Jay Berliner (born May 24, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. His television career began at 7 years old on NBC’s The Children’s Hour. He was accompanied by sister Eve and has since been a part of many other shows, including performances at The White House, the Metropolitan Opera, Japan’s 1963 Independence Day celebrations as accompanist for Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, and touring Japan with a banjo soloist. His recordings include Bananas Are Not Created Equal and Romantic Guitars, Erotic Guitars. He also recorded three albums for Nippon-Columbia and three albums for Spanish Music Center Records. Under the pseudonym Chris Valentino, Berliner can also be heard on Romantic Sea of Tranquility. Berliner, who has been a studio musician for almost 50 years, has recorded more than 13,000 sessions for commercials, records, and motion pictures. He was awarded seven NARAS Most Valuable Player Awards as well as the NARAS MVP Virtuoso award in 1986. He has recorded on many Creed Taylor albums, including The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady, Charles Mingus, Ron Carter, George Benson, Stephane Grappeli, George Benson, George Benson, George Benson, George Benson, George Benson, George Benson, George Benson, Stephane Grappeli, Stephane Grappeli’s Uptown Dance and Deodato’s Also Sprach Zarathustra. Berliner has recorded with many singers, including Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Jerry Vale, Astrud Gilroy, Sammy Davis, Jr., Sergio Franchi, Rupert Holmes, Frankie Valli, Debby Borone, Andrea Bocelli, Russell Watson, Harry Connick, Jr., Bernadette Peters, Kristin Chenoweth, Blossom dearie, and LaTanya hall. He was a part of Van Morrison’s 1968 album Astral Weeks and he joined Morrison on November 7th and 8th 2008 to perform Astral Weeks in full at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. In February 2009, Astral Weeks Live At the Hollywood Bowl was released on vinyl LP and CD. Berliner was an original member Rob Fisher’s Coffee Club Orchestra, Garrison Keillor’s American Radio Company, and later City Center’s ENCORES Series. Berliner was also an original member the Guys All-Star Shoe Band, Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion. In the 1960s, he was Harry Belafonte’s guitarist. He played in many venues around the globe. Berliner performed with William Warfield, Earl Wild, and Andrea Velis at Town Hall. He also played with Charles Bressler. They were performing the American premier performance for songs for tenor/guitar by Benjamin Britten and William Walton. He was still playing banjo, mandolin and baritone Ukulele in Chicago’s hit Broadway musical, Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre, as of 2009. Wikipedia
