ScreenSounds

Dedicated to reviews and news of music for film, TV and games

Monday, October 30, 2006

CD REVIEW - Flicka


Flicka
Music by Aaron Zigman
Advance Music
21 Tracks 50:39 mins

On 21st November, Varese Sarabande will release Aaron Zigman's score for this updating of the 1943 film My Friend Flicka. Now just Flicka, the film stars Alison Lohman, with country music star Tim McGraw as her father.
Those expecting a suitably Coplandesque musical score will be disappointed, as this is music more in the style of Basil Poledouris' Lonesome Dove and more contemporary westerns of that ilk, with a little Thomas Newmanesque Americana thrown in. If nothing else, it shows the versatility of composer Zigman, whose more recent projects are of a more urban nature such as ATL and Akeelah and the Bee.
I actually have a lot of time for his score for Flicka, with its oft-times rousing orchestral action music, and occasionally more folksy, piano-lead fare. There's a strong theme for Flicka, which appears in variations throughout, and a more melancholy one, often voiced by piano, for Lohman's Katie. Along the way, there's sensitive, warm scoring, sometimes featuring guitar prominently, and some more disturbing sounds where appropriate. But ultimately it's the composer's handsome wide-open spaces music, often featuring the main Flicka theme at its most inspirational, and purposeful action scoring, that registers strongest.
I have no details of the Varese Sarabande release, but imagine much of the music on this disc will feature, though some of the more brief cues that make up the latter part may be omitted. Whatever, it's one of the more enjoyable Hollywood scores I've heard in a while.

Friday, October 27, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean


The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
Music by Maurice Jarre
Film Score Monthly Vol.9 No.12 (U.S.)
19 Tracks 70:03 mins

This 1971 film is an offbeat fantasy western, scripted by one of my favourite filmmakers, John Milius, directed by the great John Huston and starring the charismatic Paul Newman. How could it fail? Well, at least for me it didn't. I love the film and, though at times I can take or leave Maurice Jarre's music, particularly his later stuff, this is certainly up there with his work on the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, Is Paris Burning?, Villa Rides, The Professionals and The Man Who Would Be King.
Paul Newman plays the somewhat exaggerated hanging judge, Roy Bean, a young, almost unrecognisable, Victoria Principal, plays his girl, and there is a fine performance by a rather large bear to boot. There is also a brief, but memorable, turn by Stacy Keach, as an albino gunfighter.
As for the score, as I grow older I seem to miss the old days of melodic scoring more and more, and this is certainly melodic, even if it has its dissonant moments (the lengthy bonus track "That Man on Horseback" for instance). At the heart of it all is Bean's memorable and quite nostalgic theme, voiced by full orchestra and all kinds of solo instruments in various arrangements, from a noble march in "The Marshalls" to a waltz in "On the Way to the Opera." There is also a great theme for the more progressive and celebratory moments in the plot, and the Principal character has an elegant, waltz-like theme. Even the bear has a theme, played instrumentally and also voiced by Andy Williams as "Marmalade, Molasses and Honey," with lyrics by the Bergmans - a charming, infectious number. There are also source-like cues like the mariachi style of "Sent to Madgeland," the hymn-like theme for "Reverend La Salle" and the piano duet of "Old Ragtime."
Next to the main theme that opens the album, my next favourite track is "Justice," in which Bean returns to the town he ran for so many years, having been ousted by oilmen, to wreak his revenge, a spectacular scene, with a great scoring, commencing with a big variation on Bean's theme for horns and then becoming a powerful variation on the celebratory theme, mentioned earlier.
The score, presented here, is much expanded from the original LP release, and there are also four bonus cues, including an instrumental of the bear's theme and a music box version of "The Yellow Rose of Texas," which is earlier voiced by Newman in the body of the score.
As always, a splendid booklet accompanies the disc, with plenty of colour stills and Lukas Kendall's notes on the film and its score, with comments by the composer, from an interview with Jeff Bond, as well as the always valuable cue-by-cue guide.
A fabulous, must-have release for anyone, like me, who loves the melody-based scoring of the '70s.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

News from Costa Communications


From Costa Communications

MUSIC FROM JOY, SORROW AND LONGING STARR PARODI RELEASES THE BREAKTHROUGH ALBUM "COMMON PLACES"

James Bond theme Featured on New Release Nov 14

"Parodi's pianistic sense and delivery go way beyond creative. Words that come to mind while listening to Common Places include imaginative, courageous, dynamic, passionate, gutsy, pensive, restrained, and euphoric. I'm thoroughly entranced by the whole experience."-- Mark Vail - Keyboard Magazine

(Hollywood, CA): Recognized as the talented, funky, multi-keyboardist who appeared nightly on the groundbreaking late night hit, "The Arsenio Hall Show," composer/pianist Starr Parodi returns to the spotlight with "Common Places." The album, which features a re-interpretation of the classic James Bond Theme, will debut November 14, contemporaneous with the release of "Casino Royale," the latest James Bond installment. Parodi draws inspiration from her 1928 Steinway grand piano that once adorned the legendary MGM sound stage in its most glorious era and was used on such classic films as "The Wizard of Oz." Her new CD "Common Places" echoes with cinematic, neoclassical, Americana and gospel themes, all played as "stream of conciousness" improvisations.

Parodi is also well-known in the television and film industries for her music scoring abilities as one half of the Parodi/Fair partnership with her husband Jeff Fair. She recently scored the 2006 critically acclaimed film "Conversations With Other Women," starring Helena Bonham Carter and Aaron Eckhart, "High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story," with Michael Imperioli and the hit Lifetime Show "The Division." Her music has been included in movie trailers for many of Hollywood's biggest films including "The Last Samurai," "X-Men 3," "The Last Holiday," "War of the Worlds," "Mission Impossible," "Failure to Launch," "Everyone's Hero," "Akeelah & The Bee," "A Good Year" and "Flight 93" among others.

While listening to "Common Places," it's easy to understand why Starr has accompanied such a stellar array of artists including Al Green, Mavis Staples, Celine Dion, BB King, Seal, Jimmy Cliff, Phil Keaggy, George Howard, Patti LaBelle, Carlos Santana, Phil Collins and Marilyn McCoo among many others. She played keyboards at the Kennedy Center for the inauguration of President Clinton, and performed as an artist at Keyboard Magazine's 20th Anniversary concert in which 20 of the world's top keyboardists were invited to play.

Continuing her multifaceted musical journey, Starr has returned to her touchstone and first love, the piano, for an intimate solo recording of spontaneous and uncommon improvisations on themes. Included in the collection of 10 songs is Starr's recording of a completely solo piano version of the classic James Bond Theme. This new version takes its inspiration from Parodi's earlier version of the theme arranged, produced and performed with her husband and production partner, featured on the gold-selling Capitol CD "The Best Of Bond ... James Bond" and heard in the trailers for "GoldenEye," "The World is Not Enough," "Tomorrow Never Dies" and "Die Another Day."

The new album grew out of a spontaneous recording of the title song "Common Places." "I had just finished recording another project and happened to have the microphones up and ready to go on the Steinway," Starr says. "I was doing some chordal improvisations while watching the poetic movement of the sycamore trees in the canyon outside my studio window. As the Santa Ana winds kicked up, I felt a well of inspirational emotion inside and just started to play." Over the next few months the other nine songs on her album followed in this spirit and fashion.
Though all the sounds on this CD were originally created on the piano, after recording the basic improvisations, Starr and Fair experimented with a new sonic palate. They continued to use only the piano but affected it with various filters and other devices. Sometimes the result was ambient, sometimes percussive & many times subliminal. Adding these textures to the improvisations broadened the musical voice of the piano and contributed another layer of emotion and interest to the performances.

"I recorded this music purely out of joy, purely out of sorrow, purely out of a longing and a searching, a peacefulness and a restlessness," she says. "These are the common places we all share."

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

CD REVIEW - Lost - Season 2


Lost - Season 2
Music by Michael Giacchino
Varese Sarabande VSD 6759 (EU)
26 Tracks 65:02 mins

Fans of that most surreal of TV shows, Lost, will be delighted that there is now a second volume of music available, taken from the second season, and featuring yet more of Michael Giacchino's inventive scoring for small orchestra.
It's very much more of the same, with menacing, almost tribal music in the likes of "Peace Through Superior Firepower," "Just Another Day on the Beach" and "I Crashed Your Plane, Brotha." And there's plenty of suspense, none moreso than in the painfully tense "The Final Countdown." Along the way however, there are more lyrical moments like in the warm piano, guitar, cello and strings of "Hurley's Handouts;" the moving "The Gathering," where strings rise to spiritual heights; and the emotional "Shannon's Farewell." There's even room for a spot of romance in "Rose and Bernard."
The final score cue, "Bon Voyage, Traitor," goes through a wide range of emotions before reaching it's menacing climax as Michael and son sail away, leaving their friends to an uncertain fate.
I read somewhere that fans were disappointed that the "End Title" music wasn't included in the first volume of music from Season 1. Well, the "End Title" from Season 2 is featured here, and I hope, for their sake, that this is the music they seek. Unfortunately, these days I seldom listen to end credits music as British TV announcers have the totally annoying habit of speaking over the meat of them, often totally ruining whatever mood has been created by the conclusion of the film or programme. A sorry state of affairs indeed.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Razor's Edge


The Razor's Edge
Music by Alfred Newman
Screen Archives SAE-CRS-015 (U.S.)
28 Tracks 63:37 mins

This latest offering in a wonderful series of archival recordings from Screen Archives is Alfred Newman's score for the 1944 drama The Razor's Edge.
I am very partial to the Alfred Newman sound of this period, achieved with the help of an extremely talented orchestra at Twentieth Cenury-Fox, and if you like Newman's score for the likes of The Song of Bernadette, one of my personal favourites, you're sure to enjoy his original scoring for this handsome production, based on the book by W. Somerset Maugham, and starring Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney and Anne Baxter.
The score opens with Newman's handsome "Main Title" theme, which is to feature strongly, along with another theme in the two lengthy tracks "Larry Travels to the East" and "The Mountain Road." This is music that is inspirational and spirtual and is very much the heart of the score. The other theme of note is the somewhat doomed love theme for the Power and Tierney characters, Larry and Isabel, which crops up from time to time, particularly passionate in "Night Clubbing" and going through the gamut of emotions in the concluding "After Elliott's Death" and "Finale."
Whilst Newman's score is indeed excellent, you should however be aware that there is a good deal of source music on this CD, required for the various party, cafe and restaurant scenes. Some of this music consists of arrangements of popular songs of the time, and there are original pieces by Newman, including some nice waltz music. Even director Edmund Goulding chips in with a few numbers. Goulding, like Charles Chaplin, was what is known as a "hummer," coming up with very worthy melodies, which were then arranged by their respective composers. It's all very listenable, but sometimes Newman's original scoring has to share track time with this music, so if it's just the score you're interested in you may find it a little frustrating having to search some tracks for it.
Excellent though the CD is, with fine stereo sound for its age, the accompanying booklet is almost worth the price alone. Lavishly illustrated, its 36 pages tell you just about everything you could want to know about the film and its music, the excellent notes being penned by Rudy Behlmer and Jon Burlingame, and there is even a cue-by-cue guide. I can't wait to see what the label's next rescued gem from the Golden Age of Hollywood will be.

Monday, October 23, 2006

CD REVIEW - Remo Williams - The Adventure Begins...


Remo Williams - The Adventure Begins...
Music by Craig Safan
Perseverance Records PRD 010 (U.S.)
30 Tracks 69:41 mins

Previously available only as a rare promo, Perserverance have done us all a big favour in issuing this 1985 score commercially.
The title of this film suggests the first in a series, but unfortunately that just didn't happen, which is a shame as it's actually quite an enjoyable film, which starred Fred Ward as a cop, whose death is faked so he can join a covert organization called CURE, where he is trained as a deadly assassin by a mysterious Korean martial arts master, Chiun, played by Cabaret star Joel Grey in heavy makeup. Obviously these days it would probably not be politically correct for Grey to play the role, but I have to say he invests the part with great integrity and believability. Director of the film was James Bond veteran Guy Hamilton.
Composer of the film's score was Craig Safan, fresh from his triumph with The Last Starfighter and, on the strength of that, Remo and his subsequent 1991 score for Son of the Morning Star, it is difficult to see why he didn't quite make it as a film composer, retreating into the world of TV.
As with Starfigther, Safan came up with another memorable main theme for Remo, starting with a brassy fanfare before seguing into a catchy beat driven theme, sometimes with simulated gunshots, which first appears in the "Main Title," after Chiun's splendid pseudo-oriental theme opens.
Safan's score is a mix of orchestra and electronics, perhaps somewhat ahead of its time and there is much action and suspense to follow throughout the album, highlighting one element or the other and sometimes combining the two very effectively, with the two main themes, particularly Remo's, making its presence felt. Chiun's is saved for more specific moments, though Safan did enlist a 9-piece Korean ensemble to add authentic sounds to the mix. And they indeed add a strange, somewhat otherwordly quality to the score. The bad guys get their own dark electronic music which becomes more prevelant towards the end of the score, and there's much stealthy music as Remo infiltrates them, climaxing in firstly, a lengthy "Log Chase," which features Remo's and Chiun's themes strongly," and then the concluding "Chiun Walks on Water/Remo's Big Ending," which sees Chiun's theme take flight wonderfully as he literally walks on water as he and Remo finally defeat the villains.
The disc is accompanied by Perseverance's usual high quality booklet, featuring plenty of colour stills from the film, plus Randall Larson's excellent essay on the film and its music, which incorporates comments from the composer himself.
I'm very pleased to finally have such an excellent representation of this score in my collection, and recommend you visit http://www.perseverancerecords.com for details of all their releases.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

News from Costa Communications


From Costa Communications

RENOWNED COMPOSER DANNY ELFMAN TO PARTICIPATE IN KEYNOTE Q&A SESSION AT THE 2006 HOLLYWOOD REPORTER/BILLBOARD FILM & TV MUSIC CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 14-15 IN LOS ANGELES

-- Cutting-Edge Event will Bring Together the Top Players in the Entertainment Industry--
(October 20, 2006 - Los Angeles) Celebrated composer Danny Elfman will take part in a one-on-one keynote Q&A session at The 2006 Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference, being held on November 14-15 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. During this rare public appearance, Elfman will sit down with Tamara Conniff, Billboard's executive editor and associate publisher, to discuss his career achievements, his new projects, and the evolving role of music in film and television.

Danny Elfman, who has established himself as one of Hollywood's leading film composers, was born in 1953 in Los Angeles, California, where he currently resides with his wife Bridget Fonda. Over the last 20 years, Elfman has written close to 50 film scores featuring his unique sound, including Batman, Spider-man, Men in Black, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Pee Wee's Big Adventure. He has also scored such diverse films as Big Fish, Good Will Hunting, Dolores Claiborne, Midnight Run, To Die For, Dead Presidents, Sommersby, and Chicago.

Elfman is also known for his work in the music and television industries. He was the founder of Oingo Boingo, a rock band which has produced such hits as Weird Science and Dead Man's Party, and is the creator of the infectious themes to The Simpsons and Desperate Housewives. His honors include a Grammy, an Emmy and three Academy Award nominations.
Additionally, this self-taught composer just released Serenada Schizophrana, his first orchestral composition written specifically for the concert hall, and his The Nightmare Before Christmas score will be released on October 24 by Walt Disney Records in a 2-Disc special edition which marks the film's 13th anniversary. The set will introduce nine new tracks to the original recording, and will include new versions of Elfman's songs re-recorded by Marilyn Manson, Panic! At the Disco, Fall Out Boy, Fiona Apple and She Wants Revenge.

"Danny Elfman is an incredibly talented composer, who understands the crucial role that music plays in both film and television," says Conniff. "Elfman's passion for music and outstanding track record in the entertainment industry will certainly make this keynote Q&A session a highlight of this year's conference."

Now in its fifth year, The Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference examines the increasingly important role of music in film and television, and provides a dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas among the entertainment industry's most influential executives and creative talents including award-winning composers and directors, top-name music supervisors, key studio, network, record label and publishing professionals, and VIPs from the advertising, gaming and commercial fields.

This must-attend industry event will also feature Q&A sessions with Melissa Etheridge and Terence Blanchard, compelling panel discussions on topics such as creating music for commercials and games, the director/composer relationship, and the anatomy of a film, networking cocktail parties, roundtable sessions, and live artist performances.

Sponsors of this year's conference are ASCAP, APM, Berklee College of Music, BMI and SESAC.

For information about The 2006 Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference, visit www.billboardevents.com. For information on registration and group discounts, contact Erin Parker at 646-654-4643. For sponsorship information, contact Karl Vontz at 415-738-0745. For hotel information, contact The Beverly Hilton Hotel at 310-274-7777.

Saturday, October 21, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Prophecy II


The Prophecy
Music by David Williams
Perseverance Records PRD 015 (U.S.A.)
20 Tracks 55:22 mins

For this sequel to the The Prophecy (see my review of October 7th), composer David Williams got the chance to revisit his music for the original and develop it somewhat. There's still plenty of threatening, suspenseful and atmospheric music, again with violent bursts of action. If anything though, the choir is more ever-present, with solo voices breaking through here and there.
This album is not quite as long as that for the first film, which helps, but I do actually prefer this one of the two, due possibly to more use of the main theme, be it the introductory ethereal voices or the surging, full choral theme itself. Also the moments of conflict seem a little more powerful somehow. The purposeful theme, which always seemed a little at odds with the rest of the music, introduced in the first film, only gets a brief workout here at the end of "Raphael."
Possibly my favourite track on the album is "Gabriel's Return," which boasts a big,impressive opening for soprano and chorus, before concluding in powerful dissonance.
As with all Perseverance's releases, the CD is accompanied by an impressive, colourful booklet, with extensive notes by Paul Tonks and the composer himself.

Friday, October 20, 2006

MAGAZINE REVIEW - Music from the Movies Issue 50/51

Music from the Movies has reached its 50th issue, which is cause for celebration indeed when I think back to the number of film music orientated magazines, including my own modest effort, that have bitten the dust since I first began to seriously pursue the art.
Obviously this, another bumper double issue, in its editorial, spends a little time looking back on the magazine's history, but then it's on with the goodies we've come to expect with the main features being extensive coverage of the recent blockbuster movies, including Superman Returns, with recording sessions pictures and interviews with composer John Ottman and director Bryan Singer; X-Men 3, featuring composer John Powell and director Brett Ratner; the remake of The Omen, with composer Marco Beltrami and director John Moore; and Mission: Impossible III, with composer Michael Giacchino and director JJ Abrahams, which again features recording sessions coverage. Shorter pieces feature Debbie Wiseman and Don Black on their collaboration on the stage musical Feather Boy; Anne Dudley on Tristan & Isolde and Black Book; and there is also a welcome interview with orchestra contractor Isobel Griffiths, one of the unsung heroines of the business. In addition, Michael Beek takes a look at the music for the Superman films thus far, and composer Ken Thorne talks about his work on Supermans 2 and 3. There is also a tribute to the late, great Akira Ifukube, plus news, CD, DVD and concert reviews, but I've saved the best for last, a well-deserved 12-page tribute to the much-missed Ron Goodwin, including much archival interview material. At 110 pages, that little lot should keep you happily reading for an hour or two! Visit http://www.musicfromthemovies.com to order your copy.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

CD REVIEW - Everyone's Hero


Everyone's Hero
Music by John Debney & various artists
Sony Music Soundtrax 82876 88918 2 (U.S.)
12 Tracks 38:45 mins


Sadly, the soundtrack album to this animated baseball film, which was initially directed by Christopher Reeve, who sadly passed before its completion, only features two score tracks by composer John Debney, the first of which is a ragtime number with wordless, soulful vocal by Paris Bennett, ending up in full-on jazz band music. The best track is the final offering "At Bat," which finds the composer in splendid, stirring sporting Americana mode and clocks in at less than 4 minutes. I'd love to hear the rest of Debney's score someday if it is anything like this cue.
The remainder of the album features tracks by such artists as Brooks & Dunn, Tyrone Wells, Lyle Lovett (with Chris Botti), Jon Randall & Jesss Alexander, Raven-Symone, Wyclef Jean & Kontrast, and Lonestar, with a version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." There is also a bonus track, Mary Chapin Carpenter singing "The Bug." It all makes for pleasant enough listening, but naturally I would rather have heard the score.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

CD REVIEW - Flags of our Fathers


Flags of our Fathers
Music by Clint Eastwood & Various
Milan Records Advance
20 Tracks 59:41 mins

Released just yesterday, by Milan Records, is the soundtrack from the new Clint Eastwood Film Flags of our Fathers, which tells the life stories of the six American soldiers who raised the victory flag at the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Eastwood directs and also contributes the score, ably assisted, as usual, by Lennie Niehaus, who orchestrated and conducted. In addition to his score, which runs for just under 30 minutes, the album features well-known numbers of the era, stirring Sousa marches, a couple of classical pieces by Mozart and Haydn, plus Eastwood's son Kyle is credited with "Special Arrangements" and performs on "Knock Knock." I have to say, the whole makes for a very enjoyable listen indeed.
But what of Eastwood's score I hear you ask? Well, there is suitably tense, dark and dissonant material, but with some martial drumming. However, at its centre is his main theme, a delicate lullaby, largely piano-lead, with possibly Eastwood performing himself, as he is indeed an accomplished pianist. Throughout the score, variations can be found on this theme with other instruments taking the lead, particularly the guitar in the penultimate album track, but ultimately it largely returns to piano. With Unforgiven and Billion Dollar Baby, Eastwood has demonstrated before his ear for a memorable tune and, in addition to his main theme, contributes another, this a tender, flute-lead theme, with a piano bridge, featured in "The Medals."
As a bonus for those of you who miss Eastwood's vocals, originally displayed in Pain Your Wagon and subsequently in movies like Honky Tonk Man, he concludes the album with an a capella rendition of "I'll Walk Alone," though there is a glossier version earlier on the album, performed by Dinah Shore, if this is more to your liking.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

News from Costa Communications


From Costa Communications

"PRESTIGE" COMPOSER DAVID JULYAN RETEAMS W/ CHRISTOPHER NOLAN FOR MUSIC & MURDER "THE PRESTIGE" DUE FROM TOUCHSTONE OCT 20 (US) AND NOV 10 (UK)
(London) David Julyan scores "The Prestige" for director Christopher Nolan. Continuing a longstanding relationship that dates back to their college days, "The Prestige" is the latest in a series of collaborations that includes such films as "Memento" and "Insomnia." With an all-star cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Piper Perabo and Scarlett Johansson, the stylish, uniquely twisted period piece tells the story of two rival musicians in turn-of-the-century London who battle each other for trade secrets. The rivalry is so intense that it turns them into murderers. Touchstone Pictures releases the film October 20 in the US and November 10 in the UK.
Although the story is set at the turn of the century, Julyan incorporated modern musical elements into his music for the film. In addition to a 60 piece orchestra, Julyan employed electronic music to capture a sense of intensity and intrigue that follows the magicians' lifelong battle for supremacy, full of obsession, deceit and jealousy.
Nolan and Julyan's teamwork dates back to Nolan's short film "Larceny," shot while Julyan was still in college. Soon after, they collaborated on their first feature length film, "Following," a black and white movie shot on the streets of London. Julyan's dark and atmospheric scores began to add impact to Nolan's suspenseful stories. For the breakthrough hit "Memento," a noir thriller of murder told in reverse, Julyan's music again added a new depth and mood. The big-budget "Insomnia," another collaboration with Nolan, marked Julyan's first orchestral score, with a soaring combination of live instruments and electronica that brought him to a new level of scoring sophistication.
David Julyan has scored over a dozen film and television projects in various genres with various directors, including intimate character ensembles in films such as "Spivs" and "Inside I'm Dancing," and full scale orchestral scores for "Dungeons and Dragons 2" and "The Descent."

Monday, October 16, 2006

CD REVIEW - Gridiron Gang


Gridiron Gang
Music by Trevor Rabin
Varese Sarabande VSD 6755 (EU)
18 Tracks 55:19 mins


I know nothing of this film, save that it starts The Rock, who appears to be coach of a young American Football team. The music is provided by Trevor Rabin, who has developed from his early Media Ventures days into quite a versatile screen composer, The Great Raid being just one of the fine scores he has recently provided.
Sporting films generally provide plenty of opportunity for strong main themes and inspirational scoring, and Rabin has a decent 6-note motif lead the way here, but unfortunately whilst this does reach occasional heroic heights, these moments are few and far between, with much subdued and sentimental scoring surrounding them. This makes for a pretty frustrating listening experience, because there are some fine action-orientated passages, but they never last
long enough to really enjoy. It's not a totally one-themed score as some critics would lead you to believe, but the theme does appear in variations during most tracks. I just wish it would stick around long enough to judge its worth, one way or another.
The most consistently enjoyable track is actually the last one on the album, "Mustang Challenge," which presents the main theme and plenty of action to boot. I just wish there were others I could recommend.
Rabin has another score, Flyboys, on the same label, which is expected any day, and I hope this is a more satisfying listening experience, as was the aforementioned The Great Raid, again available from Varese Sarabande.

Sunday, October 15, 2006

CD REVIEW - Hollywoodland & News from Costa Communications


Hollywoodland
Music by Marcelo Zarvos
Varese Sarabande VSD 6754 (EU)
19 Tracks 44:31 mins

Ben Affleck stars in this film of the events surrounding the death of George Reeves, the original TV Superman, with the music being provided by a new name to me, Marcelo Zarvos. His approach to the score is pretty low-key on the whole, very noirish and with only a few moments of dark and threatening music to break up the moody, mysterious atmosphere of the thing, along with some smoky, bluesy music for the "George and Toni" relationship, with trumpet taking the lead. The only real passion comes in "Last Night Part II," where trumpet and strings reach appropriately tragic heights.
There's really nothing memorable at all about this score, which is typical again of what's largely coming out of Hollywood these days, I'm afraid.


From Costa Communications

ANDREW GROSS SCORES FOR THE (SELF PROCLAIMED) GREATEST BAND ON EARTH
"TENACIOUS D IN: THE PICK OF DESTINY" Opening November 17
(Los Angeles, CA) Musician/composer Andrew Gross scores "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" for New Line Cinema and director Liam Lynch. Starring Jack Black, Kyle Gass and Will Ferrell, "Pick of Destiny" tells the story of how "The D" became the self proclaimed greatest band on Earth. Gross and Black have a long history together - the two were Crossroads High School classmates in his native Los Angeles-- and Gross had done strings for several songs on Tenacious D's platinum selling debut album. The film opens November 17.
It is no surprise that Gross would work with former classmate Jack Black. The two had been discussing a collaboration for a long while. After shows or whenever I saw him - in fact, I think even left messages on his voice mail - I'd say, "Dude, if you ever need any strings or orchestra I'd love to do it," says Gross. When the movie came along, the promised call came from Black.
Though he and collaborator John King were first brought aboard to provide orchestral and choral arrangements to the songs used in the film, it quickly became evident that the film needed dramatic underscore of an orchestral nature. The score enhances the film's comedic moments by playing them big. "The approach to the score was really fun," Gross says, "It changes from cue to cue depending on where we are in the film and what tone we're going after." For instance, in a scene where Jack Black's "JB" is getting beat up by "Clockwork Orange"-looking characters, the composers rode the line between making it regal and classical like Stanley Kubrick would, but still scoring to the picture. Also, the duo used a choir and orchestra when the JB and KG talk about their destiny to be together, making fun of the ridiculousness of the conversation.
"One thing I like about Tenacious D is that they're two guys who just want to play the best rock 'n' roll music," Gross says. "The movie is about how can they rock harder than anyone else. What do Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and Angus Young have that they don't?"
Gross has scored and written music for dozens of feature films and television shows, including the upcoming feature "Forfeit," a thriller with religious overtones for which Gross created an atmospheric, textural and dark score. Seizing the opportunity to explore a different genre, he employed fresh elements including a young boy soprano and a percussive instrument called a Mazdaphone, a 1970s Mazda hubcap with a spring strung across it.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

SOUNDTRACK REVIEW - Left Behind: Eternal Forces


Left Behind: Eternal Forces
Music by Chance Thomas
Left Behind Games
12 Tracks 38:16 mins

Chance Thomas is celebrated for his music to the Lord of the Rings games and also for Peter Jackson's King Kong: the Game, which I had the great pleasure of reviewing on this site. His latest effort is for this first title for Left Behind Games, which is based on the Left Behind novel series, written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, which have sold more than 65,000,000 books. The game is of the real-time strategy kind, and is described as "set in post-apocalyptic New York City. Players control the Tribulation Force as they attempt to save New Yorkers from the Global Peacekeepers controlled by the Antichrist."
Chance's music is very different from his approach for the King Kong game. Here he uses a much more contemporary palette, mixing orchestra and electronics, Media Ventures style, achieving a similarly exciting and propulsive sound, complete with electric guitars, courtesy of Rich Dixon.
But it's not all bombast and in fact starts off with a very soulful version of "Amazing Grace," vocalised by Tata Vega. Thomas then introduces his main thematic material in the following "Of Earth and Heaven, which is all very muscular, save for a surprising acoustic guitar interlude. The following and title track is a poignant affair, piano-lead and with a hint of sampled choir. Next up is "Street Fight," which powers along, before receiving an heroic lift when strings and choir again enter. "Tribulation Forces" continues very much in the same vein, though takes a much darker, menacing turn, before becoming almost spiritual with subtle wordless vocal, then ending determinedly. "Foreshadowing" is a fateful affair, with an ethnic feel, but again sports a determined ending. The synths-dominated "Left behind Reprise" presents a much lighter take on the main thematic material, soaring at first, broad later, then piano-lead to close.
"Ground Zero" plods along menacingly, before the ethnic approach from before gives it a lift. "Dawn Patrol" starts out as a tense and expectant mover, then receives quite an elegiac treatment of the main theme on woodwinds, courtesy of Daron Bradford, and strings. The brief "Heroes Tribute" is sounded by Tony DiLorenzo, lead trumpet of the Utah Orchestra, with brief strings bolstering it at the end. Another version of "Of Heaven and Earth" follows, for acoustic guitar and strings. "End Credits" concludes the score with variations on the main themes, before Ms Vega returns to again provide a soulful conclusion to affairs.
This is another impressive and exciting score from a composer who is a master of his art, and it doesn't seem possible really that he hasn't yet progressed to big screen assignments, but then maybe that is a good thing for game score enthusiasts, as increasingly I'm hearing better scores for the medium than I am for film.
The Left behind: Eternal Forces soundtrack is available for preview and download at http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=193140985. Check it out!


From Costa Communications

ANDREW GROSS SCORES FOR THE (SELF PROCLAIMED)
GREATEST BAND ON EARTH

"TENACIOUS D IN: THE PICK OF DESTINY" Opening November 17
(Los Angeles, CA) Musician/composer Andrew Gross scores "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" for New Line Cinema and director Liam Lynch. Starring Jack Black, Kyle Gass and Will Ferrell, "Pick of Destiny" tells the story of how "The D" became the self proclaimed greatest band on Earth. Gross and Black have a long history together - the two were Crossroads High School classmates in his native Los Angeles-- and Gross had done strings for several songs on Tenacious D's platinum selling debut album. The film opens November 17.
It is no surprise that Gross would work with former classmate Jack Black. The two had been discussing a collaboration for a long while. After shows or whenever I saw him - in fact, I think even left messages on his voice mail - I'd say, "Dude, if you ever need any strings or orchestra I'd love to do it," says Gross. When the movie came along, the promised call came from Black.
Though he and collaborator John King were first brought aboard to provide orchestral and choral arrangements to the songs used in the film, it quickly became evident that the film needed dramatic underscore of an orchestral nature. The score enhances the film's comedic moments by playing them big. "The approach to the score was really fun," Gross says, "It changes from cue to cue depending on where we are in the film and what tone we're going after." For instance, in a scene where Jack Black's "JB" is getting beat up by "Clockwork Orange"-looking characters, the composers rode the line between making it regal and classical like Stanley Kubrick would, but still scoring to the picture. Also, the duo used a choir and orchestra when the JB and KG talk about their destiny to be together, making fun of the ridiculousness of the conversation.
"One thing I like about Tenacious D is that they're two guys who just want to play the best rock 'n' roll music," Gross says. "The movie is about how can they rock harder than anyone else. What do Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and Angus Young have that they don't?"
Gross has scored and written music for dozens of feature films and television shows, including the upcoming feature "Forfeit," a thriller with religious overtones for which Gross created an atmospheric, textural and dark score. Seizing the opportunity to explore a different genre, he employed fresh elements including a young boy soprano and a percussive instrument called a Mazdaphone, a 1970s Mazda hubcap with a spring strung across it.

Friday, October 13, 2006

CD REVIEW - All the King's Men


All the King's Men
Music by James Horner
Varese Sarabande VSD-6756 (EU)
15 Tracks 56:21 mins

This remake of a 1948 Oscar-winner, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn, stars Sean Penn in a barnstorming performance as southern governor Willie Stark, and boasts what most critics seem to believe is something of an overblown score by James Horner. Now, I haven't seen the film, so cannot comment on this, but it's nice to think that the music is dialled up instead of down for once in a movie, especially if it's music worth hearing, which this undoubtedly is. OK, it may be a little two-themed, but at least it's melodic, which can't often be said of Hollywood scores these days.
The album starts off powerfully with the "Main Title," but quickly segues into the memorable main theme, first introduced on piano and then taken up by the orchestra. This is to prove a very versatile theme, at times rising to triumphant heights and at others more downbeat and defeated. The secondary theme, first heard at the end of "Bring Down the Lion and the Rest of the Jungle Will Quake in Fear," is a poignant affair, again first voiced by solo piano. Both themes make up the meat of the score tracks that follow, sometimes separately and sometimes in tandem. There are some pretty dramatic and anguished moments along the way, before the two themes are given their head in the concluding "Time Brings All Things to Light...I Trust it So."
At just under an hour, this is certainly not one of Horner's longer albums and therefore doesn't quite outstay its welcome, despite the lack of variety of themes. Certainly one of the composer's most melodic scores in years.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Film Music of Dmitri Shostakovich Volume 3


The Film Music of Dmitri Shostakovich Volume 3
Chandos Records CHAN 10361 (U.K.)
16 Tracks 79:47 mins

Chandos Records' third generous volume of film music from the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich commences with the familiar score for 1964's Hamlet, in this instance featuring 7 tracks from the score, including the dramatic and powerful "Introduction;" "Ball at the Palace", all eager anticipation; the suitably mysterious "The Ghost;" "Arrival and Scene of the Players," with its opening fanfare and boisterous music that follows; and the exciting and dramatic "Duel and Death of Hamlet."
The second and most appealing selection on the album is the composer's mini-piano concerto, composed for "The Assault on Krasnaya Gorka" from 1951's The Unforgetttable Year 1919, featuring Martin Roscoe on piano. This is followed by five cues from 1960's Five Days and Five Nights, which is largely quite downbeat, save for one or two powerful moments. Even the march theme that appears a couple of times is a subdued affair.
The final score in this collection is for 1947's The Young Guard, which commences with the largely pastoral "By the River," which is followed by "Turbulent Night," which is as it suggests, and "Song of the Young Guardsmen," a splendid victory march, and the other highlight of this album.
The music is performed by the BBC Philharmonic, under the baton of Vassily Sinaisky, with the accompanying booklet featuring stills from the chosen films, together with John Riley's guide to the composer and scores presented in three languages.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

News from Costa Communications & Top Dollar PR


From Costa Communications

CRAIG ARMSTRONG PREMIERES CELEBRATED SCORES FLANDERS INTL FILM FEST - GHENT Thursday, October 19 @ Flemish Opera House

(Hollywood, CA) - During the 33rd Flanders International Film Festival-Ghent Golden Globe winning composer and musician Craig Armstrong will perform a unique film concert at the Flemish Opera house. For the first time ever the music Armstrong composed for "Romeo and Juliet," "Moulin Rouge," and "Ray" will be played by a symphonic orchestra assisted by a choir and Armstrong on the piano. Craig Armstrong, the concert: Thursday Oct 19th, 8pm at the Flemish Opera House in Ghent. Tickets are on sale now at the Flemish Opera House.
This concert will follow the concert debut of Armstrong's score for Oliver Stone's controversial film for Paramount Pictures, "World Trade Center." Armstrong conducts over 100 of Hollywood's top musicians and singers on stage for an exciting gala event and concert program on Saturday, October 7th at 8 p.m. at Royce Hall, on the UCLA campus.
Only five years ago Craig Armstrong was honored by the World Soundtrack Academy as the first WSA Discovery of the Year. In the meantime Armstrong's work in film has resulted in numerous awards. Most recently he received a Grammy for Taylor Hackford's biopic "Ray." For Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo and Juliet" he won a Bafta and for "Moulin Rouge" by the same director he was awarded a prestigious Golden Globe, a Bafta and an American Film Institute Award.
Royal Academy of Music graduate Craig Armstrong passed through the ranks of his native Scotland's band culture to become a respected and sought-after composer and arranger on the world stage. In the contemporary field, Madonna, U2, Björk and Massive Attack are among the acts to have benefited from his talents, but it is his scores for "Ray," "The Clearing," "The Quiet American," "The Bone Collector," and Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo & Juliet" and "Moulin Rouge" that have brought him to the forefront of the movie industry.
The 33rd edition of the Flanders International Film Festival-Ghent is scheduled for October 11th-21st, 2006. Once again "The impact of music on film" is the overall theme. More than 200 films will be shown at Kinepolis Gent, Capitole, Sphinx, Studio Skoop and Arts Centre Vooruit.


From Top Dollar PR

RED STEEL™ TO FEATURE ORIGINALSOUNDTRACK COMPOSED BY TOM SALTA

Award-Winning Composer Employs Traditional Japanese Music with Contemporary Edge for First-Person Action Video Game Set in Present-Day Japan
New York, October 10th, 2006 – Composer and music producer Tom Salta has created the captivating musical score for Ubisoft’s exclusive first-person action title for the Wii™ console, Red Steel™, drawing from traditional and contemporary Japan for the game’s original soundtrack. In the game, players will master both the ancient art of the Katana and the sophisticated technology of modern firearms, taking advantage of the emotion and innovative gameplay possible only with the remarkable Wii Remote and Nunchuk controllers. Salta’s kaleidoscopic musical score follows the hero’s dramatic journey and immerses gamers in the unique gunplay and swordplay actions set in modern-day Japan.

“Tom Salta has found the perfect balance between Japanese traditional music, classic Hollywood score and various modern styles,” said Manu Bachet, music supervisor for Red Steel. “He has composed the most exciting soundtrack I've ever worked on at Ubisoft.”

Tom Salta arranged and recorded traditional live Japanese instrumentation including Koto, Shamisen, Shakuhachi and Taiko performed by expert Japanese musicians including the specialist percussion group Taikoza. The score also features performances from conservatory-trained Japanese opera singers and renowned violinist Lili Haydn. In order to reflect the diverse and Western-influenced soundtrack of fashionable Tokyo, Salta further embellished the soundtrack with a wide spectrum of music styles – such as orchestral, electronic, rock, hip hop, dance, easy listening, jazz, lounge, and Japanese pop – that truly embrace the game’s cinematic story and vibrant locations.

Tom Salta’s previous video game credits include the anthemic military-themed orchestral score for Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter™, which was nominated for Best Video Game Score at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards. Recording under the artist name Atlas Plug (www.atlasplug.com), Salta is currently working on the follow-up to his highly acclaimed debut solo album, 2 Days or Die. For more information on Tom Salta, visit www.tomsalta.com.
For more information on Red Steel, please visit the official website at www.redsteelgame.com.

About Ubisoft:
Ubisoft is a leading producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment products worldwide and has grown considerably through its strong and diversified lineup of products and partnerships. Ubisoft has offices in 21 countries and sales in more than 50 countries around the globe. It is committed to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge video game titles to consumers. Ubisoft generated revenue of 547 million Euros for the 2005–2006 fiscal year, an increase of 3 percent over the previous fiscal year at constant exchange rates. To learn more, please visit www.ubisoftgroup.com. About Wii:Nintendo's new system, Wii, will feature a controller designed to be used with either one hand or two -- a first in the video game industry. When picked up and pointed at the screen, the controller gives a lightning-quick element of interaction, sensing motion, depth, positioning and targeting dictated by movement of the controller itself.© 2006 Ubisoft Entertainment. All Rights Reserved. Red Steel, Ubisoft and the Ubisoft logo are trademarks of Ubisoft Entertainment in the U.S. and/or other countries. TM and the Wii logo are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Ultimate James Bond Film Music Collection


The Ultimate James Bond Film Music Collection
Music by Various Composers
Silva Screen SILKD1212 (U.K.)
4 Discs 59 Tracks 220.23 mns

This four-CD set is due to appear on 30th October, to celebrate the release of, and to usher in what I'm sure the producers are hoping will be a new era of James Bond sagas, with Casino Royale, featuring the rugged Daniel Craig as the new incarnation of the famous British Secret Service agent.
It's a pretty exhaustive collection, with suites and themes from all the legitimate Bond films, plus bonus material featuring music from Never Say Never Again and the original spoof version of Casino Royale, pretty decently performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic, though at times perhaps lacking that vital spark present in the original performances.
If you want to explore the musical world of James Bond and don't feel like investing in all the original soundtrack albums, this may just be the thing for you but, having said this, beware, because, apart from the aforementioned bonus tracks, plus two tracks from the last Pierce Brosnan Bond outing, Die Another Day, all of this music was previously available on the same label's The James Bond Collection, another attractively packaged four-disc set, released four years ago. So, if you have this, you may want to think twice about adding this new release to your collection. But then again, you may wish to replace your old one with this updated effort.

Monday, October 09, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Wicker Man


The Wicker Man
Music by Angelo Badalamenti
Silva Screen SILCD1216 (U.K.)
14 Tracks 44:14 mins

The original film version of this story is a cult classic, a one of a kind experience, with a one of a kind score, in a folk music style, the sole film work of one Paul Giovanni. This Hollywood re-telling receives a conventional orchestral score (with electronics thrown in), in the best Herrmann/Hitchcock traditions by Angelo Badalementi.
I haven't seen the film, nor do I wish to (when will they ever learn not to re-make a classic film, but to take a lousy film and make a better version of it), so I can only form my impressions of the score from the soundtrack album. I suppose it's best described as having a mysterious beauty, largely variations on three basic thematic elements, the most striking of which is the use of solo female voice, introduced in the composer's "Overture for the Wicker Man." It is in fact a pity we don't hear more of this, but it only really comes to the fore again in the concluding track "The Burning."
It's one of those scores where a suite would be sufficient, as it's just so much of the same all the time, despite a few threatening moments here and there. The final aforementioned track is probably the most varied, and includes a doom-laden processional, an almost tribal dance for the Pagan celebrations as the islanders make their sacrifice of the hapless Nicolas Cage character, and of course the female voice's return for the final lament.
The accompanying booklet features a note by the composer, plus colour stills from the film. Quite a different approach from the original score, as I said, but then so is the film. Personally, I'll stick to the original - on both counts.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Black Dahlia


The Black Dahlia
Music by Mark Isham
Silva Screen SILCD1221 (U.K.)
15 Tracks 48:09 mins

Film Noir is alive and well in the shape of Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia, which is based on James Ellroy's 1940s-set novel, concerning the investigation into the notorious murder of a Hollywood starlet.
De Palma was apparently looking for a "mournful trumpet player" to provide the key element in his score and composer and trumpet player Mark Isham certainly fits the bill. Isham has developed into one of the most versatile and dependable of Hollywood's current composers, in recent years, writing great music for the likes of Eight Below and Miracle, and he knew just what this film required. It is indeed his mournful trumpet performances that lead the way in this score, which is by necessity mysterious and suspenseful, but which has its share of seductive, smoky, romance along the way, witness "Madeline" and "Red Arrow Inn," both of which reach passionate heights; as well as some powerful action moments, culminating in "Death at the Olympic," before his more optimistic trumpet closes events.
Performed by a 100-piece orchestra, and recorded at London's famous Abbey Road Studios, Isham's music will obviously be compared to the likes of Chinatown and L.A. Confidential, but is a fine effort in its own right.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

CD REVIEW - The Prophecy & News from Costa Communications


The Prophecy
Music by David Williams
Perseverance PRD 013 (U.S.)
28 Tracks 61:38 mins

I recall seeing this 1995 fantasy thriller back when it was first shown on TV and found it quite enjoyable. The music score worked well enough, certainly to bring a few enquiries as to the availability of a soundtrack album, which unfortunately never appeared at the time. Well, thanks to enterprising label Perseverance Records, fans David Williams' score can now enjoy his music away from the film.
As with all the label's releases, a very attractive and informative booklet, featuring notes on the film and its score, which include interviews with the film's writer/director Greg Widen and with the composer himself, accompanies the generous disc.
The film concerns good angel Simon (Eric Stoltz) and his efforts to thwart Archangel Gabriel's rebellion against God's favouritism towards humans and his attempt to overthrow His kingdom, and Christopher Walken is perfect casting in the role.
Williams' music is synthetically realised, combining synths and samples to provide a full sound, which makes interesting use of voices, both solo and combined, to give the necessary weight and religious feel. The score starts out impressively with "All About Faith," where, after a solo voice leads the way, the track builds percussively to a big choral climax. A good deal of the music that follows is dark and atmospheric, but there are some violent moments - "Out of the Window" in particular comes to mind. There are of course ethereal moments, representing the angelic host and a poignant solo piano drifts in and out here and there, like in "Going home" and "Part of the Plan." There is another recurring motif, a purposeful theme first heard in "Thomas and Simon," which receives its fullest development in the album's final track "Prophecies," receiving choral support. Just prior to this, "He's Coming" and "Divine Intervention" are both impressive tracks, the former commencing with a capella heavenly voices, before reaching a powerful climax; the latter, a mix of powerful choral splendour and menace.
A sequel was made the following year and fans will be delighted to hear that Perseverance have released an album of that score too, which I shall be reviewing here in the next few days - so y'all come back now!


From Costa Communications

AARON ZIGMAN'S SCORE FOR
"FLICKA"
IS A WILD RIDE
20th Century Fox release date October 20
Scoring Session Footage Available

(Los Angeles, CA) Film composer Aaron Zigman scores 20th Century Fox's
remake of the 1943 family western "My Friend Flicka." The modern version,
with its title shortened to "Flicka," stars Alison Lohman and country music
superstar Tim McGraw as daughter and father. When the father (McGraw)
decides that Katie (Lohman) should attend college in place of running the
family ranch, she decides to tame a wild mustang in order to sway his
opinion. Zigman's score is rousing and propulsive, reminiscent of the
dynamic scores of golden-era westerns such as "The Magnificent Seven."
Directed by Michael Mayer ("A Home at the End of the World"), the film will
be released October 20th by Fox.

"Flicka" will be the latest addition to Zigman's diverse list of production
and scoring credits. As a classically trained pianist, Zigman developed a
strong musical foundation early in life, allowing him to work on everything
from popular music to orchestral concert works. He began his musical career
as a producer and arranger for notable popular music stars including Aretha
Franklin, Natalie Cole, Tina Turner, Carly Simon, Christina Aguilera and
Seal. His numerous symphonic pieces include a 35 minute-long tone poem
divided into five movements, written as a tribute to former Israeli Prime
Minister Itzhak Rabin, and "Impressions," a suite for a wind ensemble.

Expanding his repertoire to include film, Zigman began to arrange and
orchestrate for feature films such as "Mulan," "The Birdcage," "Licensed to
Kill" and "Pocahontas." His work garnered the attention of director Nick
Cassavetes, for whom he completed his first feature film score for "John
Q.," starring Denzel Washington. The two soon collaborated again on the
box-office hit "The Notebook."

Having established his name in film composing, Zigman went on to write the
scores for "The Wendell Baker Story," the directorial debut of Andrew Wilson
and Luke Wilson, "Raise Your Voice," a vehicle for pop superstar Hilary
Duff, "ATL," with rappers T.I. and Big Boi, and "Take the Lead," the
music-intensive dance drama starring Antonio Banderas. Also this year, he
wrote the scores for "Akeelah and the Bee," the critically-acclaimed film
with Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett, and the smash hit "Step Up."

Zigman's upcoming projects include "10th and Wolf," a gangster film starring
Giovanni Ribisi, James Marsden, and Brad Renfro, and the much anticipated
"Alpha Dog," his latest collaboration with director Nick Cassavetes.

Friday, October 06, 2006

News from Costa Communications, the latest issue of Film Music Magazine and a further update from Costa Communications


From Costa Communications

MILAN RECORDS RELEASES THE SCORE TO
FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
FEATURING MUSIC COMPOSED BY DIRECTOR
CLINT EASTWOOD
Soundtrack drops 10/17, Movie opens 10/20

(Burbank, CA) Milan Records releases music from the motion picture "Flags of
our Fathers," featuring an original score composed by Hollywood legend Clint
Eastwood, previously Golden Globe nominated as a composer for his work on
"Million Dollar Baby." Along with his score, his son Kyle Eastwood also
provides re-recordings of classic music from the period. The Milan
soundtrack features nostalgic standards arranged by Kyle including works by
Irving Berlin, Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne and John Philip Sousa, as well as
original recordings by Dinah Shore and Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five.
Milan releases the soundtrack on October 17.

In addition to directing and acting in his films, Clint Eastwood has a long
history of involvement with film music, dating back to "Escape from
Alcatraz." For "Bronco Billy," Tightrope" and "Hearbreak Ridge," Lennie
Neuhaus would write the score while Eastwood would write the songs.
Starting with "Unforgiven" and continuing through "Space Cowboys," the two
wrote the scores together, resulting in a series of successful works.
Eastwood has since written the scores to "Mystic River" and "Million Dollar
Baby" on his own; the latter was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2004. For
"Flags of our Fathers," Eastwood writes, and Lennie Niehaus continues to
orchestrate and conduct.

The film, based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the life
stories of the six American soldiers who raised the victory flag at the
battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. The men, immortalized in what would become one
of the most iconic images in history, rejected the notion that they were
heroes, wanting only to stay on the front with their brothers-in-arms who
were fighting and dying without fanfare or glory. Eastwood directs a cast
that includes Ryan Phillippe, Adam Beach and Jesse Bradford. DreamWorks/
Paramount releases the film on October 20.

Milan Entertainment, Inc. has a proven dedication to releasing quality,
award-winning soundtracks for film and television as well as cutting edge
electronic, world and Latin music. Its catalogue includes such notable
soundtracks as "Ghost," "Mulholland Drive," "Monsoon Wedding," "Spirited
Away," "Talk To Her," "City of God," "Bend It Like Beckham," "Once Upon A
Time in Mexico," "Match Point" as well as the Academy Award Winning films,
"March of the Penguins" and "Tsotsi." Milan Entertainment, an independently
owned operation with offices located in Burbank, California and Paris,
France is distributed by WEA Inc., Warner Music Group's (an AOL Time Warner
Company) manufacturing and distribution operation.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS
Music by Clint Eastwood
Orchestrated and conducted by Lennie Niehaus
Special Arrangements by Kyle Eastwood and Michael Stevens

Track Listing
1. The Photograph
2. I'll Walk Away
performed by Dinah Shore
(Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne)
3. Knock Knock
(Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens, Andrew McCormack, Graeme Flowers)
4. Wounded Marines
5. The Thunderer
(John Philip Sousa)
6. Armada Arrives
7. Goodbye Ira
8. Symphony in G Minor, 3rd Movement
(Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
9. String Quartet Opus #6, 2nd Movement
(Joseph Haydn)
10. Inland Battle
11. Flag Raising
12. Any Bonds Today?
(Irving Berlin)
13. Summit Ridge Drive
performed by Artie Shaw and his Gramercy Five
(Artie Shaw)
14. Vict'ry Polka
(Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne)
15. The Medals
16. Platoon Swims
17. Washington Post March
(John Philip Sousa)
18. Flags Theme
19. End Titles Guitar
20. End Titles


I've been fortunate to receive the latest issue of Film Music (Vol.6 No.1), which features a full-colour picture of Harry Gregson-Williams on the cover and inside carries an interview with the composer. Other composer interviews this issue feature Brian Tyler and a new name to me, Jon Westgaard, who writes the music for magazine shows in the States, most notably the long-running Entertainment Tonight show. There is also an interview with seven-time Grammy winning arranger and trumpet player Jerry Hey, who has, in addition to working with the likes of Earth Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson and Ray Charles, played on many films for the likes of Alan Silvestri and Aaron Zigman. More technical and industry related features make up the remainder of the issue, and Samm Brown III "sounds off" about the current situation regarding African-American composers in Hollywood. A must-have publication if you're involved in the industry, particularly States-side.
By the way, don't forget to visit filmmusicworld.com, where you can catch up with all the latest news, subscribe to the magazine, and listen to Film Music Radio, where interesting conversations with composers can be heard on demand.


An Update From Costa Communications

MUSIC INDUSTRY VETERANS MELISSA ETHERIDGE AND TERENCE BLANCHARD
ON BOARD FOR Q&A SESSIONS AT THE 2006 HOLLYWOOD REPORTER/BILLBOARD
FILM & TV MUSIC CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 14-15 IN LOS ANGELES

-- Two-Day Event will Focus on the Evolving Role of Music in Film and
Television --

(September 29, 2006 - Los Angeles) Acclaimed singer-songwriter Melissa
Etheridge and top composer Terence Blanchard are among the industry
professionals who are set to participate in The 2006 Hollywood
Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference, being held on November 14-15
at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Now in its fifth year, this
cutting-edge conference examines the increasingly important role of music in
film and television, and provides a dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas
among the entertainment industry's most influential executive and creative
talents including award-winning composers and directors, top-name music
supervisors, key studio, network, record label and publishing professionals,
and VIPs from the advertising, gaming and commercial fields.

In an exclusive Q&A conducted by Tamara Conniff, executive editor and
associate publisher of Billboard, Melissa Etheridge will discuss crossing
over to the world of film and TV music. In another Q&A session, Doreen
Ringer Ross, VP Film/TV Relations of BMI, will talk to Terence Blanchard
about his work composing for films and discussing how he balances scoring
with his career as one of jazz music's leading trumpeters.

Etheridge, one of the music industry's most successful female artists, got
her first break in film music when she was asked to write songs for the Nick
Nolte movie Weeds that was released in 1987. Since that time, Etheridge has
released nine albums, and has won two Grammy awards for Best Female Rock
Vocal Performance. Etheridge's career highlights have also included hit
songs such as Come to My Window, I'm the Only One and I Want To Come Over,
three multi-platinum albums titled Melissa Etheridge (1988), Yes I Am (1993)
and Your Little Secret (1995), and a talked-about performance of Janis
Joplin's Piece of My Heart at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards. Etheridge has
continued to write for and perform on television shows and movie
soundtracks, and just this year claimed the title song for the celebrated Al
Gore documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.

A New Orleans native, Blanchard has been a staple on the jazz scene since
the 1980s and has made an impact both as a performing musician and a
composer. He began his film-scoring career working with Spike Lee on such
films as Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Clockers, Summer of Sam, and Mo' Better
Blues, for which he earned a Grammy Award nomination. Other honors include
an Emmy Award nomination for his work on The Promised Land, a Golden Globe
nomination for the scoring of Lee's 25th Hour, and Grammy nods for his album
The Heart Speaks and his work on Wandering Moon. Blanchard also works as the
Artistic Director for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at
the University of Southern California. Most recently, Blanchard collaborated
with Lee on his films Inside Man and When The Levees Broke, for which
Blanchard wrote the original scores.

This must-attend industry event will also feature compelling panel
discussions on topics such as creating music for commercials and games, the
director/composer relationship, and the anatomy of a film, networking
cocktail parties, roundtable sessions, and live artist performances.

Sponsors of this year's conference are ASCAP, APM, Berklee College of Music,
BMI and SESAC.

For information about The 2006 Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music
Conference, visit www.billboardevents.com. For information on registration
and group discounts, contact Erin Parker at 646-654-4643. For sponsorship
information, contact Karl Vontz at 415-738-0745. For hotel information,
contact The Beverly Hilton Hotel at 310-274-7777.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

CD REVIEW - Dark Skies


Dark Skies
Music by Michael Hoenig and Mark Snow
Perseverance Records PRD 012 (U.S.)
27 Tracks 70:06 mins

Dark Skies was a comparatively short-lived imaginative American TV Sci-Fi series that debuted in 1996, which explored a shady covert group's involvement with two kinds of aliens, one species more benevolent, the other parasitic and out for supremacy, all set against the backdrop of historical world events. Had the show debuted today, with modern CGI effects as they are, it could have had a lot of fun with the inclusion of historical characters in its plots. As it is, the show was sadly cancelled before it had the chance to explore its full potential.
Mark Snow, who was heavily involved with composing scores for the popular The X-Files, composed the music for the show's pilot. For reasons explained in the colourful and informative accompanying booklet, which includes a note from Snow, he didn't continue the scoring when a series was given the green light. Instead, Canadian composer Michael Hoenig got the gig and provided a predominantly synths and keyboard score, with subtle use of sampled voices and trumpet.
This 10th Anniversary Limited Edition release of music from the show will be much welcomed by Dark Skies fans, who have long waited for a soundtrack release. For my own part, I very much enjoyed the show, particularly after the introduction of Jeri Ryan's character. Ms Ryan single-handedly saved Star Trek: Voyager when she was introduced as the Seven-of-Nine character and did a similar job here as a character who may be working for the greater good, or may just have her own agenda. Nothing was black and white in this show, with the covert organisation Majestic-12 being headed up by the ambiguous Captain Frank Bach (the much-missed J.T.Walsh).
Hoenig's music makes up the majority of tracks on this album and is largely mysterious, suspenseful and otherworldly, with just a few exciting moments of action. It all worked well enough in the series, with his main theme actually receiving an Emmy nomination, but really makes for difficult listening away from the screen. Following an opening trumpet fanfare, the aforementioned, fast-moving main theme does a good job of propelling the viewer into the show and indeed the album, but is not really utilised throughout the scoring. The principal theme utilised in the scoring is a dark and timpani-driven theme for Majestic-12, which crops up here and there; his contributions to the album concluding with "Epilogue," which begins with bluesy synth trumpet and keyboard and ends with a melancholy variation on the main theme. He too has his own note about his music in the accompanying booklet.
The album appears to conclude with a 12-minute suite from Mark Snow's pilot score, which is a much-better listen on disc, with its sad piano opening and close and some violent, jagged action music. I say, "appears to conclude," because there is in fact a hidden track, a beat-driven, steady mover, which brings the disc to a foot-tapping close.
In addition to the Hoenig and Snow notes already mentioned, the extensive booklet notes tell the history of the show and its music, with comments from Dark Skies creator Bryce Zabel. Certainly a collector's item for fans of the show, this release is an impressive labour of love from Perseverance.