Lalo Schifrin is a highly accomplished Argentine-born pianist, conductor, and composer who has made a profound impact on the world of music and film. With a career spanning over six decades, Schifrin has written an astonishing 100 scores for both television and cinema, leaving an indelible mark on the industry.
His impressive body of work includes the iconic themes for Mission: Impossible (1966),Mannix (1967),Starsky and Hutch (1975),Cool Hand Luke (1967),and Bullitt (1968). Schifrin's collaboration with Clint Eastwood, another jazz aficionado, has resulted in numerous contributions, including the themes for all the Dirty Harry films, Joe Kidd (1972),and Coogan's Bluff (1968).
Throughout his illustrious career, Schifrin has received four Grammy Awards and six Oscar nominations, a testament to his exceptional talent and dedication. His classical music training in Argentina and France has laid the foundation for his success, and his ability to seamlessly blend jazz and classical music has earned him widespread recognition.
As a jazz pianist, Schifrin is highly respected for his technical skill and improvisational prowess. In the 1950s, he formed his own big band in Buenos Aires, which caught the attention of jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie, who subsequently asked Schifrin to become his pianist and arranger.
In 1958, Schifrin relocated to the United States, where his career truly took off. In addition to his work in jazz and cinema, he has had the privilege of conducting some of the world's most renowned orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
Schifrin's contributions to film music over the past 40 years have been nothing short of remarkable, and he continues to remain active in the industry, with recent compositions for the Jackie Chan films Rush Hour (1998) and Rush Hour 2 (2001).
