VOA标准英语2010-Kyle Eastwood, Playing Jazz and Scoring M

As the son of actor and director Clint Eastwood, Kyle Eastwood naturally gravitated towards two of his father's greatest passions, film and jazz.  Kyle eventually settled on a career in jazz, but that he still finds time for both.

Kyle Eastwood discovered his love for jazz through listening to his father's record collection.  His personal favorites were albums by Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Count Basie and Thelonious Monk¹.  Of course, being the son of a famous Hollywood film star allowed him to go backstage and meet some of these musicians first hand, particularly at The Monterey Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Bowl in California. 

Kyle says, "I met a lot of artists, greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan, and looking back on that, I can see how much the musicians I met there influenced my career."

Clint Eastwood, who plays jazz piano and produces his film scores, was especially supportive of Kyle's decision to pursue music.  With his father's blessing², Kyle left the film studies program at the University of Southern California, brushed up on his bass³ playing, and formed a band, The Kyle Eastwood Quartet.

Kyle released his debut⁴ album in 1998.  Since then, balancing his solo career with movie projects has been his biggest challenge.  In addition to touring and recording⁵ with his quartet, he's worked as a composer or arranger on the Clint Eastwood films "Mystic River," "Million Dollar Baby," "Flags of Our Fathers," "Gran Torino," and most recently, "Invictus." 

If Kyle's latest release, "Metropolitain", has a breezy, "Miles Davis" quality to it, partial credit must be paid to co-producer Erin Davis, son of the legendary⁶ jazz trumpeter. 

One reviewer gave the album high marks, writing "It might be 'Unforgiven' if you pass something up this well crafted and executed," alluding⁷ to Clint Eastwood's Academy Award winning film, "Unforgiven."

 

1 monk   

n.和尚，僧侣，修道士

参考例句：

• The man was a monk from Emei Mountain.那人是峨眉山下来的和尚。
• Buddhist monk sat with folded palms.和尚合掌打坐。

2 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

3 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

4 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

5 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

6 legendary   

adj.传奇（中）的，闻名遐迩的；n.传奇（文学）

参考例句：

• Legendary stories are passed down from parents to children.传奇故事是由父母传给孩子们的。
• Odysseus was a legendary Greek hero.奥狄修斯是传说中的希腊英雄。

7 alluding   

提及，暗指( allude的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He didn't mention your name but I was sure he was alluding to you. 他没提你的名字，但是我确信他是暗指你的。
• But in fact I was alluding to my physical deficiencies. 可我实在是为自己的容貌寒心。