Creating the perfect score; One of the world's greatest film scorers and one of the UK's finest singers are teaming up for a Tyneside show next week. Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR has the details.

Byline: Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR 

YOU may not know the name, but you will certainly know his music.

Frenchman Michel Legrand is one of the most prolific music writers of the past few decades, and he is teaming up with chart-topping singer Alison Moyet for a show at The Sage Gateshead on February 18.

Michel who? you may ask. The man, in fact, is a composer, arranger and pianist who has written over 200 film and TV scores including Yentl, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Summer of '42 ... all of which earned him Academy Awards.

He's been nominated for a further 10 Oscars, won five Grammys, recorded over 100 albums and was only 22 when his first album, I Love Paris, became one of the bestselling instrumental albums ever released.

His UK tour dates in February present a rare opportunity to see the virtuoso musician perform with his own orchestra and with special guest, Alison Moyet, on vocals.

Not that Legrand is a stranger to working with famous singers. The list includes Ray Charles, Neil Diamond, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Jack Jones, Kiri te Kanawa, Frankie Laine, Johnny Mathis, Jessye Norman, Diana Ross, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and Shirley Bassey.

Now it's Moyet's turn. "She is a wonderful, wonderful singer," Legrand tells me in his strong French accent.

"She has a truly wonderful voice which I think will suit my music very well indeed. I am very happy to be doing this tour with Alison and to be working with such an amazing voice."

Praise indeed, when you consider Legrand's career. A virtuoso jazz and classical pianist and an accomplished arranger and conductor, now 76, he studied at the Paris Conservatoire, graduating with top honours as both composer and pianist.

His hits include The Windmills of Your Mind, What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life, How Do You Keep the Music Playing, Papa Can You Hear Me?, and Summer of '42.

"Do I have a favourite?" he laughs when asked that very question. "All my work is my favourite work. I try not to look back, and only look forward. At the moment I am concentrating on this tour, so that is my favourite thing.

"I have had a blessed life and have worked with so many, many talented people, how could I choose one above the other? But if you forced me, it would have to be Catherine Michel!"

That is hardly surprising, when you realise Catherine is, in fact, Michel's wife.

The solo harpist from the Opera de Paris is joining Michel and Alison on the tour and will interpret a solo harp Yentl Medley in the first part of the concert.

Moyet, of course, is famed for her strong blues voice and award-winning career spanning 26 years ... from mainstream pop group Yazoo, to solo artist, and more recently acting in the musical Chicago and the play Smaller, both in the West End.

Michel Legrand with Alison Moyet appear at The Sage Gateshead on February 18.

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TEAMING UP - Legrand is at the Sage Gateshead with Alison Moyet