Dave Grusin

Dave Grusin, the American composer, arranger, and jazz pianist, has had one of the most versatile careers in film and television music, bridging Hollywood scoring with his roots in jazz and pop. He first made his mark in television during the 1960s and 1970s, writing memorable themes for series like The Name of the Game, It Takes a Thief, Maude, and St. Elsewhere, placing him alongside contemporaries like Lalo Schifrin, Henry Mancini, and Quincy Jones in shaping the sound of American TV.

In cinema, Grusin’s lush and sophisticated style graced films such as Sydney Pollack’s Tootsie, Three Days of the Condor, The Firm, and Absence of Malice, as well as Robert Redford’s The Milagro Beanfield War, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Original Score. His romantic and lyrical approach also defined scores for On Golden Pond, Heaven Can Wait, Falling in Love, and Havana. Beyond composing, Grusin co-founded GRP Records with Larry Rosen, pioneering the digital recording era and nurturing jazz artists like Lee Ritenour and Diane Schuur. With multiple Grammys, an Oscar, and an Emmy to his name, Dave Grusin stands as a rare figure who seamlessly wove jazz sophistication into the fabric of both film and television music.

Featured in Soundtracks

• The Fabulous Baker Boys
• The Firm
• The Goonies
• The Graduate