James Joseph Wisner, born on December 8, 1931 in Philadelphia, was an American pianist known for his versatile career. He received classical training as a youngster and attended Temple University as a psychology student. In 1959, he formed the Jimmy Wisner Trio with Chick Kinney on drums and Ace Tesone on bass. His breakthrough came in 1961 with "Asia Minor," a rock & roll adaptation of Edvard Grieg's Piano Concerto in A Minor released under the name Kokomo. The single reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 35 on the UK Singles Chart despite being banned by the BBC. Following this success, Wisner transitioned into songwriting, producing, and composing for film and television. He collaborated with artists such as Bobby Rydell, Cab Calloway, Herbie Mann, and Barbra Streisand. Notable releases include The Jimmy Wisner Sound: Featuring Love Theme from "Romeo and Juliet" (1969) and Music from Star Wars (1977), released under the name Electric Moog Orchestra. Wisner passed away on March 13, 2018 at the age of 86.
