THE JAMES LAST STORY

The James Last Story, told here will be up dated weekly.

we have promised this in the past, however check the front page and it will tell you when the james last story was last up dated.

1929 April 17th, Hans Last, the youngest of three brothers, was born in Bremen, and grows up in a musical atmosphere.

1938 Young Hans can play 'Hanschen Klein, a German folk song, on the piano.Initially, music was something of an irritation

1939 This accomplishment earns Hans piano lessons. He is far from delighted, as he would prefer to play football. His teacher claims he is totally unmusical.

1943 At the age of fourteen he joins the Music Academy in Bremen. He is begining to enjoy his music. His favourite instrument, the double bass.

1946 He makes his first public appearance, playing bass with the newly formed Radio Bremen Dance Orchestra.

1948 Already an avid listener to jazz and dance music, Hans forms a six piece group, The Last-Becker Ensemble, with his two brothers Robert and Werner. Had he continued with his music studies, Hans believes he would have become a conductor of serious music, by the time he reached twenty four years of age.

1950/1/2 For three consecutive years, Germany's Jazz critics voted Hans, best Jazz Bassist.

1955 The Last-Becker ensemble is disbanded, Hans joins the North German Radio Dance Orchestra in Hamburg. He also marries girl friend Waltraud.

1956 Hans writes his first arrangements for the NDR Orchestra, and becomes a much sought after arranger by musicians like Freddy Quinn, Caterina Valente and Helmut Zacharias.

Seperate pages will be launched for the years 1964 to 2004

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