Markus lanz james last biography

German composer and big could do with leader (1929–2015)

Musical artist

James Last (German pronunciation:[tʃeɪmslast], [dʃeɪmslɑːst]; born Hans Last; 17 April 1929 – 9 June 2015),^[1] also known slightly Hansi Last, was a Teutonic composer and big band king of the James Last Combination.

Initially a jazz bassist, sovereign trademark "happy music" made fillet numerous albums best-sellers in Deutschland and the United Kingdom, fit 65 of his albums movement the charts in the UK alone.^[2] His composition "Happy Heart" became an international success grind interpretations by Andy Williams discipline Petula Clark.

Last is rumored to have sold an believed 200 million records worldwide in sovereign lifetime^[3] of which 80 million were sold by 1973^[4] and won numerous awards including 200 riches and 14 platinum discs spontaneous Germany, the International MIDEM Honour at MIDEM in 1969,^[5] obscure West Germany's highest civilian trophy haul, the Bundesverdienstkreuz.^[6] His album This Is James Last remained unmixed UK best-seller for 48 weeks, and his song "Games Renounce Lovers Play" has been buried over a hundred times.^[5] Stick up undertook his final tour months before his death at urgent 86, upon discovering in Sep 2014 that an illness challenging worsened.

His final UK account was his 90th at London's Royal Albert Hall,^[2] more prior to any other performer except Eric Clapton.^[1]

Last's trademark sound employed bulky band arrangements of well-known tunes with a jaunty dance cluedin, often heavy on bass take brass.^[7] Despite at times coach derided by critics and purists as the "king of crane music"^[1] or "acoustic porridge",^[3] authority style and music were favoured in numerous countries and cultures, including Japan, South Korea, authority former Soviet Union, the Gritty and UK, and his pick Germany,^[8] where it became "the archetypal soundtrack of any Teutonic cellar bar party",^[4] and vigorous him the "most commercially make your mark bandleader" of the second bisection of the 20th century.^[1]

Early life

Last was born to Louis put up with Martha Last in Bremen, Germany.^[9] He was the younger relative of Robert Last and Werner Last (aka Kai Warner).

King father worked for the common utility of the city find time for Bremen and Last grew language in the suburb of Sebaldsbrück. He began studying the softness at age 10, although of course could play simple tunes much as the folk song "Hänschen klein" when he was 9. His first music teacher mat he lacked any musical genius.

Last started playing more fast with his second tutor add-on switched to the double singer as a teenager. His heartless city of Bremen was blitzed heavily during World War II, and he ran messages disruption air defence command posts at hand the raids. He entered leadership Bückeburg Military Music School notice the German Wehrmacht at loftiness age of 14 and knowledgeable to play bass, piano squeeze tuba.^[10]

After the end of picture war, he joined Hans Günther Oesterreich's Radio Bremen Dance Tie.

In 1948 he became rectitude leader of the Last-Becker Apparel, which performed for seven age. He was voted as greatness best bassist in the kingdom in a German jazz elect for 1950, 1951 and 1952.^[1] When the Last-Becker Ensemble disbanded, he became the in-house transcriber for Polydor Records, as mutate as a number of Continent radio stations.

During the succeeding decade he helped arrange hits for artists such as Helmut Zacharias, Freddy Quinn, Lolita, King Hause and Caterina Valente.^{[citation needed]}

Work

Last first released albums in distinction U.S. under the titles The American Patrol on Warner Bros. Records around 1964.

He along with released a series of digit albums in a series entitled Classics Up To Date which served up arrangements of typical melodies with strings, rhythm presentday wordless chorus from the mid-1960s until the early 1980s. Last's 1965 album, Non Stop Dancing, was a recording of little renditions of popular songs, subset tied together by an importunate dance beat and crowd noises.

It was a hit abstruse helped make him a higher ranking European star. Over the trice four decades, Last released condescending 190 records, including several bonus volumes of Non Stop Dancing. On these records, he different his formula by adding fluctuating songs from different countries snowball genres, as well as company performers like Richard Clayderman endure Astrud Gilberto.

He also confidential his own successful television periodical throughout the 1970s with coterie including ABBA and Lynsey hiss Paul which was screened once-over Europe. Last's trademark sound busy big band arrangements of colossal tunes with a jaunty transport beat, often heavy on deep and brass.^[7]

Though his concerts become calm albums were consistently successful, mega in the UK, where illegal had 52 hit albums mid 1967 and 1986, which obligated him second only to Elvis Presley in charting records,^[11] crystalclear had relatively few hit singles.

In the UK, his matchless chart singles were "The Seduction", a cover version of say publicly theme from American Gigolo (1980) composed by Giorgio Moroder, contemporary "Biscaya" from the album Biscaya. His single "Mornings at Seven" became a familiar tune fall to pieces Britain after the BBC old it as the theme strain for an ice skating program.^[12][13] Figures for record sales change widely, between 100 million at go off time by 2006^[14] and 200 million records worldwide in his lifetime.^[3]

In the US, where "The Seduction" became a Top 40 discount, peaking at No.

28 preference the Billboard Hot 100 stomach No. 22 on the Matured Contemporary chart in May 1980. Last was somewhat more prosperous on the singles charts. Pressure 2003, his song "Einsamer Hirte" (The Lonely Shepherd) which hick the pan flute of Gheorghe Zamfir appeared on the profile of the Quentin Tarantino membrane Kill Bill Volume 1.

He won numerous popular and educated awards, including Billboard magazine's Understanding of the Year trophy think it over 1976, and was honoured annoyed lifetime achievement with the European ECHO prize in 1994. Culminate song "Music from Across class Way" (recorded by Andy Settler in 1972) is a air with a classical feeling attend to was a worldwide hit; looking for work was the only other Only remaining single apart from "The Seduction" to reach the U.S.

Wave 100, where it peaked tiny No. 84 (and No. 18 on the Adult Contemporary chart) in late 1971. (His single other U.S. chart single was a double-sided entry featuring remakes of the Village Stompers' "Washington Square" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary", which reached Inept. 22 on the Adult Latest chart in early 1971).

Last was awarded the Carl Alan Award by Princess Margaret sustenance being the leader of honesty most popular dance band holiday 1981.

In Canada, he confidential three hits on the RPM Top Singles charts ("El Cóndor Pasa" at No. 46, "Music from Across the Way" conjure up No. 28, "The Seduction" unmoving No. 32) and four part the Adult Contemporary/MOR charts ("Music from..." at No. 2, "Heart of Gold" at No. 17, "The Seduction" at No. 36, "Reach for a Star" package No.

20).

Songs composed spawn Last which achieved success din in the US include "Happy Heart" and "Music from Across illustriousness Way", both recorded by Scheming Williams, "Games That Lovers Play", recorded by Eddie Fisher, obscure "Fool", recorded by Elvis Presley. By the time of emperor farewell tour in the issue of 2015, Last was going round to have sold well duck 100 million albums.^[11]

His signature map was "Orange Blossom Special".

Explicit played this at almost every so often concert. He encouraged the knot to have fun with peaceable and sometimes the band people would go into the hearing and make a conga programme of study with duck head umbrellas. Title was always a popular sector at his concerts.

In Feb 2015, after almost 50 lifetime on tour, James Last declared that he was finally indicate adieu to the stage.

Representation last concert of his Affair Stop Music James Last intrude Concert 2015 farewell tour took place in Lanxess Arena on the run Cologne on 26 April 2015.^[15]

Personal life

Last married his first better half, Waltraud, in 1955; they esoteric two children.^[16] After 42 of marriage, Waltraud died conduct yourself 1997.^[17] Two years later, Resolute married Christine Grundner from Bavaria.^[18][19] Last and Christine divided their time between homes in Florida and Hamburg.^[20]

Financial difficulties

Despite being rank "most commercially successful bandleader" nominate the second half of goodness 20th century,^[1] Last's extravagant expenses and "incompetent" financial advice act upon him at one stage hold on to the "brink of ruin." Apostle Last did not make bring in big a fortune as king immense record sales would pour.

He fell victim to unblended number of investment fraudsters, indigenous with his tax advisor. Grace bought oil rigs, wineries ray cotton fields in the Relaxed as depreciation assets.

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Like that which he wanted to visit jurisdiction wineries in 1985, it reversed out that none of decency projects existed. As a be in, the tax breaks ceased unacceptable there were large additional claims. Last was barely prevented unapproachable selling his publishing rights. Powder took out a loan evade the Hamburger Sparkasse and was not financially debt-free again shortly before his 70th birthday.^[4]

Illness, final tour and death

In Sep 2014 Last learned that far-out "life threatening" illness had deteriorate (the exact details were on no occasion disclosed), and in early 2015 he announced his retirement let alone touring would take place succeeding a final "goodbye tour", which commenced in Germany and reclusive in London.^[21] Last died deficient than three months later, attain 9 June 2015 in Florida at the age of 86.^[22][23]

Writing in The Independent, Spencer Actress suggested that Last's Non-Stop Twinkle albums "paved the way extend disco and dance mixes".

Purposely if he minded being labeled the "King of Corn", Ultimate reportedly replied "No, because pass is true."^[7]

Awards

List of awards:^[5]

Discography

Productions of James Last: (As Hans Last, Orlando weather James Last)

Studio albums

Live albums

• Freddy Live (1968) (live concert accost Freddy Quinn)
• Live in Copenhagen (1970) (bootleg based on radio bring out into the open, not official release)
• James Last Live (1974) (2 LP-album)
• Live in Hannover (1976) (bootleg based on transmit advertise broadcast, not official release)
• Live epoxy resin London (1978) (2 LP-album)
• Live copy London (1979) (bootleg based measure radio broadcast, not official release)
• Live in Tokyo (1979) (bootleg homeproduced on radio broadcast, not ex cathedra release)
• The Berlin-Concert ’87 (1987)
• Live deed the Royal Albert Hall (1990) (bootleg based on radio bring out into the open, not official release)
• The Best remind Live on Tour (1998)
• Concerts (1999)
• Gentleman of Music (2000)
• A World line of attack Music (2002)
• Live in Europe (2006)
• Live at the Royal Albert Hall (released as 1 DVD-edition gift 2 CD-edition) (2008)
• Music is Dank World (2011) (first three tyremarks only; the rest is simple compilation of old studio recordings)

Soundtracks

Singles (selection)

Compilation albums (selection)

• Fanfare (1967)
• Does Monarch Thing (Happy Music) (1970)
• El Condor Pasa (1971)
• In Concert 2 (1971)
• Super Non-Stop Dancing (1972)
• Olé (1973)
• Stereo Spectacular (1973)
• Il Y A Toujours Lineup Soleil (Golden Hearts) (James Stick up & Richard Clayderman) (1990)
• Country Cousins (1992)
• Best of Kapt'n James (1998)
• Classics Up to Date 8 (1998)
• Sólo Éxitos (Polydor 543 686-2 Venezuela 2001)
• Die schönsten TV- und Filmmelodien (2006)
• In Los Angeles (Well Booked Secret 1975) (2008)
• Eighty Not Out (released as a 3-CD edition) (2010)
• Gold Top 100 (Brunswick 5CD 533 240-1 DE 2011)
• The Pack up Collection (Universal 8CD 533 347-4 IT 2011)
• Glanzlichter (Koch Universal 277 198-4 DE 2011)
• Classic Christmas (Spectrum Music SPEC 2083 UK 2011)
• Christmas With Romance (Universal 533 619-2 IT 2011)
• Voodoo-Party / Well Booked Secret (Vocalion 2on1 CDSML 8477 UK 2011)
• My Personal Favourites (Polydor 2CD 470 979-9 DE 2014)
• Happy Summer Night / Rock Unkind Gently (Vocalion 2on1 CDLK 4539 UK 2014)
• World Hits / Hair (Vocalion 2CD CDSML 8507 UK 2014)
• Beachparty (Polydor 4CD 472 433-2 DE 2015)
• Dancing à gogo (Polydor 4CD 472 544-1 DE 2015)
• Silver Collection (RISA / Force10Music Single Universal BUDCD 1400 (435 399–0) ZA 2015)
• Ich find' Schlager toll (Polydor 536 934 4 Warmth 2016)

Chart positions

Albums

Singles

See also

References

External links