THE TRIBUTES from friends, colleagues and associates, in Ireland and internationally, to composer, conductor and jazz pianist Noel Kelehan, who has died aged 76 after a long illness, are a testimony to his great talent. They are also an indication of the affection which this warm, witty, kind and likeable man inspired in those who knew him.
He was best-known as the most successful conductor in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, conducting Irish winning entries in 1980, 1987, 1992, 1993 and 1996. In total he conducted 24 Irish entries, as well as entries from Bosnia Herzegovina in 1993, Poland, Greece and Romania in 1994, and Poland again in 1995 in an unequalled record of consummate professionalism. He last conducted at the contest in 1998.
His first love was jazz, however. Born in Dublin, he was among the finest jazz musicians produced here, taking up music at seven and studying piano, theory and harmony in the Municipal School of Music. A record by pianist George Shearing first hooked him on jazz, and as a teenager he listened to Oscar Peterson before falling under the spell of one of the greatest jazz pianists, Bill Evans.
A brief, unlikely time working in a store persuaded him to embrace the uncertain world of the freelance musician. He played in jazz and dance bands, made his radio debut in 1955 and, self-taught as an arranger and composer – an indication of his drive and intelligence – worked in that capacity with RTÉ in the 1960s.
Although in increasing demand there, he formed a trio with guitarist Louis Stewart and bassist Jimmy McKay. In 1963 he moved to New York, the jazz capital of the world, where he further honed his all-round skills, before returning to Dublin in 1964 to resume a busy career as a freelance.
By now formidably well equipped as a composer and orchestrator, he wrote Cuchulainn's Lamentfor piano and orchestra, which was performed by the RTÉ Light Orchestra, and Dubliners, a three-movement suite for big band premiered in 1967.
His composing credits include Return Of The Islander, for a documentary on the Aran Islands, and music for a strings and jazz group premiered in St Catherine's Church in the early 1970s by the brilliant British alto saxophonist, Pete King. In 1971 he recorded The Golden Heritage Of Irish Music, an individual orchestral approach to traditional Irish airs; the album was released on CBS.
In 1973 he was appointed staff conductor with RTÉ and later musical director. Despite an enviable international profile professionally – he wrote the string arrangements for U2's 1984 album, The Unforgettable Fire, for example – he remained friendly, down-to-earth, funny and approachable. After retiring from RTÉ in 2000, he continued arranging and conducting for several years, particularly for singer Daniel O'Donnell.
His jazz life is undeservedly poorly represented on record. One album, Ozone, was released in 1979, featuring the late Mike Nolan and John Wadham on trumpet and drums respectively, with bassist Frank Hess and saxophonist Keith Donald in a working band inspired by Kelehan's favourite group, Miles Davis's 1950s quintet.
Other recordings exist, including a celebrated concert in Kilkenny in 1978 with American tenor saxophonist Zoot Sims; taped privately, some of the music was released years later without the musicians’ permission.
Intriguingly, late guitarist Rick Walsh once retrieved acetate discs which were reputedly being dumped by RTÉ, on which Kelehan was part of an Irish group led by the late US baritone saxophonist and composer Gerry Mulligan. The discs featured Mulligan’s arrangements of some of his most famous compositions.
John Wadham had a hilarious collection of audition tapes for talent shows, which featured Kelehan doing his best to follow the errant key and tempo changes of some seriously untalented and deluded would-be singers, generously striving to make them sound better than they were. The collection also included some unprintably funny send-ups of popular radio and television ads of the time, with Kelehan among the leading subversives.
Kelehan is survived by his wife, Mary, his daughter, Carol and sons Brian and Simon.
Noel Kelehan: born December 26th, 1935; died February 6th, 2012