Kenneth Lee Ascher (born October 26, 1944 in Washington, D.C.) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger who is active in jazz, rock, classical, and musical theater genres — in live venues, recording studios, and cinema production. With Paul Williams, he wrote the song "Rainbow Connection" for The Muppet Movie. Both Williams and Ascher received Oscar nominations for the 1979 Academy Awards for Best Original Song ("Rainbow Connection") and Best Original Score (The Muppet Movie Soundtrack). The song was also nominated for the Golden Globes for "Best Original Song" that same year.
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Cedar Walton
American hard bop jazz pianist
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George Shearing
British-American jazz pianist
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Paul Humphrey
American musician
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Albert Heath
American drummer
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Carmen McRae
American jazz musician and actress
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Mike Melvoin
American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger (1937-2012)
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Eddie Bert
American musician
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Walter Booker
American jazz double-bassist
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Tom Scott
American jazz musician
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Kenny Wheeler
Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player
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Dennis Budimir
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Joe Zawinul
Austrian composer and pianist
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Dave Grusin
American composer, arranger, producer, and pianist
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Marty Morell
American musician
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Chris Karan
Greek Australian musician
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Ernie Watts
American jazz musician
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Victor Feldman
English recording artist; jazz musician, vibraphonist
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Marvin Stamm
American trumpeter
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Joe Sample
American pianist
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Dave Holland
British musician
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Bob Brookmeyer
American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer
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Kenny Dorham
American jazz trumpeter, singer, and composer
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Bennie Maupin
American musician
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Johnny Griffin
American musician
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Charlie Persip
American jazz drummer
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Paul Williams
American composer, singer, songwriter and actor
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Don Menza
American saxophonist
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Frank Wess
American saxophonist and flautist, composer and arranger
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Tony Coe
British jazz musician
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Leon "Ndugu" Chancler
American musician
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Curtis Fuller
American jazz musician
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Modern Jazz Quartet
American jazz ensemble
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Billy Higgins
American jazz drummer
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Miroslav Vitouš
Czech bass guitarist, jazz musician and contrabassist
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The Jazz Messengers
American jazz band
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Freddie Waits
American musician
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James Blood Ulmer
American jazz and blues guitarist and singer
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Panama Francis
American musician
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Bob James
smooth jazz keyboardist and composer
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Wilton Felder
American musician
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Bob Cranshaw
American musician
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Charlie Fowlkes
American musician
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Kai Winding
Danish-born American jazz musician and trombonist
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Larry Bunker
American musician
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Ralph Towner
American musician
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Kenny Barron
American jazz pianist
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Mickey Roker
American jazz drummer
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Louis Hayes
American drummer
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Red Mitchell
American jazz double-bassist, composer, lyricist, and poet
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Tete Montoliu
Spanish jazz musician and pianist (1933-1997)
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Kenny Burrell
American jazz guitarist
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Richard Tee
American musician
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Joe Henderson
American jazz tenor saxophonist
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Jerome Richardson
American jazz multi-instrumentalist
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Tony Williams
American jazz drummer
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Jimmy Woode
American bassist
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Herbie Hancock
American pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, composer and actor
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Chuck Findley
American musician
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Harvie S
American musician
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George Coleman
American musician
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Michał Urbaniak
Polish musician
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Burt Collins
American trumpeter and musician
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Clifford Jordan
American jazz saxophone player
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Barry Galbraith
American guitarist
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Randy Brecker
American flugelhorn and trumpet player (1945-)
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Al Foster
American musician
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Rick Marotta
American musician
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Wayne Andre
American trombonist
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Sam Jones
American double bassist and cellist
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Denny Zeitlin
American pianist
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Eddie Harris
American jazz musician, saxophonist
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Kenny Drew
American jazz pianist
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Eddie Gomez
Puerto Rican bassist
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Bill Watrous
American trombonist
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Blood, Sweat & Tears
American rock music band
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Barry Altschul
American drummer
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Art Blakey
American jazz drummer and bandleader