Coleman, Cy

▪ 2005

Seymour Kaufman 

      American jazz pianist and composer (b. June 14, 1929, New York, N.Y.—d. Nov. 18, 2004, New York City), was at first a classical pianist but then turned to jazz and began partnering with lyricists to write songs. Many of them became popular standards, as did songs from his numerous Broadway musicals and motion picture scores. Coleman, a musical prodigy, began classical piano lessons at age four and made his Carnegie Hall debut at age seven. He was educated at New York's High School of Music and Art and at the New York College of Music and began playing popular music and jazz at cocktail lounges, nightclubs, and parties. Coleman soon began teaming with lyricists; most notable among these was Carolyn Leigh, with whom he had a long and productive, though stormy, relationship. Among their hits were “Witchcraft” (1955), “The Best Is Yet to Come” (1959), “Hey, Look Me Over” from their score for the Broadway musical Wildcat (1960), and “I've Got Your Number” and “Real Live Girl” from their score for Little Me (1962). Coleman then collaborated with Dorothy Fields on Sweet Charity (1964), which yielded three popular songs—“Hey, Big Spender,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and “The Rhythm of Life”—and on Seesaw (1973). I Love My Wife, written with Michael Stewart. followed in 1977, and in 1978 came Coleman's first Tony Award-winning score, for On the Twentieth Century, with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Coleman also won Tonys for City of Angels (1980) and The Will Rogers Follies (1981). Later stage musicals included Welcome to the Club (1989) and The Life (1997). Coleman also produced television specials and composed scores for films.

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