Feb 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Paul D. Lehrman

Michael Kamen was someone who crossed the lines between rock and classical music when it was a truly revolutionary idea, and he kept on breaking down barriers his whole career. A Juilliard-trained oboist, in 1968 he formed the New York Rock and Roll Ensemble, which appeared with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, and whom I saw twice, once backing Janis Ian at Philharmonic (now Avery Fisher) Hall. One of the band's running jokes was that they had two oboists: lead and rhythm.

He scored his first film in 1976 and since then wrote the music for more than 70 movies, including such blockbusters as the Lethal Weapon and Die Hard series, X-Men and Brazil. He won four Grammys, two Golden Globes and an Emmy. Following the 1995 Oscar-nominated Mr. Holland's Opus, he created, with star Richard Dreyfuss, a foundation that donates musical instruments to needy schoolchildren.

He continued to jump genres with glee, writing symphonic works for Metallica, Eric Clapton and The Chieftains, and film scores with the likes of Blondie's Chris Stein, to name but a few. Perhaps my favorite work of Kamen's is the brilliant orchestrations and arrangements he brought to Pink Floyd's monumental The Wall. Soon after that record came out, I interviewed him at length for a music magazine, and he invited me to sit in on a Tim Curry session for “Working on My Tan,” which he was producing. It was one of the most fun sessions I've ever seen. In Michael, I found a playful, thoughtful, intellectual and brilliant musician, with ferocious eyebrows and a great smile who, given the chance, I could talk shop with, and laugh with, for many hours.

Michael had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, very rare for someone his age, but it was a heart attack that caused his death in November.

Send Your “Current” News to Sarah Benzuly at sbenzuly@primediabusiness.com.

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