Ken Bichel
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Ken Bichel (b. 1945 Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy Award and Drama Desk Award winning American actor, composer, pianist, and synthesizer musician. Bichel attended the Juilliard School where he graduated with a Bachelors degree in piano performance in the late 1960s. Although Bichel is a classicaly trained pianist, he has spent most of his career playing and recording jazz, rock, and other forms of contemporary music on the piano and the synthesizer. Bichel became a member of the New York based band Stories is the early 1970s with whom he recorded several hit songs on three different albums until the band broke up in 1973.[1] After leaving the band, Bichel began to play music for several Broadway shows. In 1975, Bichel was hired as the musical director for the show Boccaccio. In 1977, Bichel took an onstage role (which also involved him playing the piano as well) as Norman in the original production of I Love My Wife. Bichel won the Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance. In 1978, he became the assistant conductor and pianist for the Broadway musical Working.[2]
During the 1970s, Bichel also worked as a synthesizer or piano player for various bands in the recording studio. His work can be heard on over a dozen CDs including the self titled and Soul Searching albums by Average White Band on the Rhino label (1974 and 1976), Judy Collins' Judith (1975) on the Elektra label, and Chaka Khan's Chaka Khan Chaka on the Ol' Skool Label (1978). Bichel also played for and made an on screen appearance as a synthesizer player in the 1977 movie Pumping Iron.[3] He can also be heard on numerous disco albums from the 1970s.[4]
In the 1990s, Bichel moved to San Marino, CA (where he still currently lives) and began playing music for films and television. Ocassionaly Bichel has also appeared on screen as a musician in films like Kinsey, Marvin's Room, and A Family Thing. Bichel has also won an Emmy Award for his music composition work on television and has kept his recording career active.[5] More recent projects include the Peanuts recording Schroeder's Greatest Hits (1992), Nikki Giovanni's Way I Feel (1995), Judy Collins' Christmas At The Biltmore Estate (1997), Gershon Kingsley's First Moog Quartet (2003), and two albums with Jane Olivor; Love Decides (2000) and Safe Return (2004).[6]
Throughout his career, Bichel has always loved to perform in live concert settings both as a solo artist, ensemble player, and accompianist. Recently Bichel has played in numerous cabaret performances with Jane Olivor.[7]
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Rose for My Fair Lady |
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical 1976-1977 for I Love My Wife |
Succeeded by Kevin Kline for On The Twentieth Century |
[edit] Watch and Listen
[edit] References
- ^ El Camaleon: mayo 2007
- ^ Internet Broadway Database: Kenneth Bichel Credits on Broadway
- ^ Ken Bichel
- ^ Ken Bichel
- ^ April 06, 2007, There’s a hot new CD in town, By Guest Columnist Ken Bichel
- ^ http://www.cduniverse.com/sresult.asp?HT_Search=xartist&HT_Search_Info=Bichel%2C+Ken&cart=702840191 (2004).
- ^ Playbill News: Jane Olivor Plays 'Summer Tuesday' at L.I.'s Bay Street, July 20; Prince Due Aug. 17
