Gruska, Jay (23rd April 1953-Present)

He is a vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, producer and composer born in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, until returning to Los Angeles, California, when he was 9 years old.

Working in the industry since the 1970s he released his first album Gruska on Gruska in 1974 with the production being done by Michael Omartian . Which One of Us Is Me later followed this in 1984. He was also active as the lead singer and pianist of Maxus from 1981 and spent a brief period with Three Dog Night in 1976.

He has worked with countless artists during the course of his career that include Larry Carlton, David Cassidy, Shaun Cassidy, David Foster, Jermaine Jackson, Abraham Laboriel, Steve Lukather, Glenn Medeiros, Mike Porcaro and Carlos Vega .

As a songwriter he has often worked in collaboration with the composer Paul Gordon and together they saw success with their chart-topping Friends and Lovers. Another song he saw songwriting success with was “What You Are Missing” which was a hit for Chicago. Many other artists such as Amy Grant, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Juice Newton, Robert Palmer. The Pointer Sisters, Dusty Springfield, Three Dog Night and Deniece Williams have recorded his songs.

He decided to go to university to take a course in film composing and this has led him to working as a successful film and TV composer. Some of his work for TV and film as a composer/producer and/or arranger include the Emmy nominated Falcone, Beverly Hills 90210, Charmed, Cocoon, Commando, The Division, Hack, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Mo’ Money, Par Six, The Principal. Shadow Dancing, Sisters, Supernatural, That’s Life, Thirtysomething and Waiting for Woody.

Here’s “Baby Theme” from his album, Which One of Us is Me…

Sources:

Gruska, Jay (23rd April 1953-Present)

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