As one of the most successful
classical performers of his time, violinist
Nigel Kennedy's genre-defying music helped him achieve a level of fame typically reserved for
pop stars. A native of Brighton, England, he studied music at the Yehudi Menuhin School and at Juilliard; his debut recording, Elgar Violin Concerto, appeared in 1984, shortly followed by Nigel Kennedy Plays Jazz. In the years to follow,
Kennedy collaborated not only with the more traditional likes of
Riccardo Muti and
the Philharmonia Orchestra,
the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and
Andre Previn, but also with
pop figures including
Paul McCartney and
Kate Bush; his fame reached new heights with the 1989 release of his recording of
Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, which went as high as number three on the U.K.
pop charts and went on to sell well over a million copies. In 1992, neck surgery forced
Kennedy to retire for several years; when he resurfaced with 1996's Kafka, he performed his own compositions for the first time, broadening his scope to include not only
classical music but also elements of
celtic, rock, and
jazz. The
Jimi Hendrix tribute The Kennedy Experience followed in 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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Blue Note Sessions
Vivaldi Experience