Cy Coleman was a musician’s composer, classically trained at piano, composition and orchestration at New York City’s High School for the Performing Arts and NY College of Music.  Cy was being groomed to be the next great conductor.  Instead he turned his passion to jazz and formed the popular Cy Coleman Trio. 

Born Seymour Kaufman on June 14, 1929 in the Bronx, he changed his name at age 16 in time to use it on his first compositions with lyricist Joe A. McCarthy such as “Why Try To Change Me Now” (Frank Sinatra), “The Riviera (Tony Bennett)”, and “I’m Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life” (Nat King Cole).  Still performing in jazz clubs and enjoying a successful recording career, Cy began writing with veteran songwriter Carolyn Leigh.  Hits like “Witchcraft”, “The Best Is Yet To Come”, and “Pass Me By” were followed by their successful leap to Broadway musicals with Wildcat starring Lucille Ball (“Hey, Look Me Over”) and then Little Me (“I’ve Got Your Number” and “Real Live Girl”).  In 1966 Cy triumphed again on Broadway with the smash hit Sweet Charity (with the legendary Dorothy Fields) featuring classic songs “Big Spender” and “If My Friends Could See Me Now”. 

Cy’s successes on Broadway continued for over three more decades with the scores for Seesaw, I Love My Wife, On The Twentieth Century, Barnum, City of Angels, The Will Rogers Follies, and The Life.  In 2004 Cy returned to his roots and revived the Cy Coleman Trio, once again wowing audiences with his amazing skill at the piano.  In Cy’s amazing career he took home 3 Tony’s, 2 Grammys, 3 Emmys, an Academy Award nomination and countless honors.  Cy served on the Board of ASCAP for three decades.