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Plays The Theme From The V.I.P.s And Other Great Songs
''Plays the Theme from The V.I.P.s and Other Great Songs'' is an album of theme music by jazz pianist Bill Evans with an orchestra conducted by Claus Ogerman recorded in 1963 for the MGM label.Bill Evans discography accessed April 23, 2010 Reception The album was an intentionally commercial production and the tracks were omitted from the 18-CD collection '''' as they were deemed to have negligible artistic merit. The review awarded the album 3½ stars. |
Bill Evans
William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block chords, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines continues to influence jazz pianists today. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, United States, he was classically trained at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Mannes School of Music, in New York City, where he majored in composition and received the Artist Diploma. In 1955, he moved to New York City, where he worked with bandleader and theorist George Russell. In 1958, Evans joined Miles Davis's sextet, which in 1959, then immersed in modal jazz, recorded '' Kind of Blue'', the best-selling jazz album ever. In late 1959, Evans left the Miles Davis band and began his career as a leader, with bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian, a group now regarded as a se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mack David
Mack David (July 5, 1912 – December 30, 1993) was an American lyricist and songwriter, best known for his work in film and television, with a career spanning the period between the early 1940s and the early 1970s. David was credited with writing lyrics or music or both for over one thousand songs. , ''The New York Times'', Saturday, January 1, 1994. He was particularly well known for his work on the films '''' and '' |
David Raksin
David Raksin (August 4, 1912 – August 9, 2004) was an American composer who was noted for his work in film and television. With more than 100 film scores and 300 television scores to his credit, he became known as the "Grandfather of Film Music." Biography David Raksin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, to Jewish parents (of Russian heritage). His father was an orchestra conductor. Raksin played professionally in dance bands while attending Central High School of Philadelphia. He went on to study composition with Harl McDonald at the University of Pennsylvania, and later with Isadore Freed in New York and Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles. In New York, Raksin worked as an arranger for Harms/Chappell. One of his earliest film assignments was as assistant to Charlie Chaplin in the composition of the score to '' Modern Times'' (1936). He is perhaps best remembered for his score for the film '' Laura'' (1944). The theme music for the film, " Laura", with the ad ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Laura (1945 Song)
"Laura" is a 1945 popular song. The music, composed by David Raksin for the 1944 movie '' Laura,'' which starred Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews, is heard frequently in the movie. The film's director, Otto Preminger, had originally wanted to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" as the theme, but Raksin was not convinced that it was suitable. Angered, Preminger gave Raksin one weekend to compose an alternative melody. Raksin later said, and maintained for the rest of his days, that when, over that weekend, his wife sent him a "Dear John" letter, the haunting theme seemed to write itself. The lyrics were written by Johnny Mercer after the film made the tune popular, so he had to title the song "Laura". According to Mercer, he had not yet seen the movie when he wrote the lyrics but was aware that it was a romantic, somewhat haunting story. :''Laura is the face in the misty light, footsteps that you hear down the hall'' :''The laugh that floats on the summer night that you can never ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sylvia Fine
Sylvia Fine Kaye (August 29, 1913October 28, 1991) was an American lyricist, composer, and producer. Many of her compositions and productions were performed by her husband, comedian Danny Kaye. Fine was a Peabody Award-winner and was nominated for two Academy Awards and two Emmys during her career. She won an Emmy award in 1976 for children's special. Early life Sylvia Fine was born in Brooklyn, New York, the youngest of three children of a Jewish dentist, and raised in East New York. She attended Thomas Jefferson High School and studied music at Brooklyn College, where she wrote the music for the school's alma mater, with lyrics from the poet Robert Friend. Career and Danny Kaye She was working as an audition pianist when she met Danny Kaye; both were working on a short-lived Broadway show. Fine wrote the lyrics and music for it. Although the pair had never met before, they discovered something in common. Kaye had once worked for Fine's father, watching his office while the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
(Themes From) The Man With The Golden Arm
"(Themes from) ''The Man with the Golden Arm''" is a song written by Elmer Bernstein and performed by Richard Maltby & His Orchestra. It was featured in the 1955 film ''The Man with the Golden Arm'', and reached number 14 on the ''Billboard'' chart in 1956. Other charting versions *Bernstein released a version in 1956 that reached number 16 in the U.S. *Dick Jacobs released a version in 1956 that reached number 22 in the U.S. * Billy May released a version in 1956 that reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart and number 49 in the U.S. * Les Elgart released a version in 1956 that reached number 56 in the U.S. *Buddy Morrow released a version in 1956 that reached number 82 in the U.S. *Jet Harris released a version in 1962 that reached number 12 in the U.K. Other versions *Eddie Calvert released a version as a single in 1956, but it did not chart. *Jonah Jones released a version on his 1957 EP ''Muted Jazz''. *Jimmy McGriff released a version as the B-side to his 1964 single " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ned Washington
Ned Washington (born Edward Michael Washington, August 15, 1901 – December 20, 1976) was an American lyricist born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Life and career Washington was nominated for eleven Academy Awards from 1940 to 1962. He won the Best Original Song award twice: in 1940 for " When You Wish Upon a Star" in ''Pinocchio'' and in 1952 for " High Noon (Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darlin')" in '' High Noon''. Washington had his roots in vaudeville as a master of ceremonies. Having started his songwriting career with ''Earl Carroll's Vanities'' on Broadway in the late 1920s, he joined the ASCAP in 1930. In 1934, he was signed by MGM and relocated to Hollywood, eventually writing full scores for feature films. During the 1940s, he worked for a number of studios, including Paramount, Warner Brothers, Disney, and Republic. During these tenures, he collaborated with many of the great composers of the era, including Hoagy Carmichael, Victor Young, Max Steiner, and Dimitri Tiomkin. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
On Green Dolphin Street (song)
"On Green Dolphin Street" (originally titled "Green Dolphin Street") is a 1947 popular song composed by Bronisław Kaper with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song was composed for the film '' Green Dolphin Street,'' which was based on a 1944 novel of the same name by Elizabeth Goudge, and became a jazz standard after it was recorded by Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of music ... in 1958. Renditions In popular culture "On Green Dolphin Street" is referenced in the sixth part of J''oJo's Bizarre Adventure'', ''Stone Ocean'' in the name of Green Dolphin Street Prison, the primary setting of the story. References {{Authority control 1940s jazz standards 1947 songs Songs with lyrics by Ned Washington Songs with music by Bronisław Kaper Jazz standards ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill McGuffie
Bill McGuffie (11 December 1927 – 22 March 1987) was a British pianist, who went on to become a film composer and conductor. He also made several television appearances, most notably in '' Softly, Softly'' as a pub pianist. Biography Bill McGuffie was born in Carmyle near Glasgow, Scotland. After three years studying the piano he had an accident as a child which caused the loss of his second finger of his right hand. Despite the accident, he started playing again and modified his technique to cope with the handicap. Aged 11, he was awarded the Victoria Medal for his piano proficiency by the Victoria College, Glasgow. He found it difficult and decided to stop playing until it was suggested by friends and colleagues that he tried playing dance music which was new to him. In 1944, aged 17, he moved to London from Glasgow and began a career in 1946 playing in the Teddy Foster Orchestra at the Lyceum. Additional work with other top bands followed until, in October 1952, he got his ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet September
"Sweet September" is a song written by Bill McGuffie, Phyllis L. Kasha, and Stanley Mills. The song was first released as a single by Artie Butler in 1963. Other versions *Pete Jolly (for his 1963 album ''Pete Jolly Trio and Friends''), * Freda Payne (for her 1964 album ''After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!!''). Payne's version was also released as a single on the Impulse Records label, but it failed to garner much success. *The Lettermen (for their 1966 album ''More Hit Sounds of The Lettermen''), In 1965, this version was a hit on the Easy Listening chart when released as a single, peaking at #24. * Howard Roberts (for his 1966 album ''Whatever's Fair!'') *Joe Pass (for his 1965 album ''A Sign of the Times'') *Sylvia Syms Sylvia May Laura Syms (born 6 January 1934) is an English actress, best known for her roles in the films ''Woman in a Dressing Gown'' (1957), ''Ice Cold in Alex'' (1958), ''No Trees in the Street'' (1959), ''Victim'' (1961), and ''The Tamari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miklós Rózsa
Miklós Rózsa (; April 18, 1907 – July 27, 1995) was a Hungarian-American composer trained in Germany (1925–1931) and active in France (1931–1935), the United Kingdom (1935–1940), and the United States (1940–1995), with extensive sojourns in Italy from 1953 onward. Best known for his nearly one hundred film scores, he nevertheless maintained a steadfast allegiance to absolute concert music throughout what he called his "double life". Rózsa achieved early success in Europe with his orchestral ''Theme, Variations, and Finale'' (Op. 13) of 1933, and became prominent in the film industry from such early scores as ''The Four Feathers'' (1939) and '' The Thief of Bagdad'' (1940). The latter project brought him to Hollywood when production was transferred from wartime Britain, and Rózsa remained in the United States, becoming an American citizen in 1946. During his Hollywood career, he received 17 Academy Award nominations including three Oscars for '' Spellbound'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
