BIOGRAFIE

The "worker", who made a sound into a legend

James Last - Stages of a great career

93% of all Germans know James Last. His music is popular in 150 countries. Alongside numerous prizes such as the "Goldenen Europa", the "Goldenen Kamera" or the "Echo Life Award 1994", to name but a few, so far the most successful bandleader of the world has collected 17 platinum and 206 gold discs.

Music is his life

The breakthrough in the music market bestowed upon the orchestra leader James Last in 1965 by the furious LP success Non Stop Dancing, the musical career which "Hansi" Last began, however, in 1939 with the first piano lesson. In Germany the Second World War was raging and the youngest son of the of the Bremen Family Last, his two elder brothers were already working in armaments factories - had been advised to study music so that he wouldn't have to work in the factory.

To conduct opera, to lead a symphony orchestra - these were Hansi's aims when he began his music studies at the Heeresmusikschule in Bückeburg in 1943, his favourite instrument was bass. However, he couldn't completely tear himself away from the jazz and swing boom in post war Germany.
In 1946 he became - like his brothers Robert and Werner - a member of the newly formed dance Radio Bremen dance and entertainment orchestra. As a musician he from then on led a double life - as a successful orchestra musician on the one hand and on the other, as an excellent jazz bass player, who between 1950 and 1952 was nominated best bass player of the year by the German jazz poll.

Non Stop Dancing - the first James Last Orchestra LP production took the charts by storm in 1965. A new sound was created which immediately appealed to the audience. The recipe: lively, optimistic and melodious music, lined with a party atmosphere.

The fact that James Last is not only an extraordinarily successful but also an extraordinarily hardworking and diverse composer and arranger, is demonstrated in the subsequent years. In 1967 he had four LPs simultaneously in the first positions in the English hit parade, one award followed the other: 1969, 1970 and 1971 the German music poll named the band "most popular orchestra" of the year. One tour followed the other, James Last is a celebrated guest on many continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand are on the tour programme. In between James Last finds the time to record up to twelve (!) records per year, he arranges and composes in every free moment.

His sound is a legend

His hard work and his perfectionism pay off, Hansi is positively showered with awards and prizes: in 1978 he received the German award Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande from the then German federal president Walter Scheel, in 1979 the "Goldene Kamera" from the magazine "Hör Zu". He becomes a star of the national and international music scene, his sound becomes a legend, and he still has both feet on the ground.

Modesty is his hallmark, James Last is not a man of star airs and graces. He only feels privileged because he has always been able to do what he liked doing: making music. "I have always made music which I liked and then I realised that lots of people like what I like", he tries to explain his immense success. "My special talent, if you like, is to meet the heart of the audience."
He does exactly that - including the hearts of other world stars. His composition "Games That Lovers Play" is recorded in 100 different version throughout the whole world by artists such as Conny Frabcis or Ray Conniff. And musical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber calls Hansi's Version of "Don´t Cry For Me Argentina" the best arrangement of his song "that was ever written."


His success is unique

Other artists come and go - James Last also rides in the eighties on the wave of success. At the beginning of the nineties TV shows and galas are on the agenda, but German fans wait in vain for a Germany tour. It is not until 1997 that the "Bremen boy" returns from his chosen homeland of Florida to the big German venues and is effusively celebrated in 16 concerts in east and west. How close are joy and sorrow: the tour success is followed by a private blow of fate, in the same year his wife Waltraud dies, mother of both of his children, after a long illness.

1998 becomes both a recreational and productive year for James Last, one in which he regains his optimism. This positive attitude to life is what is reflected in his music and maybe in the phenomenon that makes James Last what he is: his concerts are huge parties, at which he searches for the closeness of his fans, the CD productions are huge "family meetings" with his musicians, with many of whom he has already worked for decades. His family, his friends in the orchestra, his fans - alongside the music they are the leading lights in the life of James Last.


His passion has remained young

He is still prepared to give all on the stage and in the studio even over the age of 70. And also to explore new musical paths, nonetheless remaining faithful to himself. Each concert programme features arrangements of current hits alongside his "classics". Hansi is enthusiastic about songs by Michael Jackson as well as those of Guns n´Roses, Nirvana or Cher. The "Gentleman Of Music" does say stop at hip hop either, as the single "Ruf mich an", which he recorded in 1999 together with the German hip hoppers "Fettes Brot", shows.
He perceived the arrival of modern technology in artistic work without reservations. At the age of 60 he worked consistently in programmes and for composing and arranging has since swapped piano and manuscript paper for the computer. "He is a worker", say the members of the band.

He does not spend time thinking about retirement, a well filled appointments diary does not scare him - provided that he finds enough time alongside music for his wife Christine and for a further great passion, playing golf.

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