VOA常速英语:Kyle Eastwood, Playing Jazz and Scoring Movies

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 Monk.  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 blessing, Kyle left the film studies program at the University of Southern California, brushed up on his bass playing, and formed a band, The Kyle Eastwood Quartet.

Kyle released his debut album in 1998.  Since then, balancing his solo career with movie projects has been his biggest challenge.  In addition to touring and recording 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 legendary jazz trumpeter. 

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