Credit

Producer

Composer

Affiliation

Songwriter

Musician

STEVEN SPIELBERG

Close Encounters

I wasn’t an actor ?! I wonder what this was about? I got there and someone who seemed to know what was going on – told me to put on these 2 pieces clothing – a shirt and a kind of jacket -and then I left the dressing room only to be told that I put the 2 shirts on in the wrong order – they needed to be reversed -an auspicious beginning to be sure. I was taken to a keyboard that had the 88 keys connected to long pieces of wood operated by 8 stagehands that were moving the keys – if you remember the famous scene in the movie playing the famous 5 note John Williams scene that eventually the Mother Ship made the notes go crazy on their own – Mr. Spielberg asks me to lift my hands an the stage guys were frantically pushing and pulling the wood stems to move the notes – and Steven Spielberg had us do it over and over and over and no one dared say a word as he was figuring out the order and sequence – so I took direction from the great director and helped make First Contact. And by the way – an Actor cannot play a musical instrument in a movie unless he is also a member of the musicians union – so that is how I got to work with Stephen Spielberg.

 

THREE DOG NIGHT

Touring Keyboardist

We started out for Washington DC on July 3 rd leaving in our bus from N’Orleans -17 hrs WASHINGTON MONUMENT and RINGO STARR MIAMI BEACH. Later we arrived and rejoined our current touring partners The Beach Boys, Hank Williams Jr. and Flo and Eddie (from the Turtles) We played in front of 600,000 people in front of Washington Monument July 4, 1984 and were scheduled to play in Miami beach celebration later that same night.

But Hank Williams Jr played 1/2 hr longer that he was allowed and we were delayed. When we landed in Miami beach we were given a police escort from the airport to the 200,000 people waiting on the beach and when the bus parked there was a police-lined path for us to literally run across the sand to the stage – for a brief 5 minutes I got to feel like a Beatle and not 5 minutes later when we arrived at the Beach – none other than Ringo Starr was on stage running late with his set. We ran on the stage and I sat down at the keys and the next thing I knew I was jamming with a Beatle!

All together I played for over 800,000 screaming happy music fans that July 4rth – what a birthday for America.

PRINCE/STEVIE NICKS

Studio Musician

STANDBACK I had actually met Stevie Nicks many moons ago in Aspen, CO. when Marty Rodgers and I were keeping some very long hours producing some of our songs from the Bluefield/Rogers Catalog. One day in walks a very stoned hippie girl with moccasins and feathers who told us she was a singer and wanted to hang out – I of course, with my keen judge of human character, told her no and she left never to be seen or heard from again until roughly 20 years later as THE Stevie Nicks recording the soon to be hit song STANDBACK! I got a call to show up at A&M Studios with grammy-winning engineer Shelly Yakus and the young up and coming producer Jimmy Iovine who wanted a drum sound from the DMX drum machine, as well as some overdubs on the brand new state of the art Oberheim OBX synth – for the same hippie girl from 20 years ago. I asked her if she remembered being asked to leave that studio so many years ago and she replied‘ I’ve been kicked out of so many studios I’m sure yours was one of them.’ Mick Fleetwood -the famous drummer from Fleetwood Mac was also in the studio and he was listening only as I was going to play the drums on the DMX ! Later that same session during the Synth overdub, Prince showed up and he and I together played the synth on the song – I played the chords you can hear his part as the 8th note up beats in the upper octaves during the chorus- that really made the song.You can hear Prince @54 on the timeline while I played the 8th synth bass and chords at the bottom and middle in a duet with a true superstar! – he will surely be missed.

CLIO – “IT COULD HAPPEN”

Composer Arranger Producer

Clio Award Winning PSA

When director Kurt MacCarley contacted me to do music for a PSA he was shooting we had no idea that it would win such a prestigious honor.We scored to picture that had a scene of Terri Garr as a housewife and her kids piling into their car to go somewhere.

As they backed out of the driveway the scene shifted to a bar and patron slamming down the end of a drink and grabbing his keys. Then the picture showed both cars headed towards each other and the moment of contact they barely missed.

“It Could Happen” would play interspersed with trailers for years in the movie theaters around the country – and hopefully it could happen didn’t happen less because of it. Thank you Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.

AWARDS

Achievements

Dave (Marc Mann) won a Clio for M.A.D.D. PSA.

“It could happen”, the Grand-Prize (w Marty Rodgers) at the Yamaha International World Popular Song Festival -beating over 2000 entries from over 52 countries – (including Rupert Holmes “Pina -Colada song” and Christopher Cross “Sailing”).

He served as judge for the prestigious L.A,. Songwriter contest run by the late John Braheny, won 2 Special Achievement Awards from Presidents of the United States as Director of the American Music Project -recording music for 22 million school kids and performing for underprivileged Native Americans – and most recentlyTom Kahre (a charter member of the Bluefield-Bandwidth)-won a Grammy as a recording engineer.

AMERICAN MUSIC PROJECT

MOST POPULAR & BEST SELLER

Dave’s proudest achievement is the American Music Project – created by the great humanitarian Don Drowty and Herb Albert helping to create an album heard by 22 million kids in 71 thousand schools in a desperate attempt to keep music appreciation central to education. Roy Rogers,Dale Evans and Iron -Eyes Cody introduce the songs and Rita Coolidge, Garth Brooks, Mel Blanc ( Bugs Bunny) and Don McLean take turns singing Nursery Rhymes – immediately following are the instrumental versions for Kids to learn how to singalong.

WARNER BROS BAND

Keys, Arrangements, Songwriting

Dave was the signed as the main writer for WB recording artists KINDRED 2 albums – Produced by Chuck Negron the lead singer for Three Dog Night the top group in the world with mega hits “Joy to the World” and “Celebrate”.

Personnel was Dave Bluefield keys, Marty Rodgers vocals and songwriter, Bernie Mysior Bass, Gloria Gaioni vocals and great dancer (Shindig) and Ron Grinel drums – Sandy Szigeti (RIP) guitarist was replaced by Bobby Cochran nephew of the great rocker Eddie Cochran, Ron was replaced by Jimi Ericsson.

The band toured with Three Dog Night and opened for them and was seen by an estimated 500,000 folks, many of whom went to their local record stores (yes, back when Vinyl ruled) only to find Kindred was not on the shelves! When our management was transferred from Joe Sutton (Ricky Nelson and Neil Diamond) to Reb Foster and Assoc (Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf) – Foster had a great relationship with Dunhill Records(who was Three Dogs company) but zero with Warner Bros.. What this meant to us 22 yr old. Rock star wannabees was that without that critical timing to match the records in the stores with the city where the concert and local radio station interviews were -without any distribution -meant we missed sales and lost out as “neverbees”.

We surely had a GREEAAAT (Tony the Tiger) time and got to see the world as well as cement relationships that would last 40+years, but oh what might have been if we weren’t relegated to become a classic record biz “write-off”.

We met many of the top acts of the day and were inspired by their talent – other bands besides Three Dog Night were ‘Tim Buckley (RIP), Badfinger, Black Oak Arkansas, Uriah Heep, Steppenwolf, John Mayall, Richard Pryor (yes the amazing genius RIP). After every Three Dog Concert, during their encore Kindred would come on stage and jam with them and a few years later Chuck Negron asked me to join the Band and touring with them I got to play with the Turtles, Gary Pucket and the Union Gap, ‘Spanky and Our Gang, Chicago, the Beach Boys and of course Ringo.

ICE CUBE

Studio Musician

ICE CUBE
Using the signature guitar riff from WB records Kindred album first cut Captain Bobby Stout for his track Cllick clack -get back also appeared in the black Animal House knock-off movie.

STEVE MARTIN/TRACEY ULMAN

Dave was the signed as the main writer for WB recording artists KINDRED 2 albums – Produced by Chuck Negron the lead singer for Three Dog Night the top group in the world with mega hits “Joy to the World” and “Celebrate”.

Personnel was Dave Bluefield keys, Marty Rodgers vocals and songwriter, Bernie Mysior Bass, Gloria Gaioni vocals and great dancer (Shindig) and Ron Grinel drums – Sandy Szigeti (RIP) guitarist was replaced by Bobby Cochran nephew of the great rocker Eddie Cochran, Ron was replaced by Jimi Ericsson.

The band toured with Three Dog Night and opened for them and was seen by an estimated 500,000 folks, many of whom went to their local record stores (yes, back when Vinyl ruled) only to find Kindred was not on the shelves! When our management was transferred from Joe Sutton (Ricky Nelson and Neil Diamond) to Reb Foster and Assoc (Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf) – Foster had a great relationship with Dunhill Records(who was Three Dogs company) but zero with Warner Bros.. What this meant to us 22 yr old. Rock star wannabees was that without that critical timing to match the records in the stores with the city where the concert and local radio station interviews were -without any distribution -meant we missed sales and lost out as “neverbees”.

We surely had a GREEAAAT (Tony the Tiger) time and got to see the world as well as cement relationships that would last 40+years, but oh what might have been if we weren’t relegated to become a classic record biz “write-off”.

We met many of the top acts of the day and were inspired by their talent – other bands besides Three Dog Night were ‘Tim Buckley (RIP), Badfinger, Black Oak Arkansas, Uriah Heep, Steppenwolf, John Mayall, Richard Pryor (yes the amazing genius RIP). After every Three Dog Concert, during their encore Kindred would come on stage and jam with them and a few years later Chuck Negron asked me to join the Band and touring with them I got to play with the Turtles, Gary Pucket and the Union Gap, ‘Spanky and Our Gang, Chicago, the Beach Boys and of course Ringo.

ABC TELEVISION

Composer Arranger

ABC TV promo for their Soap Operas

“There’s more to love in the afternoon”- I was honored to compose and conduct a full orchestra performing with Mary MacGregor (“Torn between two lovers”) she also sang my song (w/ Marty Rodgers) that won the Yamaha International Song Fest of 2000 entries from 52 countries -“Whats the Use”

MARY MACGREGOR

Songwriter & Music Director

Toured the Far East as keyboards and my band “The Hollywood Dodgers” opened for her- The Grand-Prize song “Whats the Use”

THE SILVER FOXES/REACH FOR FITNESS

Reach for Fitness was a very special opportunity to provide the music and the hit song Heart to Heart Hand to Hand a handicapped kids video – with Ann Margaret Cybil Shepard Jane Fonda Betty White John Ritter and Donna Mills and other top celebs providing voice-over – Richard Simmons then wanted to work with me again on the Silver Foxes.

Silver Foxes – A production company in Santa Monica contacted me to create Big Band Swing music for an exercise video for Seniors -only these seniors were Dustin Hoffman’s Dad, Sylvester Stallone’s mom. Al Pacino’s dad and Richard Simmons mom. When my own mom and dad watched and slow- danced together it was a touching moment I will never forget.

IRON EYES CODY

Music Director

The Crying Indian was Iron-Eyes Cody and I had the great pleasure of working with Iron-Eyes for a few years -making special trips to the Indian reservations in US Southwest and playing music for underprivileged Native Americans – that garnered me Special Achievement Awards from 2 US Presidents! He starred in many a movie with John Wayne and he has photos of him with the Pope. I’m glad to fit in there somewhere because he was one of my most inspirational figures

JIMMY BUFFET

Pro Production

Jimmy Buffet actually called me from the Aspen CO phonebook looking for a studio to do pre-production on his upcoming Musical “Don’t Stop the Carnival” starring Steve Martin – my studio was in my house in Aspen on a main street – Jimmy came a day earlier than he had booked and I was taking a nap -and in he walks (cause he thought my house was a storefront!) Boy how professional was that? But of all people he was easily amused and could care less.

PAUL ANKA

Las Vegas Performer

LAS VEGAS

Paul Anka -I was at the Riviera hotel as the extra keyboardist – called the sweetener in the Paul Anka orchestra.

I was at the Riviera hotel as the extra keyboardist – called the sweetener in the Paul Anka orchestra. I was allowed to make up my own parts and add sweetening to the great Paul Anka Book that included such great hits as Put your head on my shoulder and Dianna and even though this book was the size of the NYC phone book with treble clef notes 2 octaves above the top line -that instead of playing the same notes as the strings I played chords instead often with my foot on the volume pedal (or should I say off the volume pedal) in case of a sudden dynamics change – but much to my surprise – the entire set -including Paul Anka’s vocals were pre-recorded -that is how insecure he was or how much he wanted to ensure a good performance – I’ll never know if the notes I chose to play (or not to play) were ever put out into the house.

PAUL WILLIAMS

Las Vegas Performer

LAS VEGAS
Paul Williams

I began this Las Vegas gig where Paul opened for headliner Rachel Welsh at the Caesars Palace, staying at the Riviera hotel but when Paul’s manager had moved me into a Caesars Palace room truly fit for a king (or in this case, a Caesar) – it had a sunken living room and was very special in a gaudy mirror and lights kind of way- they were everywhere. The whole Las Vegas routine messes big time with your internal clock – playing a late show – you wake up early afternoon, hang out at the pool, go to dinner and then the show. But on the last nite of the show where – I should have known better than when I woke up and the lights were out in the hallway, as I made my way down the dark hallway to the Hotel pool. – it just did not register that the clocks were 1/2 hr off. I did my normal routine of walking down to the main show room, going through the kitchen and ending up backstage, but when I got to the stage I was 1/2 hr late and the show was on!!!! It was just about at the end of the third song in the set and I had to get across the stage to the Hammond B3 organ that was set in front of the Bandstand not 2 feet from where Paul was singing.The next song was the world Classic Evergreen (that Paul wrote with the iconic Barbra Streisand) – and just before this he would introduce the Band. I crept behind the Bandstand – walked on the stage and turned on the B3 and looked at the rhythm section of the band – all mouthing at the same where the f-ck were you ? just literally seconds before Paul turned around and introduced me first to the audience – he did not know I missed the first 3 songs of the set ! But his road manager sure did. We finished the tour and I was not invited back and this awkward moment is what helped me to pursue a recording contract with my own band The Hollywood Dodgers in Aspen CO. So all’s well that ends well but that was one close call.

AMBIENT MUSIC

Composer Arranger Producer Keys

“AaRanger in the Rainforest” (Music R1 C4) is heard by 90 mill, people daily in the world of ambient background music. I remember being in between the 2 doors leading into a Coco’s (Restaurant chain) in Downtown Denver when I heard -ever so softly in the background – a flurry of piano runs that sounded familiar – it was me playing “The Better End” and I got real excited and told the folks I was with : “hey that’s me!’ and they said “what?” “where?” – it was that soft but yet my ear and brain were working in sync that day.

It happened again with another cut in a Standard Brands paint store – Maybe it helped create a mood for deciding upon what color to paint a bedroom.

ROBIN WILLIAMS

Mork And Mindy Band

Robin Williams

One of the most fun gigs for The Rhythm & Bluefield Band was as the warm-up for the audiences at the taping of the Mork and Mindy Showstarring Pam Dawber, the super amazing Robin Williams and comic genius Jonathan Winters. As you may or may not know TV sitcoms film more than one show at a taping and there is at least 1/2 hr between the shows so that the lights can cool down. So, being both generous and crazy, Robin Williams and his mentor Jonathan Winters would entertain the studio audience with the most outrageous quick-thinking improv one could imagine. They would start with a broom left out by a stagehand and suddenly in Robin’s hands it was a horse he was riding and he was Monty Python -he then tossed it to Jonathan and it became a sword -and it then it was the end of a vacuum cleaner and so on and so on went the blisteringly fast minds of two of the greatest comic geniuses freely sharing their gifts with the audience and we were all in awe.

RINGO STARR

Concert Keyboardist

On July 4 1984 in Washington DC, Three Dog Night -The Beach Boys – Hank Williams Jr – The Turtles were due in Miami Beach for a nitetime celebration – but we were delayed. When we landed in Miami beach we were given a police escort from the airport to the 200,000 people waiting on the beach and when the bus parked there was a police-lined path for us to literally run across the sand to the stage – for a brief 5 minutes I got to feel like a Beatle and not 5 minutes later when we arrived at the Beach – none other than Ringo Starr was on stage running late with his set. We ran on the stage and I sat down at the keys and the next thing I knew I was jamming with a Beatle!

DON HENLEY/JOHN OATES

PSA Production

When I first moved to Aspen for real and had an amazing apartment with a home recording studio right in the middle of town – I got a very strange call late one night and was asked if I could record a live vocal – I said I guess so (mostly cause it was late and there was minimal traffic outside my window in the heart of town) and the next thing I know it is Don Henley – a hero of mine from the Eagles – in town (where he has his own place) needing to record a PSA for a project very dear to his heart -The Walden Woods Project- a not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting the historic woods in Massachusetts where author/philosopher Henry David Thoreau first championed the concept of land conservation. Henley has chaired the organization’s board of directors since its inception, and now he’s up here in my living room recording his voice. I was just dieing to ask him all kinds of questions about the Eagles and the days at the Troubadour at Los Angeles where he and Glenn Frey would hang out and eventually landed in the Linda Rondstadt band – I was there too, mixing it up but never got the chance to meet until here in this mountain resort town. He left as quickly as he arrived but that did not stop the phone from ringing since apparently word had gotten out that he was recording ‘somewhere”.

I still have the DAT tape we made that night and now all I have to do is find antiquated DAT player to see if there are any remarkable out takes to put on YouTube. Just kidding -it was and is for a noble cause and I am proud to have served this important conservation.

JOHN OATES of the great duo of Hall and Oates moved to Aspen CO and became my neighbor and music compadre in our small mountain town. We met and gigged at Jamie Rosenbergs Great Divide Studio and jammed on stage at a couple of Charity Events at the St.Regis Hotel grand ballroom.

CHEECH & CHONG

Musician & Arranger

Dave arranged and played piano on hit song “FRAMED” prod. by Micahel Verdick (Madonna). Those “crazy” guys performed it live while the band jammed and I can’t tell you how many “takes” were ruined because of the dirty lyrics they would insert – but we got it done and as I look back on my career filled with laughs and good times -this was at the top. Opening for Richard Pryor in San Francisco , playing the piano for a Steve Martin dance skit and of course Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters from “Mork and Mindy”were other moments where my musicianship allowed me into the world of fast-thinking clever comedians.

TV FILM

Composer Arranger Producer

Bluefield-Band-width clients include Warner Bros; Her Alibi (Tom Selleck), MGM; Shanghai Surprise (Sean Penn/Madonna), LAPD (Teri Garr), Health Insurance, Selective Service
as well as many independent film projects such as horror flick The Fanatic (Art Garfunkle) – We’ve worked with all types of budgets.

JIMMY IOVINE

Producer On “Standback”

JIMMY IOVINE– Jimmy Iovine is a record producer best known as the co-founder of Interscope Records and chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M.

He produced Springsteen, John Lennon, U2, Dr.Drey, Eminem – created “Beats” (with Dr.Drey) for Apple and produced “STandBack” for Stevie Nicks on her album “Wild Heart” -where Dave played the OBX synth with Prince and programmed the DMX drums (with Mick Fleetwood in the room).

COMMERCIALS

Composer Arranger Producer

Our music for commercials include 2 national Ads for Pepsico (Frito Lay and Natural Style Potato chips), a video on the History of recorded sound for Panasonic, Suntory Whiskey, US Armed Forces and Kloster Beer of Thailand. We have recently teamed up with a new affiliation – “Jingle Songs” – (Steve Cole Bandwidth Member) with several catchy jingles for business from the busy The Roaring Fork Valley, CO.

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