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Tommy Vicari

Tommy Vicari
Birth nameThomas Vicari
Born (1948-08-24) August 24, 1948 (age 76)
Erie, Pennsylvania
Occupations

Thomas Vicari (born August 24, 1948) is an American recording engineer, mixing engineer, record producer[1][2] and scoring mixer known for his work with Quincy Jones, Gino Vannelli, Nicholas Britell, Thomas Newman, Prince, George Duke and Barbra Streisand.[3] He was the sound mixer for TV shows and films including Six Feet Under, The Newsroom, Behind the Candelabra, Phantom of the Paradise, Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, Wall-E and Road to Perdition.[4][5]

He has been the sound mixer for the Oscars telecast since 1996, commissioned by that year's executive producer, Quincy Jones.[4][6] Vicari has won two Grammy Awards,[7] eight Emmy Awards [5][8][9][10] and two Cinema Audio Society Awards.[11][12]

Early life

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Vicari grew up in Southern California. His mother was a singer and his uncles were musicians, exposing him to artists like Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole from an early age. During his teenage years, he was drawn by artists of the British Invasion, especially The Beatles.[4]

Career

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Vicari started his career at Capitol Records in the early 1970s. After completing a three-month engineering apprenticeship program at A&M Studios, he became assistant engineer and later recording engineer. During his time at A&M, Vicari recorded artists including Barbra Streisand, Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell.

After four years at A&M, Vicari became staff engineer at Sound Labs. In 1976, he became an independent engineer, recording at different locations including Conway Recording Studios, Record Plant and Lion Share Recording Studios.[13][14] Vicari was executive producer and recording engineer on Prince's 1978 debut album For You, recorded at Record Plant in Sausalito, California.[15][16][17]

Vicari worked on film since the early stages of his career. In 1971, he was credited as part of the sound department on Joe Cocker's concert film Mad Dogs & Englishmen. He was scoring mixer on the 1974 film Phantom of the Paradise directed by Brian De Palma and the 1976 film A Star Is Born directed by Frank Pierson.[4]

In 1996, he was commissioned by Quincy Jones, executive producer of the 68th Academy Awards, to mix the sound for the telecast. Vicari continues to mix the live orchestra at the Academy Awards ceremony to this day.[6][18]

After mixing the 68th Academy Awards, Vicari mixed a track composed by Thomas Newman for the 1998 film Meet Joe Black, directed by Martin Brest. The track was ultimately not used in the film. In 2001, Vicari mixed the main theme for the TV series Six Feet Under, also composed by Newman. Vicari continued working with Newman on films including Cinderella Man, Jarhead, Wall-E and Bridge of Spies.[4]

In March 2005, Vicari founded his own production company, Vicari Sound Organization (VSO).[19] The 2019 album Almost Midnight by Italian artist Filippo Perbellini was produced by Vicari for VSO and features Abraham Laboriel on bass, Steve Ferrone on drums, Luis Conte on percussion.[20]

A significant part of Vicari's career has been dedicated to working with Italian artists including Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, Pino Daniele, Umberto Tozzi, Raf and Giorgia.[3] He is credited on the albums Dove c'è musica by Eros Ramazzotti and La mia risposta by Laura Pausini, both of which reached number 1 on the Italian Albums Chart[21][22] and on "Tutto Tozzi" by Umberto Tozzi which was gold certified by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.[23]

Awards

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Grammy Awards

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Year Title Artist Category Role Result
1975 Powerful People Gino Vannelli Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical Engineer Nominated
1976 Storm At Sunup Gino Vannelli Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical Engineer Nominated
1984 Bossa Nova Hotel Michael Sembello Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical Engineer Nominated
1997 Q's Jook Joint Quincy Jones Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical Engineer Won
2007 That Phat Pack Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Best Engineered Recording, Non-Classical Engineer Nominated
2015 Life In The Bubble Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album Engineer Won

[7]

Emmy Awards

[edit]
Year Nominated Work Category Network Result
1996 68th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
1997 69th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Won
1998 70th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Won
1999 71st Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2000 72nd Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2001 73rd Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Won
2003 75th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2004 76th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2005 77th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special or Animation ABC Nominated
2006 78th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special or Animation ABC Won
2007 79th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2008 80th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2011 83rd Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety or Music Series or Special ABC Nominated
2012 84th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Won
2013 85th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
Behind the Candelabra Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie HBO Won
2014 86th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2015 87th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2016 88th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2017 89th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2018 90th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2019 91st Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated
2020 92nd Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Won
2023 Succession: Connor's Wedding Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One-Hour) HBO Nominated
2024 96th Academy Awards Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special ABC Nominated

[5][8][9][10][24]

Cinema Audio Society Awards

[edit]
Year Nominated Work Category Role Result
2014 Behind the Candelabra Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Picture - Live Action Scoring mixer Won
2016 Bridge of Spies Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Picture - Live Action Scoring mixer Nominated
2017 Finding Dory Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Motion Picture - Animated Scoring mixer Won

[11][25][12]

Online Film & Television Association Awards

[edit]
Year Nominated Work Category Network Result
2014 Behind the Candelabra Best Sound in a Non-Series HBO Nominated
2014 The 85th Annual Academy Awards Best Sound in a Non-Series ABC Nominated

[26]

References

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  1. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1977-03-12.
  2. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1983-03-12.
  3. ^ a b "Tommy Vicari | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Tommy Vicari on 'Road to Perdition'". CineMontage. 2019-02-15. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  5. ^ a b c "Scoring Mixer/Recording Engineer/Producer Tommy Vicari Continues to Be on Top of His Game". Mixonline. 2015-11-05. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  6. ^ a b "For Mixing, The Oscars Go to Tommy Vicari". ProSoundNetwork.com. 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  7. ^ a b "Tommy Vicari". GRAMMY.com. 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  8. ^ a b "09/07/16 Multi-EMMY & Multi-GRAMMY Recording Engineer TOMMY VICARI". Vinyl Night. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  9. ^ a b "Tommy Vicari". Television Academy. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  10. ^ a b "Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Miniseries Or A Movie Nominees / Winners 2004". Television Academy. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  11. ^ a b "50th Awards Winners – Cinema Audio Society". Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  12. ^ a b "CAS 53rd Annual Awards WINNERS – Cinema Audio Society". 22 February 2017. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  13. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1985-09-21.
  14. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1985-12-28.
  15. ^ "For You - Prince | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  16. ^ "Prince "Originals" Mastered at Bernie's with Niko Bolas". Mixonline. 2019-06-25. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  17. ^ Draper, Jason. (2011). Prince : chaos, disorder, and revolution. Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation. (1st ed.). New York: Backbeat Books/Hal Leonard Corp. ISBN 978-1-4584-2941-4. OCLC 946707267.
  18. ^ "Capitol Studios Hosts Orchestra Sessions for Oscars for 20th Straight Year". Music Connection Magazine. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  19. ^ "VICARI SOUND ORGANIZATION, INC., C2700443 - COMPANIES-NUMBER.COM". companies-number.com. Retrieved 2020-03-26.
  20. ^ ♫ Almost Midnight - Filippo Perbellini. Listen @cdbaby, retrieved 2020-03-26
  21. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1998-11-07. p. 50.
  22. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1996-09-21.
  23. ^ "Certificazioni - FIMI". www.fimi.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2020-03-29.
  24. ^ "2020 Emmy Nominations Announcement". Television Academy. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  25. ^ "MOTION PICTURE — ANIMATED - CAS Sound Mixing Awards: The Complete Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. 20 February 2016. Retrieved 2020-03-24.
  26. ^ "17th Annual TV Awards (2012-13) - Online Film & Television Association". Retrieved 2020-03-24.