Lalo Schifrin
b. 21 June 1932, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Schifrin was taught classical piano from the age of six but later studied sociology and law at university. He won a scholarship to the Paris Conservatoire where he studied with Olivier Messiaen. In 1955 he represented Argentina in the Third International Jazz Festival in Paris. He met Dizzy Gillespie first in 1956 when the trumpeter was touring South America. Schifrin had founded the first Argentine big band in the Count Basie tradition and in 1957 wrote his first film music. He moved to New York in 1958 and toured Europe in 1960 with a Jazz At The Philharmonic ensemble which included Dizzy with whom he played between 1960 and 1962. He had become increasingly interested in large-scale compositions and wrote two suites for Gillespie— GILLESPIANA and NEW CONTINENT. He worked with Quincy Joneswhen he left Gillespie, but became more and more involved in scoring for television and feature films including THE CINCINATTI KID (1965), BULLITT (1968) and DIRTY HARRY (1971). His more than 150 scores over a period of nearly 30 years also have included THE LIQUIDATOR, COOL HAND LUKE, THE FOX, COOGAN'S BLUFF, KELLY'S HEROS, HIT!, MAGNUM FORCE, VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, ROLLERCOASTER, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, THE COMPETITION, THE STING II, HOLLYWOOD WIVES (television mini-series), THE FOURTH PROTOCOL, F/X2—THE DEADLY ART OF ILLUSION, THE DEAD POOL, RETURN FROM THE RIVER KWAI, and A WOMAN CALLED JACKIE (1992 television series). He taught composition at the University of California, Los Angeles (1968-71).