Category Archives: Music

Why we love movie scores

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Steve McQueen As BullittA reminder of just why we love movie scores.

Everyone can remember where they were when they first saw the first STAR WARS movie in the theater.

I cannot help but attach this video as well, which has the full and true opening scene.

A wonderful theme by a wonderful composer, strong, true and appropriate.  You gasped when that massive, incredible STAR DESTROYER passed overhead, and it just kept coming and coming and coming.

One cannot forget the IMPERIAL MARCH from Star Wars.

Nor can one forget the Magnificent Seven theme.

Here is Jerry Goldsmith’s take on Star Trek, the motion picture.

Then there is John Sturges score for The Great Escape.

Further, there is darkness, via Herrmann and the Taxi Driver theme.

Herrmann’s score for “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” 1951.

Then there was the Louis and Bebe Barron soundtrack for “Forbidden Planet,” an incredible film that was far ahead of its time.

They were collectively way ahead of their time.

Jerry Goldsmith and his score for Patton.

The new age of composers would now include Ramin Djawadi.

As well as the title for BANSHEE by Methodic Doubt.

Strong, sharp, memorable themes they are all.  But I personally cannot forget:

Lalo Schifrin rocked.

There are so many more.

What are your favorites?

BZ

 

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Happy 75th birthday, Ringo Starr!

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Ringo Starr At 75Ringo Starr in 2014. You age well, sir.

“Who are the Beatles?”

That from most every kid these days.  “What’s an LP?  You listened to music on a cassette?  I think I saw a CD once.”

Ringo Starr — true name Richard Starkey — was born 75 years ago on July 7th of 1940 in Liverpool, England, the proverbial WWII baby.

When people think about drummers, they seldom think of Ringo Starr any more.  Yet, Ringo is heralded by the drumming community because of his simplicity, his innate sense of true rhythm, and his consistence.  Listen to Ringo with George Harrison in, It Don’t Come Easy.

Happy birthday, Ringo Starr.  Check his tribute, here.

BZ

Ringo's Drum Set, Simple

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Jack Bruce, bass player extraordinaire, dead at age 71

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Jack Bruce Fretless Warwick BassOne of my all-time favorite bass players — who since 1976 embraced the fretless bass (made by Warwick, but Bruce originally played a Gibson EB-3 with Cream), passed away Saturday at the age of 71, of liver failure, at his home in Suffolk, England, with family about him.  Bruce had already been the recipient of a liver transplant in 2003, and he almost died because of organ rejection.

Born in Scotland in 1943, Jack Bruce gained his celebrity as the lead vocalist and bass player for the short-lived power trio Cream, with a young Eric Clapton on guitar and the incredible Ginger Baker on drums.  Cream lasted from 1966 to its breakup in 1968, with only three major albums under their belt, and an abbreviated fourth live album.

From there, Jack Bruce played with a host of artists and became a member of other smaller groups.  He also issued a number a solo albums.

He reunited in May of 2005 with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker, as Cream, in order to play live at the Royal Albert Hall and Madison Square Garden.  Bruce was recovering from his liver transplant, and Ginger Baker played through terrible arthritis.  I have the DVD of these concerts and, frankly, the performances are absolutely splendid.

Let’s be frank: the playing of Jack Bruce is the reason that many young musicians decided to take up the bass instead of electric guitar.

God bless you sir, millions of people enjoyed your playing and you were an inspiration to all who aspired to take up the electric bass guitar as a musical instrument.

Here, Jack Bruce’s first solo album, “Songs For a Tailor” (1969) is hosted in its entirety:

BZ

Jack Bruce

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