Larry Carlton's illness opens door for Minucci, Special EFX at Hartwood Acres

Chieli Minucci & Special EFX will replace Larry Carlton at the Allegheny County Concert Series on Sunday night at Hartwood Acres Park Amphitheater.

Carlton fell ill but is expected to make a full recovery, management agency WB Entertainment said in a news release.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday with Don Aliquo Sr. & Jr. as the opening act. Minucci and Special EFX will take the stage about 8:30 p.m.

Minucci is a guitarist, composer and arranger who leads the Grammy-nominated jazz fusion group Special EFX, which features Joel Rosenblatt, Jerry Brooks and Jay Rowe.

In the past 35 years, Minucci has recorded and performed with top artists, including Celine Dion, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Lopez, Jewel and Marc Anthony, and dozens of jazz artists, including Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Norman Brown, Bernie Williams, Marion Meadows, Lao Tizer and Mindi Abair.

Minucci also is a composer for television and film.

He has won three Emmys and has been nominated 10 times.

His music is on the soundtracks of the films “Bowfinger,” “Legally Blonde” and “Panic,” and his original scoring was in live stage productions of “Peter Pan,” “Dora the Explorer” and “Thomas the Tank Engine.”

Chuck Biedka is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 724-226-4711, cbiedka@tribweb.com or via Twitter @ChuckBiedka.