Bob Telson facts for kids

Robert Eria Telson (born May 14, 1949) is an American composer, songwriter, and pianist. He is best known for creating music for plays and movies. He has been nominated for important awards like the Tony Award (for Broadway shows), Pulitzer Prize (for special achievements), and Academy Award (for movies).

About Bob Telson

Early Life and Music Journey

Robert Eria Telson was born in Cannes, France, in 1949. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. He started learning piano when he was five years old. By the time he was nine, he had already played a Mozart piece on TV. He even gave a concert of his own songs!

When he was 14, he wrote 72 love songs for his first girlfriend. At 16 and 17, he studied music in France with Nadia Boulanger, learning about organ, counterpoint (how different melodies fit together), and harmony (how notes sound good together). He then got a music degree from Harvard University in 1970.

While in high school, Bob played organ and wrote songs for a rock band called The Bristols. Later, at Harvard, he formed another group called Groundspeed. After that, he started a band called Revolutionary Music Collective, which included the famous singer Bonnie Raitt.

Exploring Different Music Styles

After college, Bob Telson worked with the Philip Glass Ensemble from 1972 to 1974. Then, he started exploring different kinds of world music. He played piano for famous salsa bandleaders like Tito Puente and Machito. He also became the organist for the gospel group Five Blind Boys of Alabama. He wrote, arranged, and produced music for them too.

In 1983, Bob worked with director Lee Breuer to create the musical The Gospel at Colonus. This show was based on an ancient Greek story by Sophocles called Oedipus. It featured famous actors like Morgan Freeman and the Five Blind Boys. Newsweek Magazine said it was one of the best examples of a white composer capturing the spirit of black music.

Big Achievements and Awards

Bob Telson was nominated for an Academy Award for his song "Calling You" from the movie Bagdad Café. He also received nominations for the Pulitzer, Grammy, and Tony Award for his Broadway musicals. These included The Gospel at Colonus and Chronicle of a Death Foretold, which was based on a book by Gabriel García Márquez.

Music for Movies and Famous Singers

Bob Telson has written music for many movies from different countries, including five for director Percy Adlon. He also composed a ballet score for Twyla Tharp called Sextet.

Many international artists have recorded his songs. Some of these famous singers include Barbra Streisand, Natalie Cole, George Benson, Joe Cocker, Celine Dion, Wynton Marsalis, k.d. lang, Shawn Colvin, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Etta James, Jeff Buckley, and George Michael.

The New York Times newspaper said that Bob Telson is very good at working with musicians from different cultures. They also said he writes exciting and dramatic music using styles from all over the world. They described his music as a mix of world music styles that he cleverly re-imagines and improves.

What's New?

Bob Telson's newest music albums, "Bantú" and "Desafiando las Distancias, Part II," were released in December 2024. His new musical, "Bantú," which he created with Graciela Corso, was shown in New York in October 2023. It was also presented in Uruguay in November 2024.

Musicals He Wrote

• Sister Suzie Cinema – first shown in 1980
• The Gospel at Colonus – 1983, still performed around the world
• The Warrior Ant – 1988
• Chronicle of a Death Foretold – 1995
• Bagdad Cafe the Musical – toured Europe from 2004 to 2006
• Bantú – presented in concert in 2023 and 2024

His Music Albums

• The Gospel at Colonus (original cast recording) (1988)
• Bagdad Cafe (soundtrack) (1989)
• Calling You (1992)
• An Ant Alone: Songs from the Warrior Ant (1991)
• La Vida Según Muriel (soundtrack) (1997)
• Trip (with Isabel de Sebastian) (2008)
• Old LP (2012)
• American Dreamers (2016)
• Defying the Distances (2019)
• Bantú (2024)
• Desafiando las Distancias Part II (2024)

See also

In Spanish: Bob Telson para niños