Nigel Kennedy is on the ball and in fine form for the Proms

5:37pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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He must be one of the most famous of all Aston Villa fans.

A colourful character if there ever was one, victorious violinist and football follower Nigel Kennedy scored a cracking goal of a classical kind with his landmark recording of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons in 1989, which held the top spot for many moons and went on to sell two million copies.

It also attracted many new listeners to classical music, which has to be good.

One nil - Nigel Kennedy...

Versatile is Nigel’s middle name - there are many strings to his bow.

As a musician he’s incredibly bold, exhilarating, innovative and plays jazz, did a gig with The Who, playing the violin solo in the band’s phenomenal Baba O’Reilly, and also did an album of classical interpretations of Jimi Hendrix songs in 1999, such as Little Wing, Drifting and Purple Haze under the guise of The Kennedy Experience, with other musos such as cellist Emma Black and guitarist John Etheridge. That alone received a roar of approval from me.

Two nil - Nigel Kennedy...

He’s also been exploring Polish music with his own quintet.

I mean, you could never accuse the guy of standing still, could you. Although his hair certainly does, spikes an all!

He was a child prodigy of Sir Yehudi Menuhin, and has gone on to be probably one of the most important and gifted violinists Britain has ever produced.

On Saturday, July 26, from 6.45pm until 8.30pm on BBC2 you can see the multi-award winning virtuoso stroll into the BBC’s Proms spotlight for the first time in 21 years, playing Elgar’s Violin Concerto - the piece that put him on the musical map in 1984 - as well as a few of his own compositions, alongside some of Poland’s finest jazz musicians.

According to the Beeb, Nigel will also chat about his life and career.

Well worth tuning in; I’ll certainly be watching.

Will he wear his Villa shirt, one wonders.