Skipper Wise

Bernard Louis "Skipper" Wise (born March 6, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and entrepreneur born in Los Angeles.

Wise was born in Los Angeles in 1957.

He first experienced music through piano lessons given by his mother and grandmother.

As a teenager, he began taking guitar lessons, learning folk music and the art of finger picking.

He later picked up the bass, finding that it was easier to get into bands as a bass player.

Teaming up with high school friend, Ed Cohen, Skipper formed a contemporary jazz group, Windows, which released 11 albums from the 1980s through the early 1990s.

Wink, a band led by Skipper Wise (bass, lead and backing vocals), and including David Nielsen (guitars, lead and backing vocals), Ed Cohen (keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals), Craig Mesco (drums, percussion, backing vocals), and special guest Michael Acosta (saxophone).

The 11-song album was produced by Skipper Wise and Wink, and arranged by Wink.

The Joan Miroesque cover was done by Jeff Gold.

The songs were published by F.F. Publishing 1982.

In 1983, he fronted the contemporary jazz group, Windows, which delivered four top 10 radio records punctuated by the album, "The French Laundry," which reached number one on the radio charts.

Windows, an instrumental contemporary jazz group signed with ITI Records in 1983 and included Skipper (Bassist), Ed Cohen (keyboard), Dudley Brooks (guitar), Tim Timmermans (drums) and Michael Acosta (saxophone).

Windows, the self-titled album was released in 1983 on ITI Records and received positive reviews that allowed the group to play locally and create a small following.

This local buzz attracted Jim Martone of the new-formed Jazz label Intima/Enigma.

Windows was signed in 1984 to Intima/Capitol Records and their second album "Is It Safe" was released soon after.

In the summer of 1987, Windows released third album Mr. Bongo and it charted Number Three on the new R&R radio format charts now called N.A.C (New Adult Contemporary).

In 1987, Tim Timmermans and Skipper went into the studio—separate from Windows— to record Poem of the Five Mountains.

In late 1987, Skipper produced and contributed writing to the album Vibrate from the Spencer Davis Group released in Spain.

The track "In a Ten Bamboo Studio" from the album was included on the nationally released "Wave Aid" CD in 1988.

Wise's solo debut onto the music scene came with the 1989 Top 30 Single, "Standing Outside in the Rain" on the European pop charts.

In 1989, signed to a new recording contract at A&M/Cypress records, Windows released The French Laundry, the first album to feature Skipper and, guest vocalist Al Stewart, on vocals on the title track.

The album immediately went to Number One on the radio charts and stayed there for six weeks.

The album was released on the label Innovative Communications only on vinyl and was later released in 1989 on Higher Octave Music as a CD with a different last track.

In 1989, Cypress/A&M offered Skipper a solo record deal.

Several videos and singles in the US and Japan helped establish Colour Club as a pioneer in the acid jazz movement of the 1990s.

Best known for his music recording career, Wise is also the co-founder of Blue Microphones, the audio manufacturer.

In 1990, a new Windows album Blue September was released on Cypress/Gold Mountain records.

The album peaked at Number Three on the radio charts.

This album included Al Stewart, Janis Ian and Skipper singing the three vocal tracks.

In 1992 Ed Cohen left Windows.

Skipper reorganized an entirely new Windows lineup which released the Album From the Asylum on Blue Orchid/DA Music.

The album reached number 14 on the radio charts.

The seventh Windows record My Red Jacket released in 1993.

Partnering with producer Les Pierce in 1994, Colour Club was born, delivering three albums from JVC America, with the self-titled album reaching number seven on the radio charts.

Live Laundry was released in late 1994.

It was composed of live performances of songs from the French Laundry record and unreleased material from that period.

The First Three Years a double CD, released in 1994, included the best of the first two Window's albums and Mr. Bongo in its entirety.

The ninth Windows album Apples and Oranges was released in 1995 on Blue Orchid/DA Music.

In 1996, Skipper, along with Les Pierce (of Colour Club), released the eleventh and final Windows album, A Funky Distinction.

In 1999, Skipper left the music industry to dedicate his time and passion full-time to Blue Microphones.