Responding to longtime fan demand and decades of chart-topping success, Emmy-winning guitarist Chieli Minucci has assembled a definitive collection from his GRAMMY®-nominated jazz fusion group Special EFX. Titled The Hits, the Chieli Music release gathers the majority of the band’s No. 1 Billboard singles, remastered fan favorites, and three brand-new songs into one celebratory package. The album arrives as one of its new tracks, “Marbella,” is poised to enter the Top 40 on both the Billboard and Mediabase Smooth Jazz charts.
Nearly 45 years ago, Minucci co-founded Special EFX with Hungarian percussionist George Jinda. Though Jinda passed away in 2002, Minucci has continued to evolve and lead the band, preserving its signature blend of world music textures, contemporary jazz sophistication, and blues-tinged grooves. In recent years, Minucci noticed that while audiences enthusiastically attend Special EFX concerts, many are less familiar with the band’s newer recordings — a reflection of the shrinking number of contemporary jazz radio stations. With frequent requests to “play the hits,” he curated The Hits to satisfy both nostalgia and discovery, giving fans a cohesive collection that honors the band’s legacy while introducing fresh material.
Mining Special EFX’s expansive 25-album catalog, Minucci selected seven of the group’s eight No. 1 Billboard hits for inclusion. Four additional fan favorites were remixed and refreshed, breathing new life into beloved tracks. Minucci wrote and produced 13 of the album’s 14 songs, including three new compositions that extend the band’s signature sound into new territory.
Leading the new material is the Spain-inspired single “Marbella,” a rousing, sun-drenched groove that captures the romance and warmth of the Mediterranean coast. The track features saxophonist Michael Paulo and was produced by two-time GRAMMY® winner Paul Brown. Minucci describes Marbella, Spain as his fantasy vacation destination and notes that the song’s melodies were written against its rhythmic backing groove. Paulo’s heartfelt sax solo adds emotional depth and lyrical elegance, elevating the track’s celebratory feel. Minucci remains optimistic that audiences will connect with the song’s beauty and spirit.
The project also features an impressive lineup of GRAMMY® winners and nominees, Billboard hitmakers, and renowned musicians, including Warren Hill, Eric Marienthal, Elan Trotman, Nicholas Cole, Elliott Yamin, Lin Rountree, Oli Silk, David Mann, Roger Smith, Roberto Vally, Greg Vail, Shane Theriot, Ron King, Omar Hakim, and Lionel Cordew, underscoring the collaborative depth and prestige surrounding the release.
Special EFX earned a GRAMMY® nomination for their 1985 album Modern Manners, cementing their place in the evolution of contemporary jazz fusion. Over the decades, the band’s global influences and melodic accessibility have made them a mainstay on the Billboard charts and international stages.
Based in New York City, Minucci maintains a relentless touring schedule, performing throughout the United States and abroad in various Special EFX configurations. This year, he will tour Canada and parts of the U.S. as a featured guest with Hungary’s top jazz fusion band, Djabe, and appears on their upcoming album Butterflies. He is also featured on percussionist Curtis McCain’s forthcoming single “Oceanside,” set for release this summer.
A prodigious and versatile guitarist, Minucci has played or recorded with major international artists including Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel, Marc Anthony, Michael Bolton, Eartha Kitt, and Eddie Fisher. Within contemporary jazz circles, he has collaborated with luminaries such as Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Rick Braun, Maysa, Marion Meadows, and Mindi Abair.
Beyond recording and touring, Minucci is a three-time Emmy Award winner who has composed music for film, television, and theater. His credits include the Academy Award-winning film No Country for Old Men, as well as Bowfinger, Legally Blonde, Panic, Peter Pan, and children’s favorites Dora the Explorer and Thomas & Friends.
The Hits track list includes: “Uptown East,” “Blue Lagoon,” “Cool Summer,” “Kickin’ It Hard,” “Waterfall,” “Lavish,” “You Make Me Blue,” “Meant To Be,” “Dreams,” “Been So Long,” “Marbella,” “Passions,” “Till The End Of Time,” and “Cruise Control.”
Praised by Cultuurmania as “a beautiful album… a chance to get acquainted with the oeuvre of Chieli Minucci & Special EFX,” The Hits stands as both a celebration of an enduring musical legacy and a vibrant reminder that the band’s sound continues to evolve, inspire, and chart new territory.
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