Lee Curreri

“Lee Curreri is the reason I got my first keyboard.” Hans Zimmer, Academy Award winning composer.

Composer, music producer and keyboardist Lee Curreri became an international sensation as the star of the acclaimed motion picture and television series “Fame.” Playing the intense keyboard prodigy “Bruno,” a role that closely matched his own background and abilities, Lee was also involved in the music for the long running series. Born in the Bronx, NY, Lee studied his craft at the Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College of Music and Westchester Conservatory prior to being cast by director Alan Parker for Fame.

The television series brought Lee to Los Angeles where his personal take on pop, jazz and classical styles made him in demand to score music for a number of other television projects when he wasn’t on the set or recording studio. Soon after coming to the West Coast, Lee’s musical talents were discovered by Bobby Colomby, A&R for Capitol Records at the time, and the former drummer for “Blood, Sweat, and Tears.” Colomby introduced Lee to recording artist Natalie Cole, recommending he produce Natalie on her “Good To Be Back” album. The success of that project lead to Lee going on to produce a host of artists, including Nicolette Larson, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Jon Hassell, Robert Downey Jr., and Phil Perry.

While in the studio producing records, Lee continued to compose for film and television and play keyboards and synthesizers for many other artists. He formed the TV/film music production company “Xacca Sounds,” scoring MTV’s edgy “Liquid Television” series, several animated programs including “Littlest Pet Shop” and “GI Joe Extreme”, and several top flight national commercials for clients such as Nike, Taco Bell and Frutopia. “Xacca” is the Greek spelling of the town in Sicily, Sciacca, where his paternal grandfather Leonard was born. The maternal side of his family hails from Sannicandro di Bari, Italy.

Lee’s profile in the LA music scene has continued to rise. Later he scored a number of episodes of David E. Kelley’s highly rated series “Chicago Hope” and worked on Robert Altman’s acclaimed anthology series “Gun.” Through his close association with Hans Zimmer’s Media Ventures, Lee was introduced to producer Jerry Bruckheimer and became composer for the Simpson/Bruckheimer series “Dangerous Minds” and “SOF.” Lee’s reputation as a cutting edge contemporary writer brought him back into commercials and he composed spots for boutique music house Volume, including high-profile national campaigns for Microsoft Network, Turner Broadcasting and Toyota.

After years of scoring, record producing and performance work, Lee has taken time to compose and produce the first full length CD of his own original music, the transcendental, rhythmic-soul project, “Aquabox,” which has been aptly tagged “the evolution will not be televised.” Recently, he has composed music for projects such as “Winning the Peace,” a short film that won “Best Score” at the Rhode Island International Film Festival, “I Tried,” a movie starring the members of Bone Thugs’n’Harmony, “The Ground Truth: After the Killing Ends,” “Meskada,” a mystery crime drama starring Nick Stahl, and TV’s “Dr. Oz.” Lee also had the pleasure of working with his childhood idle, Carole King, on “A Holiday Carole,” arranging, and playing horns and keyboards. Lately, he has been enjoying producing and playing with the Italian pop group “Mode,” a collection of talented musicians based in Southeastern Sicily.