Bob Belden

James Robert Belden (October 31, 1956 – May 20, 2015) was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and producer. As a producer, he was mostly associated with the remastering of recordings by trumpeter Miles Davis for Columbia Records.

Biography Belden, born in Evanston, Illinois, grew up in the Charleston, South Carolina suburb of Goose Creek. He briefly attended the University of South Carolina where he met composer Jay Knowles who introduced him to the music of Gil Evans. He then studied saxophone and composition at the University of North Texas before joining the Woody Herman band.

He recorded his first album Treasure Island in 1990. This was followed by a series of adventurous albums featuring jazz-tinged arrangements of contemporary pop songs culminating with Black Dahlia in 2001.

In 2008, he arranged and produced Miles from India, a world fusion music recording based on the compositions of Miles Davis for which he assembled a group made up of Davis alumni and musicians from India. In addition to his work as arranger, composer, conductor and A & R director, Belden contributed numerous liner notes for noted recordings, such as "Lou's Blues" by Lou Marini and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra.

Some of his work as the author of liner notes received Grammy Awards. In early 2015, Belden became the first American musician in 35 years to bring a band from the USA to perform in Iran.

Belden died of a heart attack on May 20, 2015, at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. He was 58.

Discography As leader/co-leader Treasure Island (Sunnyside, 1990) Straight to My Heart: The Music of Sting (Blue Note, 1991) Puccini's Turandot (Blue Note, 1993) When the Doves Cry: The Music of Prince (Metro Blue, 1994) – also as conductor and producer La Cigale (Sunnyside, 1998) – live rec. 1990 Black Dahlia (Blue Note, 2001) Mysterious Shorter with Nicholas Payton, Sam Yahel, John Hart, Billy Drummond (Chesky, 2006) – also as producer

Co-leader with Tim Hagans: Animation Re-Animation Live! (Blue Note, 1999) Animation – Imagination (Blue Note, 1999) Agemo (RareNoise, 2011) Asiento (RareNoise, 2011) Transparent Heart (RareNoise, 2012) Machine Language (RareNoise, 2015)

As producer Bob Belden's Shades of Blue (Blue Note, 1996) – omnibus Bob Belden Presents: Strawberry Fields (Blue Note, 1996) – omnibus Miles Davis & Gil Evans, The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (Columbia, 1996)[6CD] – box set Tapestry – The Blue Note Cover Series (Blue Note, 1997) Miles Davis, Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968 (Columbia, 1998)[6CD] – box set Weather Report, Live and Unreleased (Columbia, 2002)[2CD] – compilation Weather Report, Forecast: Tomorrow (Columbia, 2006)[3CD + DVD-Video] – compilation Three Days of Rain (Sunnyside, 2006) – rec. 2001 V.A., Miles from India (Times Square, 2008)[2CD]

As a member New York City Horns Incognito, Beneath the Surface (Talkin' Loud, 1996)

As conductor McCoy Tyner Big Band The Turning Point (Verve, 1992) – rec. 1991 Journey (Verve, 1993)

Others Paquito D'Rivera, 100 Years of Latin Love Songs (Heads Up, 1998)

Grammy Awards 1997: Best Historical Album for Miles Davis & Gil Evans, The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (with Phil Schaap) 1997: Best Album Notes for Miles Davis & Gil Evans, The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (with Bill Kirchner, George Avakian & Phil Schaap) 1999: Best Album Notes for Miles Davis, Miles Davis Quintet 1965–1968 (with Michael Cuscuna & Todd Coolman)