Harry Connick, Jr.’s meteoric rise in the world of music was only a prelude to a multi-faceted career. This pianist, vocalist, composer, band leader, actor, and philanthropist has received awards and recognition for his live and recorded musical performances, and for his achievements on screens large and small as well as the Broadway stage. Throughout his stellar career, Harry Connick, Jr. has earned three Grammy® Awards, two Emmy® Awards, and two Tony® nominations.
That’s all fine, but we all know him currently as the screaming, parodying and unpredictable judge on American Idol. While not a big fan of those musical competition shows, the addition of this personable and loose entertainer is a welcome relief from the usual self-promoting “superstars” who frequently populate those chairs. He lends an air of humanity when dealing and dishing out constructive comments to the contestants and has earned the respect of every performer who has known the fear of a very large scale audition. He brings that same charm and charisma to the stage in his live performances.
Back to his music, the career of Harry Connick, Jr., can be divided in half — his first two albums encompassed straight-ahead New Orleans jazz and stride piano while his later career (which paralleled his rising celebrity status) alternated between more contemporary New Orleans music and pop vocals with a debt to Frank Sinatra. Already well known within jazz circles, Connick entered the American consciousness with the soundtrack to 1989’s popular film When Harry Met Sally. Director Rob Reiner had asked Connick to compose a soundtrack, and he recorded several warm standards (“It Had to Be You,” “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore”) with a big-band backing. A world tour followed, and When Harry Met Sally eventually reached double-platinum status. With Connick a major celebrity, he diverged into an acting career, playing a tail gunner in 1990’s Memphis Belle. Connick continued his acting work with a starring role in 1995’s Copycat (where he played a serial killer), and he married actress Jill Goodacre. In 1996, he had a brief role in the year’s biggest blockbuster, Independence Day. I loved that cigar-chomping singing pilot, and so did most of America.
Ever devoted to his hometown, Connick was also heavily involved in the support and rebuilding of New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina. In early September 2005, he organized the benefit telethon A Concert for Hurricane Relief on NBC to raise money for and draw attention to the beleaguered residents of New Orleans. Afterward, he worked closely with Habitat for Humanity in helping victims of Katrina.
Feb 22 8:00PM
State Theatre, New Brunswick
www.statetheatrenj.org
