Sam McNally
Keyboardist/performer/
recording artist/
music producer/
music educator
“Sam’s consummate artistry has made
him an indispensable commodity”
- journalist Michael Smith
(The Drum Media, Sydney music weekly)
“Sam is a soulful, dedicated artist - a great inspiration”
- Australian guitar giant, Tommy Emmanuel
(www.tommyemmanuel.com)
"Sam is one of the most dedicated, hard-working musicians I know:
he's extremely passionate about producing high quality recordings and
live shows. His background is so extensive that I’d need to
devote another whole website to him!"
- David Jones, Australian
'Master Drummer'/percussionist/educator
(www.davidjonesdrums.com.au)
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Sam McNally is one of Australia’s best and most
experienced pianists/keyboard-players, having
been at the forefront of the Australian music
scene for over 20 years, as a player, recording
and touring musician, and producer.
“Studio Keyboard Player of the Year” in 1990
(Music Week magazine) and a Top 5 Finalist for
"Best Jazz Artist" (MusicOz Awards, 2004), Sam has worked
with Tommy Emmanuel, John Farnham, Sharon O'Neill,
Air Supply, Marcia Hines, Tim Finn (Crowded House) and
international acts (sax man) Dave Koz, Seals & Croft,
US guitarist Louie Shelton, (Canadian) George Fox
and renowned soul singer, Percy Sledge.
Sam was a founding member of 70’s soul/pop group Stylus,
the only Australian artists ever released by
Motown Records (Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie)
in the USA. Stylus toured with George Benson,
Average White Band, Ike & Tina Turner, and
Australia’s “Little River Band”.
Japan’s Toshiba-EMI re-issued 3 Stylus CD’s
in 1998/99, along-side other "white soul" acts like
Boz Scaggs and Hall & Oates (from the same era).
In addition to working with bands and vocal artists,
Sam has, since 1981 been composing his own material
for CD's and for film/sountrack and radio commercials.
As 'Song 1st Productions' he has co-written countless
radio jingles with colleague Greg McCosker, plus some
film soundtracks. Song 1st's clients have included Sydney
Metro, Vodafone, Digiplus, Regal Australia
and radio 2UE.
In 2002 Sam worked as a senior lecturer at Malaysia’s
Sedaya College University (contemporary music
faculty), in Kuala Lumpur, utilizing his immense hands-on experience in the music education environment.
“Jubilation” is Sam's current Smooth Jazz/Electric Jazz CD, comprising much of his own material and featuring guitar great Tommy Emmanuel on the title track, and uber drummer David Jones. The CD also features a unique reading of U2’s “Still Haven’t Found” and the classic "San Jose", amongst so many more great funky/jazzy/bluesy tracks.
In 2005 Sam took his “Blues Solution” band to Beijing, China for the opening of the new “Icehouse” club, near Tianenmen Square, resulting in an avalanche of opportunities in the Peoples' Republic. This was followed, in 2006, by contract at "True Color" in Shenzhen, China.
Sam is currently working with singer-songwriter
Clint Crighton, soul/funk boss Doug Williams,
and New Zealand singer-songwriter Jo Elms.
Recently he has played on recordings by
Mark Lucas, Carter & Carter, Luella and
many more artists. He has also produced albums
for Nigel G-Jones (UK) and Joy Joy (Japan).
2006 saw the release of "Peace Entourage" an
album of solo piano and electric piano ambient
pieces, for the purposes of meditation and peace
music. 2007 commenced with a performance at
the prestigious JAVA JAZZ FESTIVAL, Jakarta, at
which Sam appeared with players from Kuala Lumpur as well as Australia.
In 2007, Sam travelled to Los Angeles, California to record with Clint Crighton, and to Shenzhen, China again for a number of projects, including another contract at True Color in Dongmen, with Australian Idol artist, Roshani, concluding on January 27, 2008.
In 2008, Sam has been working in Sydney, Kuala Lumpur, Los Angeles and Jakarta Indonesia.