SPECIAL EFX feat Chieli Minucci with special guest Lao Tizer

Guitarist, composer, producer, and arranger Chieli Minucci is the longtime leader of the Grammy-nominated jazz-fusion group SPECIAL EFX featuring Chieli Minucci, a major force on the contemporary jazz and world music scene for more than four decades. Renowned for his signature guitar sound, dynamic compositions, and genre-blending style, Minucci has helped shape modern jazz fusion through an acclaimed career filled with chart-topping releases, international touring, and award-winning productions.

On Thursday, August 20, 2026, SPECIAL EFX featuring Chieli Minucci will close the 2026 Branford Jazz Concert Series with a special performance from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. behind Branford Town Hall. Joining the group as special guest is internationally acclaimed keyboardist Lao Tizer, alongside an all-star lineup featuring saxophonist David Mann, bassist David Livolsi, and drummer Tony Lewis.

Chieli Minucci recently released “THE HITS,” the first full Special EFX album in three years. The ambitious collection features 14 tracks, including remastered fan favorites, chart-topping classics from the group’s multi-decade career, brand-new material, and several surprises celebrating the legacy of Special EFX. He also recently released “Marbella,” his third collaboration with renowned producer Paul Brown, as well as “Been So Long,” a co-write featuring American Idol finalist Elliott Yamin and saxophonist Eric Marienthal.

SPECIAL EFX continues to dominate the contemporary jazz charts. Their 2025 single “Meant to Be” reached #1 on Billboard, while 2024’s “Cool Summer” simultaneously topped five different charts and reached #1 on Billboard Contemporary Jazz. Other chart-topping hits from the group’s celebrated catalog include “Dreams,” “Seduction,” “Cruise Control,” “Blue Lagoon,” “Till the End of Time,” and “Lavish.”

Additional recent projects from Minucci include “Return to Budapest With Love,” a restored live concert recording from Special EFX’s early European tours; the acoustic-oriented solo release “Someone’s Singing”; and the 40th anniversary Special EFX recording “Twenty Twenty 2.” Earlier releases have also earned critical acclaim, including “Deep as the Night,” which received Billboard Magazine’s 2018 Best Song of the Year honors.

Beyond his work with Special EFX, Chieli Minucci has recorded and performed with a remarkable list of artists including Celine Dion, Lou Reed, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Michael Bolton, Jewel, Rupert Holmes, Eartha Kitt, Eddie Fisher, and many others. He has also collaborated extensively with leading contemporary jazz artists such as Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Maysa, Bernie Williams, Marion Meadows, Rick Braun, Gerald Veasley, Omar Hakim, and Lao Tizer.

A gifted television and film composer, Minucci has earned three Emmy Awards and ten Emmy nominations for his diverse compositional work. His music has appeared in films including “No Country for Old Men,” “Bowfinger,” “Legally Blonde,” and “Panic,” while his original scores have also been featured in stage productions including “Peter Pan,” “Dora the Explorer,” and “Thomas the Tank Engine.”

Special guest Lao Tizer is one of today’s rising stars in world-fusion jazz. Known for blending jazz, funk, rock, Latin, and world influences, Tizer’s music has drawn comparisons to pioneering fusion groups such as Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Weather Report. His internationally touring ensemble, The Lao Tizer Band, has received acclaim worldwide and earned recognition as “Jazz Group of the Year.” His release “Songs From The Swinghouse” debuted near the top of the Billboard Jazz Album Chart, while his 2025 release “Amplify,” featuring Elliott Yamin, further showcased his genre-crossing style and contemporary appeal.

The evening’s supporting lineup features some of the industry’s most respected musicians. Bassist David Livolsi has performed with artists including John Scofield, Roberta Flack, Najee, Chuck Loeb, Sam Rivers, and Nelson Rangell. Drummer Tony Lewis, a veteran performer for over 50 years, has worked across jazz, rock, soul, and hip-hop with artists ranging from Dizzy Gillespie and Sting to Little Richard and Rakim. Saxophonist David Mann has performed and recorded with James Taylor, The Eagles, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Sting, Lady Gaga, Pat Metheny, Tower of Power, and Blood, Sweat & Tears, appearing on more than 1,000 commercially released recordings.

This promises to be a memorable and electrifying finale to the 2026 Branford Jazz Concert Series—an evening of world-class musicianship, innovation, and contemporary jazz excellence under the summer sky.