Nigel Kennedy Essentials

British violinist Nigel Kennedy became a star of classical music by going against the grain in countless ways. Emerging in the ‘80s as a child prodigy, he regularly adapted jazz and pop material while sporting a punky haircut and wild print clothing that ruffled mainstream feathers. His recording of Vivaldi's baroque warhorse “The Four Seasons” was a huge hit even with its bold injection of incongruously modern accents, and he's sustained his career with a diverse body of work, including an Arabic-flavoured version of the Dave Brubeck jazz classic “Take Five” and a luminously romantic reading of Elgar's “Violin Concerto.”