Larry Mizell

Larry Mizell Jr. (born 17 February 1944, Washington, D.C., USA; raised in Englewood, New Jersey) is an American producer, songwriter, arranger and musician known for his work as one half of The Mizell Brothers production duo, alongside [a=Fonce Mizell].

Mizell began his professional career working within [l=Motown]’s songwriting and production environment, contributing to recordings by artists including [a=The Jackson 5]. During this period, he developed experience in arrangement, composition and studio production.

In the early 1970s, Larry Mizell co-founded [l=Sky High Productions] with his brother, forming a long-term creative partnership. The Mizell Brothers became associated with [l=Blue Note] Records through their work with trumpeter [a=Donald Byrd]. Their collaborations resulted in a series of albums including Black Byrd (1973), Street Lady (1973), Stepping Into Tomorrow (1974) and Places And Spaces (1975), which combined elements of jazz, funk, soul and contemporary studio production techniques.

Outside of his work with Byrd, Mizell contributed to recordings by artists including [a=The Blackbyrds], [a=Bobby Humphrey], [a=Gary Bartz], [a=Johnny Hammond], [a=A Taste Of Honey] and [a=L.T.D.]. His production work frequently incorporated layered arrangements, electric keyboards, synthesizers and structured vocal harmonies.

Larry Mizell’s recordings have been referenced and sampled in later genres including hip-hop, dance music and contemporary jazz.

Father of [a=Larry Mizell Jr.]