Jazz musician Roland Perrin talks to Jazz FM's Chris Philips about his spectacular production 'Lansky: The Mob's Money Man'. The World Premiere is at London's QEH April 27th

In the world premiere of ‘Lansky: The Mob’s Money Man’, jazz composer and musician Roland Perrin dramatises the life and crimes of enigmatic underworld boss Meyer Lansky. Known as ‘The Mob’s Accountant’, Lansky used his skill with numbers to raise himself out of the poverty of the Lower East Side of New York. The savvy Polish-Jewish immigrant succeeded in reaching the upper echelons of the New York underworld, first making a fortune from bootlegging and then from an illegal gambling empire that spanned the world.

This innovative and theatrical work moves from the orthodox Jewish communities of pre-war Poland to jazz-age New York, and on to the steamy decadence of Havana in the ’50s. The story is the perfect choice for Perrin, giving him scope to combine his interest in jazz, Jewish and Afro-Cuban music and film noir soundtracks. The result is a cohesive new style that grooves and develops symphonically. Perrin was commissioned by the Crouch End Festival Choir to score the show which involves over 150 musicians, singers and actors.

Ahead of the one night show at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Monday April 27th, Jazz FM’s Chris Philips spoke to Roland and discovered parallels with the story through his own father’s past.