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Clint Eastwood Huge Supporter of Monterey Jazz Festival

Aired September 20, 2002 - 11:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: This is the 45th year of the Monterey Jazz Festival. Actor Clint Eastwood is a huge supporter of the event. Although he is most known, of course, for skills in acting and directing. Here is a bit of trivia for you. He is a accomplished jazz musician.
CNN's Daryn Kagan, who normally anchors this broadcast, joins us from Monterey with a closer look at the man behind the music.

You know, Daryn, like a lot of people, I suppose I could tell you about Dirty Harry and maybe quote him, but I couldn't have told you about this jazz musician thing.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: That's why, Kris, we have this great deal where you and Fredricka are back in Atlanta doing the hard work for me and Leon, and I'm out here in my beautiful native California, hanging out at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Well, this is an incredible place. I want to give you a tour of this. This is the Monterey County fairgrounds. Jazz fans are going to tell you, as we show you around here. Jazz fans will tell you, this is the one of the great jazz festivals that's left. That's why some of the greatest legends come here to play. Right here up on the stage, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Dave Brebeck played, and that's why fans come from all over the world to see this, and one reason that Clint Eastwood is such a big supporter of this festival.

As Chris was telling you, you knew he was an actor, but Clint Eastwood actually had his passion for jazz long before he ever even knew he wanted to act.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN (voice-over): We know Clint the law breaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: I've always been lucky when it comes to killing folks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And Clint, the law enforcer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EASTWOOD: Go ahead, make my day.

KAGAN: His big screen persona are indelible. But what many may not know about Clint Eastwood -- he has a passion for jazz.

RICHARD SCHICKEL, "TIME" MAGAZINE CRITIC: You always have the feeling that he might -- if the circumstances have been just a little different for him, he might have become a jazz guy and might have had that kind of a life.

KAGAN: Eastwood is longtime supporter and board member of the Monterey Jazz Festival. He featured the festival in his 1971 directorial debut "Play Misty For Me."

Eastwood's interest in jazz was sparked early, one of his favorites being the legendary Charlie Parker.

EASTWOOD: When I saw Bird in 1946 as a child, I went to the Oakland auditorium, where I lived, and I saw him play, and I just knew it was something special.

KAGAN: Four decades later, the fan turned filmmaker made a movie about Parker.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He made what I think is, you know, truly probably the best jazz movie, which is "Bird."

KAGAN: Eastwood contributed to the score of "The Bridges of Madison County." His composing extends to other forms of music, and has been featured in many of his films. Eastwood has not only made music for films, he's played as well, as a Secret Serviceman/pianist in "In the Line of Fire," and as a country singer in "Honky Tonk Man." His young costar in the film was his son, Kyle, who has since become an accomplished jazz bassist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Kyle's career as a jazz bassist is really something that pleases the old man a lot. You know, I mean, he is doing what he maybe wanted to do when he was Kyle's age.

KAGAN: In 1996, Kyle joined a group of jazz greats to honor his dad and his commitment to the art form. The result, "Eastwood After Hours, Live at Carnegie Hall."

And while jazz certainly ranks highest on Eastwood's personal music scale, the actor, composer and moviemaker will continue to explore his passion for all forms of music.

EASTWOOD: I have done films with country music scores, too, so it just depends on what film asks for, but I do like jazz a lot. I'd like to do one with symphony, too. Just haven't got that script yet, but I may.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: I am going to have the chance to ask Clint Eastwood personally about that. He will join us right here, actually on that stage, at the 1:00 p.m. Eastern Hour, Clint Eastwood, Dave Brubeck, joining me live here, to bring to our viewers at CNN, and then right now, those guys up there, they're setting up for Joshua Redmond. He's going to be playing for our viewers later today. Also a live interview with him still ahead. So stay with us throughout the day.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 20, 2002 - 11:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: This is the 45th year of the Monterey Jazz Festival. Actor Clint Eastwood is a huge supporter of the event. Although he is most known, of course, for skills in acting and directing. Here is a bit of trivia for you. He is a accomplished jazz musician.
CNN's Daryn Kagan, who normally anchors this broadcast, joins us from Monterey with a closer look at the man behind the music.

You know, Daryn, like a lot of people, I suppose I could tell you about Dirty Harry and maybe quote him, but I couldn't have told you about this jazz musician thing.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: That's why, Kris, we have this great deal where you and Fredricka are back in Atlanta doing the hard work for me and Leon, and I'm out here in my beautiful native California, hanging out at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Well, this is an incredible place. I want to give you a tour of this. This is the Monterey County fairgrounds. Jazz fans are going to tell you, as we show you around here. Jazz fans will tell you, this is the one of the great jazz festivals that's left. That's why some of the greatest legends come here to play. Right here up on the stage, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Dave Brebeck played, and that's why fans come from all over the world to see this, and one reason that Clint Eastwood is such a big supporter of this festival.

As Chris was telling you, you knew he was an actor, but Clint Eastwood actually had his passion for jazz long before he ever even knew he wanted to act.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN (voice-over): We know Clint the law breaker.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINT EASTWOOD, ACTOR: I've always been lucky when it comes to killing folks.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And Clint, the law enforcer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EASTWOOD: Go ahead, make my day.

KAGAN: His big screen persona are indelible. But what many may not know about Clint Eastwood -- he has a passion for jazz.

RICHARD SCHICKEL, "TIME" MAGAZINE CRITIC: You always have the feeling that he might -- if the circumstances have been just a little different for him, he might have become a jazz guy and might have had that kind of a life.

KAGAN: Eastwood is longtime supporter and board member of the Monterey Jazz Festival. He featured the festival in his 1971 directorial debut "Play Misty For Me."

Eastwood's interest in jazz was sparked early, one of his favorites being the legendary Charlie Parker.

EASTWOOD: When I saw Bird in 1946 as a child, I went to the Oakland auditorium, where I lived, and I saw him play, and I just knew it was something special.

KAGAN: Four decades later, the fan turned filmmaker made a movie about Parker.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He made what I think is, you know, truly probably the best jazz movie, which is "Bird."

KAGAN: Eastwood contributed to the score of "The Bridges of Madison County." His composing extends to other forms of music, and has been featured in many of his films. Eastwood has not only made music for films, he's played as well, as a Secret Serviceman/pianist in "In the Line of Fire," and as a country singer in "Honky Tonk Man." His young costar in the film was his son, Kyle, who has since become an accomplished jazz bassist.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think Kyle's career as a jazz bassist is really something that pleases the old man a lot. You know, I mean, he is doing what he maybe wanted to do when he was Kyle's age.

KAGAN: In 1996, Kyle joined a group of jazz greats to honor his dad and his commitment to the art form. The result, "Eastwood After Hours, Live at Carnegie Hall."

And while jazz certainly ranks highest on Eastwood's personal music scale, the actor, composer and moviemaker will continue to explore his passion for all forms of music.

EASTWOOD: I have done films with country music scores, too, so it just depends on what film asks for, but I do like jazz a lot. I'd like to do one with symphony, too. Just haven't got that script yet, but I may.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: I am going to have the chance to ask Clint Eastwood personally about that. He will join us right here, actually on that stage, at the 1:00 p.m. Eastern Hour, Clint Eastwood, Dave Brubeck, joining me live here, to bring to our viewers at CNN, and then right now, those guys up there, they're setting up for Joshua Redmond. He's going to be playing for our viewers later today. Also a live interview with him still ahead. So stay with us throughout the day.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com