Truly great artists have at least one masterpiece that is more famous than they are themselves. For the Brazilian Eumir Deodato this is Also Sprach Zarathustra, better known as the theme music of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick's best-known film. Deodato's funky interpretation of this classical work by Richard Strauss was the highlight of his American debut album Prelude, which was awarded a Grammy in 1972. But there is much more to be said about Deodato, not least that he was a child prodigy who taught himself to compose, orchestrate and, when he was just 17, was already recording with a large orchestra in a studio. Later, in New York, Deodato worked with global stars like Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Frank Sinatra and Earth, Wind & Fire. He is still active - on stage and behind the scenes - after a career spanning over 40 years. At the end of last year the DVD and CD Deodato Trio Live in Rio was released and it provides auditory and visual proof that his musical flame is still burning brightly.
