Statistiken
Biografie
After a grand total of 127 Top 40 hits both in the UK and the US, few people have earned the title of “songwriter’s songwriter” quite like Burt Bacharach has. He’s been one of pop music’s true lifers, after over half a century in the music industry he’s still performing live night after night and has done so for years now. He might have fallen in and out of style over those years, but he never lost the respect of those with a love for good, honest songwriting. Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, Noel Gallagher and Chrissie Hynde have all sung the praises of his songs. Gene Pitney, Tom Jones, Dusty Springfield and The Carpenters have all had hits with them, and with a pedigree like that, few people would have the gall to argue with his touch as a hit-maker.
Bacharach’s story begins Kansas City, Missouri, where he was born. Soon afterwards his family moved up to New York City’s affluent Forest Hills neighbourhood, where he grew up. Bacharach was fascinated with music at an early age, developing a passion for jazz music as a teenager. A lot of his adolescence was spent getting into clubs with a fake I.D to see legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker perform in the flesh, a site which inspired the young Bacharach to continue with his hated classical piano lessons all the same. These eventually paid off when he found himself studying at three immensely prestigious music colleges consecutively, and it was during his studies that he studied the music theory and Jazz harmony that would inform his songwriting, and by extension, pop music as a whole.
After graduating and following brief service in the army, Bacharach performed as a session and accompanying pianist before taking a job as the musical arranger and director for Marlene Dietrich. He stayed with Dietrich for a few years before he met the man that would change the course of his life in 1957, lyricist Hal David. They were introduced at New York City’s Brill Building, one of the hubs of songwriting at the time, and they began their partnership soon after that. In the same year their song “The Story Of My Life” had become a hit for Marty Robbins, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and one of the most prolific careers in pop music was born. “The Story Of My Life” was followed up with Perry Como’s take on “Magic Moments” an even bigger hit for the pair, reaching number 4. Both of those songs hit number one in the U.K back to back, making Bacharach and David the first ever songwriters to have such an achievement.
Beyond this point, it’s hard to sum up Bacharach’s career without the use of a particularly large book. By the time the 60’s rolled around the songwriting pair had struck up a working relationship with Dionne Warwick, who over the next 20 years would have 22 Top 40, 12 Top 20 and nine Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 all written by Hall and Bacharach. As if that wasn’t enough, Aretha Franklin, The Beatles, The Shirelles and Jack Jones were all covering their numbers left and right, and that’s not even taking into account the amount of artists who didn’t make it into the history books having hits with their work. It was in the mid-to-late sixties that the pair got involved with cinema, having two of their most enduring hits, “What’s New, Pussycat?” and “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” come from the soundtrack to the film of the same name and Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid, respectively.
To call their 60’s “succesful” is to sell them slightly short, Bacharach and David had the kind of omnipresence that The Beatles had, with none of the outrageous fame. So comparatively the rest of their career feels kind of barren at first glance, but considering that it wasn’t until the mid-seventies that he started playing live at all, that’s saying quite a lot. However, it wasn’t without it’s downsides, the critical and commercial disaster of the film Lost Horizons split the duo up in a flurry of lawsuits and bad blood, and he had a comparatively quiet seventies. Come the 1980’s, and a personal and musical partnership with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager however, he had a second wind. Hits for the likes of Christopher Cross, Neil Diamond and Patti LaBelle followed, but the 90’, and the patronage of Noel Gallagher and Elvis Costello, would do what was thought to be impossible. They made him cool again.
Burt Bacharach is the kind of artist who hasn’t so much had a career as left a legacy, he’s still gracing us with his music night after night and for that we should be incredibly grateful. For a night of some of the greatest pop songs ever written, you can’t go wrong with Burt Bacharach.
Live-Bewertungen
There will never be another Burt Bacharach - those days are gone now and never to return. Songwriters of songs that are performed by others are mostly anonymous today. Although looking old and frail, Burt still exudes cool as he stepped on stage, accompanied by a full orchestra. He explains that he's only going to be playing his own songs tonight, no cover versions... Then the hits just keep coming. To write just one of those songs would be a lifetime achievement for most people, but Burt has song after song, and each one is a well-known classic. Burt explains that when he and Hal David started working at the Brill Building they didn't have a hit for 18 months. There were many talented people they worked along side, and some who gave up song writing after equally long periods of their songs being rejected. He sings a few songs himself - notably "Alfie" (he tells us this is his own personal favourite), but most of the vocal duties are capably handled by others.
There are so many songs in his repertoire that they are combined into medleys such as "early songs", "film music" etc just in order to be able to get through them. Burt explains that his appearance in the Austin Powers Movies he was in has increased his profile no end with his 7-year old followers. Around half way through, and I am struggling to think of a song of his that hasn't been played. Still the hits keep coming. Burt's youngest son joins him on stage for a couple of numbers. Then we reach the end with an audience participation version of "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" - and the Burt Bacharach - the Legend exits stage left. I leave with a selection of Burt's songs looping in my head...
saturday night saw a very special concert at vector arena. This was the end of a long world tour by the amazing burt Bacharach. With such a vast array of songs to his name , no concert could be long enough to cover half of them. howver Burt had put a brillaint selecttion of both medlies and full songs and even included some new works. his excellent singers, Donna Taylor, Josie James and John Pagano gave splendid renditions of well known numbers such as "Walk on Bye" "the Road top San Jose" and many others. The concert was varied and not just a grand musical experience. it also conveyed the humanity of a man who will go down as one of the greatest song writers of the twentieth century. His personal warmth came across with references to his life and a proud introduction to his son who played keyboards. there were many special moments and the concert had a number of one offs. One such where Burt invited a young woman, Jennie Cruse an Auckland singer sonmgwriter, to sit next to him while he sang "Close to You". His ability to not only perform but also to bond with the audience showed him to be really one of the true greats of entertainment. Truly a memorable performance.
Burt Bacharach is something of a dying breed on the music circuit as he crafted a career penning songs for other artists. This was a done thing by huge stars such as Whitney Houston yet now there is further emphasis on artistic credibility and the importance of writing tracks. Fortunately before this turning tide, Bacharach penned hits for the likes of Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield, Jackie DeShannon, Tom Jones and Marty Robbins to name a few. Although a number of these were composed with writing partner Hal David, tonight Burt is performing solo.
There is no doubt the musician who is now in his 80s looks a shadow of his former self sat behind the piano yet there is a strong live outfit supporting him throughout the show. The huge amounts of hits covered tonight including 'What's New Pussy Cat' 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' and 'I Say A Little Prayer' to name a few is a huge reminder of the legacy Burt will leave behind as he is the mind behind some of the most recognisable hits of the 60s. 70s and 80s.
The first concert at the Festival Hall for which I have ever wanted my money back. The microphones had not been set up correctly, making the interminable chats between each number totally inaudible. A frustrating experience, leading to large number of the audience walking out.
Burt was outstanding. Amazing to watch saw him last Aspen. He gets better all the time . A great audience at ucla
Kim please contact me.jlnormanco@aol.com
From Royce hall concert