SOUNDTRACKS
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Soundtracks are a lot more than movie music...
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
...or so I'm ready to argue as a 30 year devotee of this sorely under appreciated genre. So, in an effort to do my part, each week
I'll be making recommendations of soundtracks current and vintage, make a fuss over long awaited soundtrack scores finally getting
a well deserved release, and in general, make some noise about this often overlooked category. Beyond my long experience as a
listener and as a pianist and songwriter, both of which I've put to use in writing a quarterly soundtrack column for the Chicago
Tribune, I can only offer my recommendations. You'll discern my taste soon enough and upfront I'd like to make it clear that I'll
focus most heavily on SCORE soundtracks. In the end, all criticism is subjective but if I can point a listener toward a little heard
soundtrack or strongly advise you to either ORDER IMMEDIATELY or SKIP ALTOGETHER, all the better.
Just time for a quick recommendation this week (but of course it's a good one):
I haven't had a chance to screen Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm
School which arrived just in time to compete with another ballroom dancing themed picture,
Take the Lead. The latter had the advantage of a much better title and Antonio Banderas to
boot but the cast in the former -- Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen, Sean
Astin, Danny Devito, and John Goodman -- certainly make it sound tantalizing. So, though I
missed the movie in theatres, I'll definitely watch for its imminent arrival on DVD. In the
meantime, the soundtrack, out on Milan Records, is a wonderful example of a disc that
combines both score and song selections seamlessly.
That might be because composer Mark Adler, in addition to writing a quietly emotive score,
has written new lush arrangements for traditional ballroom selections like "Begin the
Beguine" that favor the sweeping instrumentation of the score. These big band selections
also work nicely with tart newer songs in the idiom by the likes of swing practitioners Cherry
Poppin' Daddies and Royal Crown Revue as well as some fabu-lush retro Latin flavored
tracks.
Adler has written a lot of music for television films (and the wonderful theme for PBS'
American Experience series) as well as the music for The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I'm not
overly familiar with his past work but love how this soundtrack works as a whole.
This is a great disc for fans of swing/big band sounds and offers plenty of romantic music as
well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the ARCHIVES
Next Week: TBD
I haven't had a chance to screen Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing & Charm
School which arrived just in time to compete with another ballroom dancing themed picture,
Take the Lead. The latter had the advantage of a much better title and Antonio Banderas to
boot but the cast in the former -- Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, Mary Steenburgen, Sean
Astin, Danny Devito, and John Goodman -- certainly make it sound tantalizing. So, though I
missed the movie in theatres, I'll definitely watch for its imminent arrival on DVD. In the
meantime, the soundtrack, out on Milan Records, is a wonderful example of a disc that
combines both score and song selections seamlessly.
That might be because composer Mark Adler, in addition to writing a quietly emotive score,
has written new lush arrangements for traditional ballroom selections like "Begin the
Beguine" that favor the sweeping instrumentation of the score. These big band selections
also work nicely with tart newer songs in the idiom by the likes of swing practitioners Cherry
Poppin' Daddies and Royal Crown Revue as well as some fabu-lush retro Latin flavored
tracks.
Adler has written a lot of music for television films (and the wonderful theme for PBS'
American Experience series) as well as the music for The Unbearable Lightness of Being. I'm not
overly familiar with his past work but love how this soundtrack works as a whole.
This is a great disc for fans of swing/big band sounds and offers plenty of romantic music as
well.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Don't forget to check out previous soundtrack recommendations by visiting the ARCHIVES
Next Week: TBD
The composer for the latest
movie to focus on ballroom
dancing (this with the impossibly
long title above) is Mark Adler.
Check out his extensive, very
interesting website and that of
Milan Records, the label that put
out the soundtrack. They have a
highly discerning catalogue of
titles when it comes to the genre.
movie to focus on ballroom
dancing (this with the impossibly
long title above) is Mark Adler.
Check out his extensive, very
interesting website and that of
Milan Records, the label that put
out the soundtrack. They have a
highly discerning catalogue of
titles when it comes to the genre.
