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Gene Lees

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161:(February 8, 1928 – April 22, 2010) was a Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist. Lees worked as a newspaper journalist in his native Canada before moving to the United States, where he was a music critic and lyricist. His lyrics for 433:", "Someone to Light Up My Life", "Song of the Jet", "This Happy Madness" and "Dreamer". "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" (originally "Corcovado") has been recorded by many artists, artists as diverse as 197:, Canada, Lees was the eldest of four children born to Harold Lees, a violinist, and Dorothy Flatman. His sister, Victoria Lees, is the former Secretary General of 509:
TV show in 1971, appeared as a commentator or singer on other CBC Toronto and Ottawa TV and radio series, and was host 1973–4 for Toronto radio station
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Lees won the first of five ASCAP-Deems Taylor Awards in 1978 for a series of articles published in High Fidelity about US music. Lees' famous monthly
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on Kanata Records, a Toronto company of which he became president from 1971 to 1974. Lees briefly had his own late-night
1023: 541:. His wife, Janet, planned to continue the Jazzletter after his death, but this did not materialize. She died in 2013. 489: 453:
Sextet, in 1961. Sinatra recorded four songs by Jobim with lyrics by Lees, Sinatra's recording of "Quiet Nights" (from
255:(often using his column to defend jazz and older popular music while blasting "that rock junk"), the Canadian magazine 642: 623: 610: 584: 571: 446: 208:
Beginning his writing career as a newspaper reporter in his native Canada, between 1948 and 1955 Lees contributed to
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The Modern Rhyming Dictionary: How to Write Lyrics A Practical Guide to Lyric Writing for Songwriters and Poets
1078: 940: 875: 406: 295: 251: 870: 529:, and a third, "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", with a group of jazz all-stars led by Don Thompson. 476: 210: 1068: 965: 467:. Lees contributed lyrics to "Bridges" by Milton Nascimento; "Yesterday I Heard the Rain" by 1008: 1003: 463:'s, "Paris Is at Her Best in May" and "Venice Blue", and Aznavour's 1965 Broadway concert, 426: 162: 8: 961: 903: 421:. Lees became a lyricist in the 1960s, writing many of the English language lyrics for 414: 326: 275: 269: 898: 425:
songs, translating them from their original Portuguese. Lees wrote the lyrics for the
983: 924: 741: 717: 700: 679: 662: 638: 619: 606: 593: 580: 567: 554: 480: 468: 202: 194: 169:" (released as "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars"), have been recorded by such singers as 46: 538: 460: 430: 216: 166: 65: 988: 970: 205:, and his brother, David Lees, is an investigative journalist and science writer. 692: 688: 374: 354: 350: 459:, 1967), is considered by Lees to be definitive. Lees also wrote the lyrics for 793: 671: 526: 506: 442: 441:. "Quiet Nights" was Lees' first professional lyric, written on a bus going to 346: 997: 733: 654: 484: 438: 434: 418: 386: 362: 291: 245: 240: 222: 178: 170: 317:
was established in 1981, and contains musical criticism by Lees and others.
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Lees briefly returned to Canada in the early 1970s and recorded the LP
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in the 1980s, and published three compilations of pieces from his
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Did They Mention the Music?: The Autobiography of Henry Mancini
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Meet Me at Jim & Andy's: Jazz Musicians and Their World
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Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist
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between 1955 and 1959 and was editor of the jazz magazine
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Lees died of a stroke on April 22, 2010, at his home in
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Arranging the Score: Portraits of the Great Arrangers
373:(1994) and on the effect of racism on the careers of 814: 405:
Lees studied composition by correspondence with the
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Inventing Champagne: The Worlds of Lerner and Loewe
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Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer
239:As a freelance writer, Lees wrote for the American 899:"Gene Lees, Jazz Critic and Historian, Dies at 82" 603:You Can't Steal a Gift: Dizzy, Clark, Milt and Nat 391:You Can't Steal a Gift: Dizzy, Clark, Milt and Nat 920:"Gene Lees dies at 82; jazz historian and critic" 456:Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim 369:(1989). Lees wrote about racism in jazz music in 995: 941:"Gene Lees in Ojai: Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" 345:(1991). As a biographer, Lees has written about 503:Bridges: Gene Lees Sings the Gene Lees Songbook 616:Friends Along the Way: A Journey Through Jazz 395:Friends Along the Way: A Journey Through Jazz 714:Leader of the Band: The Life of Woody Herman 727: 829:"Reflections of Gene Lees on His Birthday" 770: 1029:Canadian expatriates in the United States 496: 1109:20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters 896: 517:. Lees released a second album in 1998, 483:were translated by Lees and recorded by 590:Cats of Any Color: Jazz Black and White 371:Cats of Any Color: Jazz Black and White 996: 778:Gene Lees Sings the Gene Lees Songbook 938: 487:as part of a song cycle on her album 409:, in the early 1960s and piano with 917: 306:was published in 1967. The second, 13: 1104:20th-century Canadian male writers 1094:20th-century Canadian male singers 897:Keepnews, Peter (April 26, 2010). 490:The Planet Is Alive...Let it Live! 14: 1120: 1099:20th-century Canadian translators 1019:21st-century Canadian biographers 955: 676:Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing 1074:Musicians from Hamilton, Ontario 1064:Canadian male singer-songwriters 1044:21st-century Canadian memoirists 939:Lewis, Mark (December 2, 2014). 1089:20th-century Canadian novelists 1014:Berklee College of Music alumni 544: 449:tour of South America with the 134: 114: 1084:Writers from Hamilton, Ontario 1034:Canadian newspaper journalists 932: 918:Woo, Elaine (April 24, 2010). 911: 890: 648: 447:United States State Department 400: 282:Lees wrote nearly one hundred 1: 807: 465:The World of Charles Aznavour 1059:Canadian radio personalities 989:Gene Lees' Jazzletter online 361:, and has collaborated with 188: 7: 431:Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars 367:Did They Mention the Music? 365:on Mancini's autobiography 339:Meet Me at Jim & Andy's 228:Louisville (Kentucky) Times 10: 1125: 1054:Canadian music journalists 801:Yesterday I Heard the Rain 393:(2001). A memoir entitled 286:for artists as diverse as 159:Frederick Eugene John Lees 33:Frederick Eugene John Lees 1024:Canadian male biographers 876:The Canadian Encyclopedia 784:Gene Lees Sings Gene Lees 519:Gene Lees Sings Gene Lees 320: 145: 96: 73: 54: 28: 21: 751: 728:Biographies as co–author 532: 407:Berklee College of Music 296:George Barnes (musician) 1039:Canadian male novelists 771:Discography as a singer 397:was published in 2003. 310:was published in 2008. 236:between 1959 and 1962. 1049:Canadian music critics 835:. 2006. Archived from 678:(1988, revised 2000), 635:Singers & The Song 631:(2000) ISBN 0304704881 497:Recording/broadcasting 445:, while Lees was on a 270:Toronto Globe and Mail 211:The Hamilton Spectator 871:"Gene Lees Biography" 833:Robert Farnon Society 515:Gene Lees and Friends 349:, the partnership of 427:Antonio Carlos Jobim 335:Singers and the Song 304:And Sleep Until Noon 163:Antonio Carlos Jobim 803:(with Don Thompson) 790:Leaves on the Water 758:And Sleep Till Noon 523:Leaves on the Water 1079:Canadian lyricists 904:The New York Times 415:Oscar Castro-Neves 327:rhyming dictionary 302:. His first novel 276:The New York Times 925:Los Angeles Times 746:978-0-8154-1175-8 722:978-0-19-505671-6 705:978-0-312-05136-5 684:978-0-8154-1021-8 667:978-0-375-42060-3 598:978-0-19-508448-1 577:Waiting for Dizzy 559:978-0-89524-317-1 481:Pope John Paul II 469:Armando Manzanero 343:Waiting for Dizzy 308:Song Lake Summer, 203:McGill University 195:Hamilton, Ontario 156: 155: 107:Micheline Ducreux 47:Hamilton, Ontario 1116: 949: 948: 936: 930: 929: 915: 909: 908: 894: 888: 887: 885: 883: 867: 848: 847: 845: 844: 825: 764:Song Lake Summer 539:Ojai, California 461:Charles Aznavour 413:and guitar with 217:Toronto Telegram 138: 136: 118: 116: 66:Ojai, California 61: 43:February 8, 1928 42: 40: 19: 18: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1118: 1117: 1115: 1114: 1113: 994: 993: 973:discography at 958: 953: 952: 937: 933: 916: 912: 895: 891: 881: 879: 869: 868: 851: 842: 840: 827: 826: 815: 810: 773: 754: 730: 693:Frederick Loewe 689:Alan Jay Lerner 651: 547: 535: 499: 477:Waltz for Debby 403: 375:Dizzy Gillespie 355:Frederick Loewe 351:Alan Jay Lerner 323: 191: 141: 140: 137: 1971) 132: 128: 120: 117: 1956) 112: 108: 92: 69: 63: 59: 50: 44: 38: 36: 35: 34: 24: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1122: 1112: 1111: 1106: 1101: 1096: 1091: 1086: 1081: 1076: 1071: 1066: 1061: 1056: 1051: 1046: 1041: 1036: 1031: 1026: 1021: 1016: 1011: 1006: 992: 991: 986: 977: 968: 957: 956:External links 954: 951: 950: 931: 910: 907:. p. B10. 889: 849: 812: 811: 809: 806: 805: 804: 797: 794:Roger Kellaway 786: 780: 772: 769: 768: 767: 761: 753: 750: 749: 748: 729: 726: 725: 724: 707: 686: 672:Oscar Peterson 669: 650: 647: 646: 645: 632: 626: 613: 600: 587: 574: 561: 546: 543: 534: 531: 527:Roger Kellaway 498: 495: 443:Belo Horizonte 402: 399: 347:Oscar Peterson 322: 319: 190: 187: 154: 153: 147: 143: 142: 130: 126: 125: 124: 123: 110: 106: 105: 104: 103: 100: 98: 94: 93: 91: 90: 87: 84: 81: 77: 75: 71: 70: 64: 62:(aged 82) 58:April 22, 2010 56: 52: 51: 45: 32: 30: 26: 25: 22: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1121: 1110: 1107: 1105: 1102: 1100: 1097: 1095: 1092: 1090: 1087: 1085: 1082: 1080: 1077: 1075: 1072: 1070: 1067: 1065: 1062: 1060: 1057: 1055: 1052: 1050: 1047: 1045: 1042: 1040: 1037: 1035: 1032: 1030: 1027: 1025: 1022: 1020: 1017: 1015: 1012: 1010: 1007: 1005: 1002: 1001: 999: 990: 987: 985: 981: 978: 976: 972: 969: 967: 963: 960: 959: 946: 942: 935: 927: 926: 921: 914: 906: 905: 900: 893: 878: 877: 872: 866: 864: 862: 860: 858: 856: 854: 839:on 2009-03-04 838: 834: 830: 824: 822: 820: 818: 813: 802: 798: 795: 791: 787: 785: 781: 779: 775: 774: 765: 762: 759: 756: 755: 747: 743: 739: 735: 734:Henry Mancini 732: 731: 723: 719: 715: 711: 708: 706: 702: 698: 694: 690: 687: 685: 681: 677: 673: 670: 668: 664: 660: 656: 655:Johnny Mercer 653: 652: 644: 643:0-19-504293-X 640: 636: 633: 630: 627: 625: 624:0-300-09967-3 621: 617: 614: 612: 611:0-8032-8034-3 608: 604: 601: 599: 595: 591: 588: 586: 585:0-19-505670-1 582: 578: 575: 573: 572:0-19-504611-0 569: 565: 562: 560: 556: 552: 549: 548: 542: 540: 530: 528: 525:with pianist 524: 521:and recorded 520: 516: 512: 508: 504: 494: 492: 491: 486: 485:Sarah Vaughan 482: 478: 474: 470: 466: 462: 458: 457: 452: 448: 444: 440: 439:Queen Latifah 436: 435:Frank Sinatra 432: 428: 424: 420: 419:New York City 416: 412: 408: 398: 396: 392: 388: 387:Nat King Cole 384: 380: 376: 372: 368: 364: 363:Henry Mancini 360: 356: 352: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 325:Lees wrote a 318: 316: 311: 309: 305: 301: 297: 293: 292:John Coltrane 289: 285: 280: 278: 277: 272: 271: 266: 265: 260: 259: 254: 253: 252:High Fidelity 248: 247: 246:Stereo Review 242: 241:high fidelity 237: 235: 234: 229: 225: 224: 223:Montreal Star 219: 218: 213: 212: 206: 204: 200: 196: 186: 184: 180: 179:Queen Latifah 176: 172: 171:Frank Sinatra 168: 164: 160: 151: 148: 144: 122: 121: 102: 101: 99: 95: 88: 85: 82: 79: 78: 76: 72: 67: 57: 53: 48: 31: 27: 20: 1069:Jazz writers 945:Ojai History 944: 934: 923: 913: 902: 892: 882:November 27, 880:. Retrieved 874: 841:. Retrieved 837:the original 832: 800: 789: 783: 777: 763: 757: 737: 713: 710:Woody Herman 696: 675: 658: 634: 628: 615: 602: 589: 576: 563: 550: 545:Bibliography 536: 522: 518: 514: 502: 500: 488: 479:". Poems by 464: 454: 404: 394: 390: 383:Milt Jackson 370: 366: 359:Woody Herman 342: 341:(1988), and 338: 334: 330: 324: 314: 312: 307: 303: 300:Quincy Jones 281: 274: 268: 264:Toronto Star 262: 256: 250: 244: 238: 231: 227: 221: 215: 209: 207: 192: 158: 157: 127:Janet Suttle 80:Music critic 60:(2010-04-22) 1009:2010 deaths 1004:1928 births 649:Biographies 451:Paul Winter 401:Songwriting 379:Clark Terry 284:liner notes 183:Diana Krall 150:Philip Lees 74:Occupations 998:Categories 843:2009-04-05 808:References 473:Bill Evans 423:Bossa Nova 411:Tony Aless 331:Jazzletter 315:Jazzletter 243:magazines 220:, and the 89:journalist 83:biographer 39:1928-02-08 980:Gene Lees 971:Gene Lees 962:Gene Lees 288:Stan Getz 258:Maclean's 233:Down Beat 189:Biography 175:Peggy Lee 167:Corcovado 23:Gene Lees 966:AllMusic 740:(1989), 716:(1995), 699:(1990), 661:(2004), 637:(1987), 618:(2003), 605:(2001), 592:(1994), 579:(1991), 566:(1988), 553:(1987), 493:(1984). 429:songs; " 337:(1987), 199:Montreal 193:Born in 146:Children 86:lyricist 49:, Canada 975:Discogs 776:1970s: 511:CKFM-FM 152:(1957-) 139:​ 131:​ 119:​ 111:​ 97:Spouses 799:2000: 792:(with 788:1999: 782:1998: 766:(2008) 760:(1967) 744:  720:  703:  682:  665:  641:  622:  609:  596:  583:  570:  557:  471:; and 321:Author 298:, and 273:, and 267:, the 261:, the 214:, the 181:, and 68:, U.S. 752:Novel 533:Death 133:( 129: 113:( 109: 984:IMDb 884:2017 742:ISBN 718:ISBN 701:ISBN 680:ISBN 663:ISBN 639:ISBN 620:ISBN 607:ISBN 594:ISBN 581:ISBN 568:ISBN 555:ISBN 437:and 385:and 353:and 249:and 165:'s " 55:Died 29:Born 982:at 964:at 513:'s 507:CBC 475:' " 417:in 389:in 201:'s 1000:: 943:. 922:. 901:. 873:. 852:^ 831:. 816:^ 736:– 712:– 695:– 691:, 674:– 657:– 381:, 377:, 357:, 333:: 294:, 290:, 279:. 185:. 177:, 173:, 135:m. 115:m. 947:. 928:. 886:. 846:. 796:) 41:) 37:(

Index

Hamilton, Ontario
Ojai, California
Philip Lees
Antonio Carlos Jobim
Corcovado
Frank Sinatra
Peggy Lee
Queen Latifah
Diana Krall
Hamilton, Ontario
Montreal
McGill University
The Hamilton Spectator
Toronto Telegram
Montreal Star
Down Beat
high fidelity
Stereo Review
High Fidelity
Maclean's
Toronto Star
Toronto Globe and Mail
The New York Times
liner notes
Stan Getz
John Coltrane
George Barnes (musician)
Quincy Jones
rhyming dictionary
Oscar Peterson

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