Spotlight on
Kander & Ebb
Kander & Ebb were a highly successful songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (1928 – 2004). They are primarily known for their stage musicals, but also scored several movies most notably Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York, which became a signature song for Frank Sinatra. The team also became associated with two well-known actresses, Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera, for whom they wrote a considerable amount of stage, concert, and TV material. Their greatest acclaim came from the musical Cabaret (1966) as well as the 1972 film version. The musical was directed by Harold Prince, which had a Broadway run of over 1,100 performances and won the Tony Award for best musical, and a Grammy Award. The film, directed by Bob Fosse, won eight Academy Awards. The musical Chicago (1975) after running for 936 performances was revived on Broadway in 1996 to become an even greater hit. It has become the longest-running revival in Broadway history, and the 2002 film version was also a great success and received an Oscar nomination. Other Broadway successes for the Kander & Ebb team included Woman Of The Year (1981) and Kiss of the Spider Women (1992). After Ebb’s death, Kander also gained notable recognition for his 2006 musical Curtains.
Kander & Ebb
Kander & Ebb were a highly successful songwriting team consisting of composer John Kander (born 1927) and lyricist Fred Ebb (1928 – 2004). They are primarily known for their stage musicals, but also scored several movies most notably Martin Scorsese’s New York, New York, which became a signature song for Frank Sinatra. The team also became associated with two well-known actresses, Liza Minnelli and Chita Rivera, for whom they wrote a considerable amount of stage, concert, and TV material. Their greatest acclaim came from the musical Cabaret (1966) as well as the 1972 film version. The musical was directed by Harold Prince, which had a Broadway run of over 1,100 performances and won the Tony Award for best musical, and a Grammy Award. The film, directed by Bob Fosse, won eight Academy Awards. The musical Chicago (1975) after running for 936 performances was revived on Broadway in 1996 to become an even greater hit. It has become the longest-running revival in Broadway history, and the 2002 film version was also a great success and received an Oscar nomination. Other Broadway successes for the Kander & Ebb team included Woman Of The Year (1981) and Kiss of the Spider Women (1992). After Ebb’s death, Kander also gained notable recognition for his 2006 musical Curtains.
