Jan Hammer

Jan Hammer is a Czech-born musician who wrote the theme for the television show Miami Vice. He had been playing piano since childhood and formed a band called The Flamingos as a teenager.

Before Miami Vice, Hammer released solo albums like The First Seven Days in 1975 and Snapshots in 1983. He has worked with other musicians including Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana, as well as players like Michael Brecker on saxophone and Steve Gadd on drums.

Hammer's music blends electronic synthesizers with orchestral strings, an approach that drew some early criticism from jazz purists. He kept making music through personal difficulties later on, finding it a source of inspiration.