Andre Previn and Me...

He has the flow, you know, which a lot of guys don't have and won't ever get. Yeah. I heard him play and I knew. A lot of guys, they have the technique, the harmonic sense. They've got the perfect coordination. And, yeah, all that's necessary. But you need something more, you know? Even if you only make an oooooooo, like that, you got to have the flow.

                                 Dizzy Gillespie on Andre Previn

Pal Joey (1957) signed by Andre

I've had the healthy and sobering experience of constantly working with music that is invariably better than any performance of it can be.

               Andre Previn

Gigi (1958) signed by Andre

Born in Berlin in 1929, Andre Previn and his family emigrated to Los Angeles in 1939 to avoid Nazi persecution. They joined his great uncle, Charles Previn who was the music director for Universal Studios. A child prodigy, and a gifted pianist, composer and conductor, Andre won four Academy Awards for his film scores and eleven Grammys in his storied career. Although he is best known as a conductor for the London Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Andre is a phenomenal jazz pianist. And a world class Lothario. Married five times (songwriter Dory Langdon, actress Mia Farrow, violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter among them), I am reminded of Duke Ellington's wisdom and genius which extends far beyond his brilliant melodies: "I never had much interest in the piano until I realized that every time I played, a girl would appear on the bench to my left and another to my right." Words and truth from The Duke.

Plays Songs By Vernon Duke (1958) signed by Andre

In the mid 1950s, Andre recorded jazz trio albums with distinguished musicians Russ Freeman, Red Mitchell, Leroy Vinnegar and drummer extraordinaire Shelly Manne. The rigors and commitment of a classical conducting career rarely afforded Andre the time to play jazz, and he stopped playing and recording jazz for nearly twenty-five years while he concentrated on conducting and film scores. Nevertheless, his tours, though infrequent, were incredibly rewarding.

King Size! (1959) signed by Andre

I saw Andre play a rare gig at the Jazz Standard in New York City in October 2000. The Jazz Standard is an intimate jazz club which seats around one hundred-fifty. It is in the basement of Blue Smoke, a great barbecue joint and part of restauranteur (of recent Shake Shack renown) Danny Meyer's eventual plan to take over all food consumption. Everywhere. A recording was released in 2001, Live At The Jazz Standard, and it features the accompaniment of bassist David Finck on Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday", Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" and the Rodgers and Hart masterpiece "My Funny Valentine", as well as some Previn originals. It was a fabulous show, and the recording highlights Andre's exquisite phrasing and flawless execution.

West Side Story (1959) signed by Andre

After the show, I went backstage to get some albums signed. Andre was very cordial. I told him how wonderful his performance was. As he signed some albums, I pointed out a couple of my favorites. Double Play (1957) is a terrific album of piano duets with Russ Freeman with baseball themed original titles: "Batter Up", "Called On Account Of Rain", "Fungo", "In The Cellar Blues", and a swinging version of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game." The cover has a beautiful model donning little else but a Hollywood Stars cap (a successful 1950s Pacific Coast baseball franchise). Hal Adams, an early contributor to Playboy's centerfolds (and all adolescent male humanity including the Jayne Mansfield pictorial in 1955) snapped the photo. Rather risque and aggressive for 1957 mores, it is definitely worth two thumbs up. A Hollywood Star indeed!

But Beautiful (1963) signed by Andre

But Beautiful (1963) is another great album and cover. The model is perched languorously on a claw foot bath tub, a wrapped towel and a faux Charlie Brown Christmas tree providing scant protection from prying eyes. I asked the legendary Hollywood swordsman if he had hand picked the alluring models for some of his albums? "No" Andre demurred, "I had nothing to do with that. Someone else picked them." Really? That was surprising. His formidable reputation led me to believe otherwise.

Like Previn! (1960)) signed by Andre

In his breezy book No Minor Chords: My Days In Hollywood (1991), Andre stated the reason why he left Hollywood: "In fact, my days in Hollywood had a very undramatic close. I had been doing more and more concerts, and I had become absolutely sure that I did not want to spend the rest of my life manufacturing music that would be played while Debbie Reynolds spoke."

No disrespect to Miss Reynolds, but Hollywood's loss was jazz and classical music's gain.

Like Blue (1960) signed by Andre

My Fair Lady (1964) signed by Andre

Atlantic Jazz Piano (1982) signed by Andre, Dave Brubeck, Ray Bryant, Junior Mance, Tommy Flanagan, Billy Taylor, Sir Roland Hanna, Dwike Mitchell, Barry Harris, Chucho Valdes, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, Hank Jones

Mack The Knife (1981) signed by Andre

Diahann Carroll, The Andre Previn Trio (1960) signed by Andre, Diahann

Choice Andre Previn Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMzfNEPyFPY

“Called On Account Of Rain” Double Play 1957

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LoVvLCSuxk&list=PLJHdbQVEEyOLWzqpiEqNnkfThrlH8atcJ&index=2

“Much Too Late” King Size! 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=korlBsY-45k

“Gigi” Modern Jazz Performances Of Gigi 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNBy1fxdZjE

”On The Street Where You Live” My Fair Lady 1958
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yckyUDozYkc

”Somewhere Over The Rainbow” Plays Vernon Duke 1958
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRdStFtBYZs

”Like Blue” Like Blue 1958
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4k-1YysB6Y

”America” West Side Story 1959
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5MVNq1Khkk

”Thank Heaven For Little Girls” Modern Jazz Performances Of Gigi 1958

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rOETvO0JRU

”In Love In Vain” Diahann Carroll, The Andre Previn Trio 1960

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMNOqlfg4Zs

”Rhapsody In Blue” live 1966

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-JX6gtxMwM

”There’ll Never Be Another You” After Hours 1989

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spgKXykuqPY

“Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me” An Ellington Songbook 1999

Nice Work If You Can Get It (1986) signed by Andre