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| André Previn's New Solo Album 'Alone' With the release of Sir André Previn's new and rare jazz solo album 'Alone'(June 26/Emarcy), it is an opportunity to look back on his fascinating career as one of the leading pianists and recording stars of the jazz world.Although he committed to the classical tradition in the mid 60's, it is important to understand why a jazz release by Previn at this time is cause for celebration. • He began his career as a jazz pianist for MGM still in high school and at only 18 years old. • In 1958 he won Downbeat magazine's "Musician of the Year" Award. •He launched a genre by re-arranging the scores to great musical comedies for jazz purposes including his 1964 album of songs from "My Fair Lady" with Shelly Manne and Leroy Vinegar which was the first gold jazz recording in history. •He recorded a jazz version of his Academy Award winning score for 'Gigi' and his jazz version of "West Side Story" songs won a GRAMMY in 1960 for "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group." •In 1961 he won another GRAMMY in the same category - "Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, Individual or Group" - for his album 'André Previn Plays Harold Arlen.' •Previn has performed with other jazz royalty including Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gilespie. •He has only released two other solo records in his entire career. The last set 'Solo Jazz Standards' was released in 1996, while his first solo piano album was released in 1958. André Previn may well be the most widely-accomplished musical renaissance man of his time or any other: no other musician or composer has had a comparable career and worked in so many diverse areas. He has found enduring success as a classical conductor, a jazz pianist, a hit songwriter, a composer of scores for films and musical comedies, and, more recently, even of operas. In his historic career he has has received a number of awards and honors for his outstanding musical accomplishments, including four Academy Awards for his scores to films such as "My Fair Lady" and "Gigi", five GRAMMY Awards, both the Austrian and German Cross of Merit and most recently the Glenn Gould Prize. He has been honored by the Kennedy Center for his lifetime achievements and was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1996. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |