ABOUT

Kraft has worked extensively in the recording industry, producing or co-producing such artists as Linda Ronstadt, Dr. John, Bette Midler, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Johnny Mathis, Bruce Willis, Jimmy Buffett, Don Henley, George Benson, Ozzy Osbourne, Southside Johnny, Albert Collins, Vonda Shepard, and Melissa Manchester. His songs have been recorded by The Manhattan Transfer, Bette Midler, Roberta Flack, Los Lobos, Diane Schuur, Bruce Willis, Joy Enriquez, Dr. John, and Kermit the Frog. As a solo artist and with his band, Robert Kraft and The Ivory Coast, he has released four albums on RCA, RSO, and Sonic Edge Records. In October 2013, Milan Records released “Consensual Sets”, a compilation of Kraft’s greatest hits from 1979-1989. In November 2013, VIVID SOUNDS released a boxed set of Kraft’s five original CDs, including “Robert Kraft Live at the Newport Jazz Festival, Town Hall NYC, 1980.”

In 1989, Kraft co-produced the Academy Award-winning song, “Under The Sea”, plus the Grammy Award-winning double-platinum soundtrack of The Little Mermaid, along with co-authors Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. In 1992, Kraft was nominated for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and a Golden Globe Award for co-writing “Beautiful Maria of My Soul”, the theme song from the Warner Bros. feature, The Mambo Kings. Kraft was also the film’s composer and Executive Music Producer, producing the Gold soundtrack, which spent four weeks at Number One on Billboard’s Latin Music chart. In 1999, Kraft was nominated for a second Golden Globe for co-writing the song, “How Can I Not Love You” for the 20th Century Fox film, Anna and the King, with songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and film composer George Fenton. Kraft also co-produced the long-charting soundtrack on Billboard’s Jazz charts, Swing Kids.

As a writer, Kraft’s other feature film credits include story co-author (with Bruce Willis) and score co-composer (with Michael Kamen) on the Tri-Star film, Hudson Hawk. He produced the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for the Jim Henson Productions’ film, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and composed the score to the Warner Bros.feature, Seven Minutes in Heaven. Kraft was songwriter and musical producer on Adventures in Babysitting and Heartbreak Hotel. His television credits include co-writing theme songs for Who’s The Boss? and Day by Day, as well as writing new themes for Wide World of Sports and songs for Fame.

Kraft composed the music for the ballet, “Thriller”, choreographed by Matthew Diamond. (World Premier, Jacob’s Pillow August 1981.) In 1992 Kraft founded the record label, Jim Henson Records, and as the Vice President of Music at Jim Henson Productions, inaugurated their music division.