What is the best Michel Legrand album to start with?

The best album to start with is "Legrand Jazz" (1959). It's the most representative of what makes Michel Legrand worth hearing.

How many albums does Michel Legrand have?

Michel Legrand has 37 releases in their discography, including 33 albums and 1 EP.

Photo: Georges Biard · CC BY-SA 3.0

Michel Legrand

Q: Who is Michel Legrand for?

If you're into jazz, Michel Legrand is worth your time. Rich orchestration intertwines with spontaneous jazzy rhythms, creating an immersive experience that rises and falls in emotional waves.

Rich orchestration intertwines with spontaneous jazzy rhythms, creating an immersive experience that rises and falls in emotional waves.

jazz

France

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The album

Legrand Jazz (1959)

Showcases a blend of rich orchestration and jazz rhythms, providing a comprehensive introduction to Legrand's signature style.

The song

“The Windmills of Your Mind” from The Thomas Crown Affair – Original Motion Picture Score

Features an engaging melody that exemplifies Legrand's ability to intertwine emotional depth with jazzy spontaneity.

See the full guide

Songs to start with

If you'd rather pick a song than an album.

1

"Let It Snow" — from Noël ! Noël !! Noël !!! (2011)

accessible entry with immediate hook

About Michel Legrand

Michel Legrand reshaped the landscape of film scoring and jazz with his lush orchestrations and emotive melodies, leaving a lasting imprint on both genres.

His ability to blend orchestral elements with jazz improvisation opened new avenues for composers, influencing generations to think beyond traditional boundaries in musical storytelling.

His ability to blend orchestral elements with jazz improvisation opened new avenues for composers, influencing generations to think beyond traditional boundaries in musical storytelling. Legrand's innovative approach often involved an intricate layering of sounds, seamlessly merging classical structures with the spontaneity of jazz. He frequently employed rich harmonies and sweeping arrangements that invite listeners into vivid sonic realms, creating a sense of narrative without words. This fluid interplay not only showcased his virtuosity but also encouraged a more expressive way of experiencing music, where emotion takes precedence over rigid forms. In his songwriting, Legrand often explores themes of love, loss, and longing through impressionistic imagery and heartfelt melodies. His writing style balances sincerity with a cinematic quality, allowing listeners to feel as if they are part of a broader story unfolding within each piece. By blurring the lines between narrative and abstraction, he crafts musical moments that resonate deeply.

33 studio albums· 37 total releases· 5 decades· France