Pianist, singer, bandleader, and actor Harry Connick Jr. grew up in New Orleans studying under Ellis Marsalis and went on to become one of the most commercially successful jazz artists of his generation — a musician who brought the city's piano and big band traditions to audiences of millions while maintaining deep roots in the place that made him.
Biography
Connick was born in New Orleans in 1967, the son of the Orleans Parish District Attorney, and began studying piano seriously at age three. He studied with Ellis Marsalis at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and recorded his first album at ten. His 1987 self-titled debut for Columbia, recorded when he was nineteen, announced a pianist of remarkable sophistication; his soundtrack to When Harry Met Sally launched him to mainstream stardom. Through the 1990s he built one of the most successful big bands in jazz, playing arenas while maintaining a commitment to musical integrity that earned him respect from jazz purists. After Hurricane Katrina he became one of the most visible advocates for New Orleans' recovery, using his platform to draw attention to the city's needs and to celebrate its resilience.
Discography
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