Eugen Cicero (bornEugen Ciceu; 27 June 1940 – 5 December 1997), nicknamed "Mister Golden Hands", was aRomanian-German jazz pianist who performed in the mixed classical-swing style.[1][2]
Born inVad,Romania, to Teodor and Livia Ciceu, anOrthodox priest and professional singer respectively, he began to play the piano at the age of four. Aged six, he performed aMozart piano concerto with the symphony orchestra ofCluj.[3] Although he graduated from the National Conservatory inBucharest, he abandoned a career as a conventional concert pianist and established his style between classical and jazz piano, introducingswing harmonies into baroque, classical and romantic compositions, often as spontaneous improvisations.[2]
In 1962, while touringEast Berlin, Cicero fled toWest Berlin. He spent the next two years inSwitzerland, where he joined the "Kindli" orchestra of Joe Schmid.[2][3] After returning to Germany, Cicero produced more than 70 recordings, some of them with theBerlin andMunich Philharmonic orchestras. He had numerous appearances on German TV and enjoyed much success while touring Japan. In 1976 he was awarded theDeutscher Schallplattenpreis for his interpretations ofFranz Schubert.[2]
In 1982, Cicero moved to Switzerland, where he died inZürich in 1997 from acerebral apoplexy,[4] aged 57. His younger brother Adrian Cicero is a jazz instrumentalist. His sonRoger Cicero (1970–2016) was a renowned jazz singer.
