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Woody Allen
As Musician
Allen is a passionate fan of jazz which is often featured prominently in his movies' soundtracks. He has played the clarinet since adolescence and chose his stage name from an idol, famed clarinetist Woody Herman. He has performed publicly at least since the late-1960s, notably with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on the soundtrack of Sleeper. One of his earliest televised performances was on The Dick Cavett Show on October 20, 1971.
Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band play every Monday evening at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel, specializing in classic New Orleans jazz from the early twentieth century. The documentary film Wild Man Blues (directed by Barbara Kopple) documents a 1996 European tour by Allen and his band, as well as his relationship with Previn. The band has released two CDs: The Bunk Project (1993) and the soundtrack of Wild Man Blues (1997).
As Filmmaker
The beautiful soundtrack to Woody Allen's movie Manhattan begins with a sixteen minute, lush arrangement of Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue with Gary Graffman at the piano and Zubin Mehta. All this over cinematographer Gordon Willis' breath taking visuals of the New York landscape. Together with Gershwin, the stage is set for Woody's masterpiece. Rhapsody In Blue by The New York Philharmonic sparkles like crystal--and that's only the beginning. Land Of The Gay Caballero also features a great musical arrangement with great brass, horns and percussion. Someone To Watch Over Me and I've Got A Crush On You making good use of the percussion. 'S Wonderful is another Gershwin tune that sounds fresh and new in the capable hands of these fine artists.
Allan Stewart Konigsberg, a.k.a. Woody Allen, was born in the Bronx on December 1, 1935. He is the son of Martin Konigsberg and Nettie Cherry.
At the age of three he got hooked on movies when his mother took him to see Snow White. From that day the movie theaters became his second home.
In Woody's childhood years his favorite movie was Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity.
At his first year of school he was put in an accelerated class because of his high IQ. But he hated school from day one and became rebellious. His didn't do his homework, was rude to the teachers and sometimes disruptive in class.
Surprisingly he was very good in sports (basketball, stickball, football, baseball) in his early years and was always among the first picked in teams in the neighborhood. He also liked boxing and even trained for several months until his parents asked him to stop.
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Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band at Royce Hall on December 29th
![Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band at Royce Hall on December 29th](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/c52e0652d1fe5c76f6e4052e49a95750.jpg)
Source:
Jay Hughen
Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band will perform at Royce Hall on December 29 for one unforgettable night. Tickets go on sale Saturday, October 15 at 10:00 AM. For more than thirty-five years, Woody Allen and His New Orleans Jazz Band have been delighting audiences with a hot mix of New Orleans inspired music. The band's sound is firmly rooted in the music that Woody Allen has loved since his childhood and draws inspiration from such legendary artists ...
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Woody Allen: Have I Mentioned I Love Paris?
![Woody Allen: Have I Mentioned I Love Paris?](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/c52e0652d1fe5c76f6e4052e49a95750.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
Woody Allen has been saying for years that he's happy to explore new means of financing -- er, urban backdrops -- and has pretty much backed up that promise/flexibility by jumping between England and Spain for his past half-dozen films (including one detour to his native New York). The director hasn't stopped off in Paris yet, but that will change with the movie he's getting ready to make, whose title he revealed Thursday as Midnight In Paris" and which he'll ...
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American Apparel Slams Woody Allen's Sex Life
![American Apparel Slams Woody Allen's Sex Life](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/c52e0652d1fe5c76f6e4052e49a95750.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
A clothing company known for its racy ads is fighting a $10 million lawsuit brought by Woody Allen, arguing that it can't have damaged his reputation by using his image because the film director has already ruined it himself.
The 73-year-old Allen started the fight against American Apparel Inc. when he sued the company last year for using his image on the company's billboards in Hollywood and New York and on a Web site.
Allen, who does not endorse products ...
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Oreste Lionello Italian Movie Dubber Known as Voice of Woody Allen Dies
![Oreste Lionello Italian Movie Dubber Known as Voice of Woody Allen Dies](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/9053b783e09c2d3bbe99bf8a681dfb37.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
ROME -- Oreste Lionello, an entertainer and film dubber who was Italy's voice" of Woody Allen, Jerry Lewis and other comic stars, died in a Rome hospital today.
Lionello, 81, was a star in Italy's important entertainment industry of movie dubbing. Relatively few Italian cinemas show films in the original language, so moviegoers often only know the voices of Hollywood stars through dubbers like Lionello.
Italian actor and director Pier Francesco Pingitore, who did cabaret acts with Lionello, said the ...
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Charles Joffe Co Producer on Woody Allen Films Passes
![Charles Joffe Co Producer on Woody Allen Films Passes](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/9053b783e09c2d3bbe99bf8a681dfb37.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
Charles H. Joffe, a legendary manager of comic talent who helped guide the careers of Dick Cavett, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Woody Allen and co-produced nearly all of Allen's films
Joffe's prowess as a negotiator helped Allen gain total artistic control over his movies. Joffe died Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 78.
Joffe and his business partner, Jack Rollins, were considered the deans of comedy management, who nurtured many young ...
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Woody Allen, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen and All That Jazz in Montreal
![Woody Allen, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen and All That Jazz in Montreal](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/logo/bd38a72ed12128b10ddc05c6087dacb8.jpg)
Source:
All About Jazz
MONTREAL (AFP) -- Prodigal Leonard Cohen is back in his home town to croon for Montreal's 29th international jazz festival this week, along with stars Aretha Franklin, Dave Brubeck, and Woody Allen on his clarinet. For years, we wanted to present these artists at the festival, but it took some time before they finally accepted our invitation," said Laurent Saulnier, programmer at the Montreal Jazz Festival -- one of the world's biggest. This year, the circumstances were favorable," he said. ...
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Woody Allen Onstage for the First Time in Montreal!
![Woody Allen Onstage for the First Time in Montreal!](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/c52e0652d1fe5c76f6e4052e49a95750.jpg)
Source:
Braithwaite & Katz Communications
This summer, the Festival International de Jazz de Montral proudly presents beloved American director, actor, writer and musician Woody Allen in his grand Montreal premiere! For one night only, surrounded by his New Orleans Jazz Band, the incomparable New York legend sets his filmmaker persona aside and allows the passionate jazz clarinetist to step forward, revealing another facet of his talent. Join us for this unique concert June 30, in Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, Place des Arts. Tickets go on sale this ...
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Woody Allen to Perform at Rochester International Jazz Festival in Exclusive Opening Night Benefit Concert
![Woody Allen to Perform at Rochester International Jazz Festival in Exclusive Opening Night Benefit Concert](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/logo/bd38a72ed12128b10ddc05c6087dacb8.jpg)
Source:
All About Jazz
Tickets On Sale March 10th for Rare U.S. Performance Proceeds Benefit New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund
Rochester, NY--March 8, 2006-- In its first U.S. tour performance, Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band, will open the fifth annual Rochester International Jazz Festival in an exclusive benefit concert June 9th at 8 p.m. at the Eastman Theatre.
Proceeds will benefit the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to aiding New Orleans musicians affected ...
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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson