Les Reed

Leslie David Reed (born July 24, 1935 in Woking , Surrey , England - † April 15, 2019 ) was a British songwriter, musician, arranger and orchestra conductor. He was holder of the OBE ( Order of the British Empire ).

Career

As a child, Reed was sent to clubs and dance halls with his accordion by his father, who led a troupe of tap dancers, ballet dancers, musicians and singers. His father also gave him lessons in music theory. At the age of five he was given his first piano and at the age of 14 he passed all exams at the London College of Music in the subjects piano , accordion and vibraphone .

With Peter Willis, a jazz accordionist, he founded the Willis Reed Group , with which he toured for four years. During his military service he played piano and clarinet in the Royal Kent Military Band . Later he worked as a bar pianist in the Lido nightclub and as a jazz pianist in various bands in London .

In 1959 he became the pianist of the John Barry Seven , the band of the film music composer John Barry . He appeared with her on the television series Drumbeat (BBC) , in which Barry's hits, including the James Bond theme , were played. In the original film music for James Bond - 007, Dr. No played Reed piano.

In 1962 he left the band to begin a career as arranger and musical director. He recorded several singles with his Les Reed Combo and became a sought-after arranger for various record companies and for television series such as On The Scene and Ready Steady Go!

During a recording session for Adam Faith's new single , Reed composed the B-side While I'm Away with Johnny Worth (aka Les Vandyke) . This started Reed's career as a songwriter. The first big hit came in 1964 with It's Not Unusual , a number 1 hit for Tom Jones , and the next in 1965 with Here It Comes Again , a hit for The Fortunes .

In the following years, Reed worked mainly with the copywriters Barry Mason and Geoff Stephens and became with successes like Delilah (Tom Jones), Tell Me When ( The Applejacks ), Leave A Little Love ( Lulu ), There's A Kind Of Hush ( Herman's Hermits ) or The Last Waltz ( Engelbert ) became a sought-after songwriter. Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley were also among the interpreters of his songs .

He was also the arranger of number 1 hits such as You've Got Your Troubles (The Fortunes), Green Green Grass Of Home (Tom Jones), Pamela Pamela ( Wayne Fontana ) and Boys Cry ( Eden Kane ).

In 1970 the Les Reed Orchestra recorded the instrumental Man of Action , which was the signature tune of the radio station Radio North Sea International until 1974 .

In 1971, the befriended songwriter Mitch Murray founded the SODS (Society of Distinguished Songwriters ), which today includes, in addition to Les Reed, Justin Hayward , Mike Batt , Sir Tim Rice and Guy Chambers .

In 1972, Reeds and Mason's song became Leeds! Leeds! Leeds! (Marching On Together) to the anthem of the Leeds United football club .

As an orchestra leader and conductor he has worked with David Bowie , Johnnie Mathis , Roy Orbison , Brook Benton , Sammy Davis Jr. , the Liverpool Philharmonic , the London Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra .

In addition to over 110 gold and platinum records, he was awarded The Freedom of the City of London and, for his services to British music, the Order of British Empire .

Reed worked as a songwriter, arranger and orchestra director until his death and had written numerous contributions to film and television, including The Lady Vanishes (1998 film with Angela Lansbury ) and B-Mail (animated shorts 2006). From 1992 to 2004 he worked with Roger Cook ( Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway ) on the musical Beautiful And Damned .

Songs

• 1962 - While I'm Away (Les Reed - Johnny Worth), interpreter: Adam Faith
• 1964 - Baby I Don't Care (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Kiki Dee
• 1964 - It's Not Unusual (Les Reed - Gordon Mills), Performers: Tom Jones , The Supremes , Cher
• 1964 - Tell Me When (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), Performers: The Applejacks, Airborne
• 1965 - Leave a Little Love (Les Reed - Robin Conrad), interpreter: Lulu
• 1965 - I'll Try Not to Cry (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Kathy Kirby
• 1965 - Here It Comes Again (Les Reed - Barry Mason), Performers: The Fortunes
• 1966 - Gone From My Mind (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreter: Claude François
• 1966 - Silent Street (Les Reed - Barry Mason), Performers: The Fortunes
• 1966 - Turn Her Away (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: PJ Proby
• 1966 - I've Got to Go (Les Reed - Barry Mason), Performers: The Fortunes
• 1967 - Learn to Live without You (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreters: The Bachelors
• 1967 - Gina (Les Reed - Mitch Murray), interpreter: Udo Jürgens
• 1967 - Turn Around (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Tony Christie
• 1967 - The Last Waltz (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1967 - There's a Kind of Hush (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreters: Herman's Hermits
• 1967 - Everybody Knows (Les Reed - Barry Mason), Performers: The Dave Clark Five
• 1968 - Delilah (Les Reed - Barry Mason), Performers: Tom Jones, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
• 1968 - Kiss Me Goodbye (Les Reed - Barry Mason - Misselvia), interpreter: Petula Clark
• 1968 - Les bicyclettes de Belsize (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1968 - She's My Girl (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Tony Blackburn
• 1968 - Now That You're Gone (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Ken Dodd
• 1968 - Dis-moi au revoir (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Petula Clark
• 1968 - When Love Has Passed You By (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: PJ Proby
• 1968 - Sweet Souvenirs of Stephan (Les Reed - Vandyke), interpreter: Mireille Mathieu
• 1968 - When We Were Young (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Solomon King
• 1968 - I Pretend (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Des O'Connor
• 1968 - Don't Ask Me (score for Girl On A Motorcycle ) (Les Reed), interpreter: Cleo Laine
• 1968 - I've Got My Eyes on You (Les Reed - Jackie Rae), Performers: Petula Clark, Ray Conniff , PJ Proby, The Vogues
• 1969 - Love Is All (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1969 - Winter World of Love (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1969 - Angela (Les Reed), interpreter: Udo Jürgens
• 1970 - Daughter of Darkness (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreter: Tom Jones
• 1970 - This Is Our Dance (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreter: Elvis Presley
• 1970 - Man of Action (Les Reed), Performers: Les Reed Orchestra
• 1970 - Sylvia (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreter: Elvis Presley
• 1971 - Dear Madame (Les Reed), interpreter: Sandie Shaw
• 1971 - The Sun Died (Les Reed), interpreter: Tom Jones
• 1971 - When There's No You (Les Reed - Jackie Rae), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1972 - Leeds! Leeds! Leeds! (Marching On Together) (Les Reed - Barry Mason), performers: Leeds United football team (A-side: Leeds United )
• 1972 - I Never Said Goodbye (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Engelbert
• 1973 - Girl of Mine (Les Reed - Barry Mason), interpreter: Elvis Presley
• 1975 - Hello Happiness (Les Reed - Roger Greenaway), Performers: The Drifters
• 1975 - That's What Life Is All About (Les Reed - Bing Crosby), interpreter: Bing Crosby
• 1978 - Stay a While (Les Reed - Geoff Stephens), interpreter: Danny Sinclair

Discography

Les Reed Orchestra

• Minuet Mash / Night Fall (single, 1963)
• Spanish Armada / Madrid (single, 1964)
• Imogene / The Pay Off (single, 1967)
• Imogene / Copacabana Girl (single, 1967)
• New Dimensions - The Les Reed Sound (album, 1967)
• Mr. Hit Sound (album, 1967)
• Fly Me To The Sun (album, 1967)
• The Last Waltz / Theme Of Candice (Single, 1967)
• The Girl On A Motorcycle (Les Bicyclettes) (Album, 1968)
• Man Of Action / Madrid (single, 1970)
• Love Is All (album, 1970)
• Man Of Action / Lest We Forget (Single, 1973)
• Also sprach Zarathustra / Second Movement Of Fifth Symphony (Single, 1973)
• The New World Of Les Reed (album, 1973)
• The International World Of Les Reed (album, 1975)
• The Pink Professor (album, 1998)

Web links

• Les Reed in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• Les Reed at Discogs (English)
• Les Reed official website