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Roger
Kellaway
bio
Roger Kellaway has been described
as
"a musical chameleon" and "the most awesome jazz pianist quite possibly
anywhere
on earth". His discography runs to more than two hundred fifty albums.
He's
performed with everyone from Elvis to Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie to Yo
Yo
Ma, Joni Mitchell to Mancini and Quincy Jones to Michael Tilson Thomas.
Kellaway is not only a major pianist, he is a composer of protean
ability,
writing in the jazz, classical and popular music fields, and scoring
for
films and television. His acclaimed "Cello Quartet" albums for A&M
(recently
re-released on Verve) are described by some as "crossover",
"chamber
jazz", and by others as the beginning of "New Age" music. They were the
first
in an eclectic array of projects beginning in the 1960’s. Roger's
commissions
included a ballet for George Balanchine and the New York City Ballet,
orchestral
pieces for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The National Symphony, the New
American
Orchestra and a variety of chamber works for Carnegie Hall
performances,
ending with the world premiere of his concerto, "Songs of Ascent,"
commissioned
by the New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta, conductor. Roger later
conducted
the second performance with The Sapporo Symphony.
Kellaway was born in Waban Massachusetts, November 1, 1939. He fell in
love
with the piano at the age of 7 and began studying. By the time he was
12,
and already listening equally to jazz and classical music, he decided
that
he wanted to spend his life in music.
He attended Newton High School, at that time ranked the number 3 high
school
in the United States, studying college level music theory and playing
double
bass and percussion in the school orchestra, performing works by
Mozart,
Beethoven, and Bach.
(Meanwhile, he was playing bass in an extracurricular jazz band.) From
high
school, he went on to the New England Conservatory where he studied
piano,
double bass, and composition.
After two years at the conservatory he left to go on the road, playing
bass.
After two more, he settled in New York City and began freelancing on
piano.
By the age of 22, he was one of the busiest, and most highly respected
pianists
in New York, playing record dates, jazz clubs, and working with singers
such
as Lena Horne.
In the mid '60's Kellaway moved to Los Angeles to continue doing studio
work,
which soon included playing on, and then writing film scores. He became
musical
director for Bobby Darin, and in 1968 arranged and conducted Darin's
album
of songs from the film "Dr. Doolittle". Writing songs and arrangements
for
wonderful singers is a passion that sometimes expands into producing,
as
was the case for the Carmen McRae album, "I Am Music". The
relationship had
started with Roger's song "I Have The Feeling I've Been Here Before",
written
especially for her, with a lyric by the legendary team Alan and Marilyn
Bergman. Kellaway
has also had a long association with the brilliant lyricist Gene Lees,
and
more recently with K. Lawrence Dunham, and singer song writer Amanda
McBroom.
Kellaway’s most prized television credit is, "Remembering You", the
closing
theme for "All in the Family". Composed in 1970, it is still
being heard
on TV around the world. He has also been honored with a Grammy
award for
his music on the album "Memos From Paradise" for Eddie Daniels.
He has written
twenty six film scores including Barbara Streisand's "A Star is Born”
for
which he received an Academy Award nomination.
In 1999 Roger was commissioned to compose the music for London’s West
End
production of “Lenny” starring Eddie Izzard and directed by Sir Peter
Hall.
In 2000 he was commissioned by the West German Radio to write a two
hour
show celebrating the 100th birthday of composer Kurt Weill. As
well as arranging
the show, he also performed as pianist and conductor. Later that year
he
began working as Musical Director with Kevin Spacey on the pre-
production
for his film, “Beyond The Sea”, dedicated to Bobby Darin; and served as
Musical
Director, conductor and pianist for the Dec, 2004 13-city “Beyond The
Sea”
tour. In 2005 Roger conducted the world premiere of Sir Paul
McCartney’s
“Nova” in Buenos Aires with The Youth Orchestra of the Americas. In
2007
he performed at and served as Musical director for “Tribute To Oscar
Peterson”
at Carnegie Hall and later toured with Tony Bennett as his Musical
Director.
2008 began with the prestigious award Prix du Jazz Classique (the
French
“Grammy”) for The Roger Kellaway Trio "Heroes". Roger continues
performing
in concerts across the U.S. and Europe, recording numerous new CD’s,
also
writing for film, theatrical productions and commissioned works.
Currently,
he is working with Van Morrison as Musical Director for a live
performance
recording (CD/DVD) at the Hollywood Bowl, November, 2008. He is
also working
again with the Bergmans on “Visions Of America” a multimedia portrait
of
Democracy. The Photo-Symphony for renowned photographer and
producer Joseph
Sohm which premiered in Philadelphia with The Philly Pops in January 2009. Also in 2009 Kellaway received
the "Outstanding Alumni" Award from the New England Conservatory and
orchestrated as well as conducted the music for Clint Eastwood's new
film, INVICTUS.
He resides
in Ojai, California with his wife (of 43 years) Jorjana.
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