician for the Monterey Jazz Festival.[23] He also teaches privately, sharing methods passed on to him by Phil Sobel, his teacher of more than 25 years.[24] Meek collaborates globally through Internet recording sessions, and travels to Los Angeles for session work. He plays Cannonball saxophones[25] and D'Addario reeds and mouthpieces.
Discography
Gary Meek:
1991 – Gary Meek (Lipstick)
1995 – Time One (B&W)
1995 – Live at Ronnie Scott's (B&W)
1997 – Good Friends (MELT 2000)
2002 – Step 7 (A440 Music Group)
2017 – Originals
Flora Purim:
1988 – The Midnight Sun (Virgin)
1994 – The Flight (B&W)
2001 – Perpetual Emotion (Narada; also coproduced)
2003 – Speak No Evil (Narada; also coproduced)
Airto Moreira:
1989 – Struck by Lightning (Virgin/Venture)
1993 – Airto and the Gods of Jazz: Killer Bees (B&W)
Airto Moreira and Flora Purim:
1988 – The Colors of Life (In+Out)
Fourth World:
1992 – Fourth World Recorded Live at Ronnie Scott's Club (Ronnie Scott's Jazz House)
