OH? I thought it was the film that had several Doors songs. My mistake.
BIRD
starring Forest Whitaker as Charlie Parker
and
LADY SINGS THE BLUES
starring Diana Ross as Billie Holiday
(has my favorite: Strange Fruit)
There were some "pop" songs playing over the loudspeaker during the Playboy bunny sequence but I couldn't for the life of me tell you what they were. You might be right but they're not credited in the composition -- it would be in the end credits.
Ditto on "Bird" (besides Charlie Parker rules!)
Diana Ross was good even if I would like prefer to hear the original recordings -- Ken Burns "Jazz" didn't include nearly enough of her music (I still criticize it for getting stuck on Louis Armstrong and shorting many other greats of the period).
Another great jazz score but not exactly swinging but cool:
"Chinatown" and just as moody and atmospheric, "Body Heat."
I suppose this should have been a Featured Topic so I'll fix that.
For me, Legrand's score in the original Thomas Crown Affair was the only good thing about the movie. Even with McQueen and Dunaway doing their best, that flick couldn't overcome a terrible script and lackadaisical direction. My opinion, only.
Didn't Mancini also do the theme for Mr. Lucky, speaking of old TV shows?
And, perhaps this is a bit off topic, but the theme song from the 1940s Dana Andrews-Gene Tierney film Laura has become a jazz classic. I have it on several records, interpreted by several musicians, most notably Cherlie Parker.
Likely one of Parker's best ballad jazz improvisation -- on his "Charlie Byrd With Strings" album, right? He was criticized for "selling out" making that album. Many followed suit like George Shearing and Miles Davis.
"Mr. Lucky" is one of Mancini's most endearing melodies, rivaling "Moon River." It was less jazz and more pop. I was surprised that the recut "Touch of Evil" lopped off most of Mancini's score for the environmental sounds (and music) of the little Mexican town where the action took place (actually Venice, California).
I don't know if it was 'selling out', Lightwizard, but, boy, them strings is annoying, I agree. You don't know whether to consider it jazz, pop or elevator music until Bird himself begins to blow. Even those strings can't detract from that. Actually I have the Laura theme on Charlie Parker: The Verve Years a two-CD anthology.
Mr. P. somehow ordered two copies of the CD version of one his favorite vinyl albums, Pete Kelly's Blues. As I was processing the return online today, I read that this was the soundtrack for a film by the same name. I've never seen the movie, only heard the music, it's sweet Dixieland jazz. Couldn't find a movie poster, but here's a still, c.1955. That's Jack Webb on the trumpet. The cast included Lee Marvin, Peggy Lee & Ella Fitzgerald.
He's played in on several recordings so I didn't know which you had. I think it might be on the Ken Burns "Jazz" CD which is exclusively Parker and are recently restored recorings. I'll have to look up the Verve anthology. Thanks, Merry -- I always get a lot of help from you and do appreciate it.
Pete Kelly's Blues music was composed by Arthur Hamilton (I) and
Ray Heindorf (a long respected arranger and conductor of Hollywood scores). I can't remember how much or if there was any authentic music of the period in the film.
Gad! Pete Kelly's Blues is so long ago I can't remember its authenticity either. Don't think I've seen it again since it first came out ca. 1955.
Andrew,I´m glad that you enjoyed Michel Legrands music.
I´m a COMPLETE sucker for Thomas Crown Affair but I know it has many dtractors.
Staying with Legrand:
This is great to play very loud and sashay around the apartment to.
The Hot Spot is one of the lowest-down low-down blues CD's I've got.
John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal, Miles Daves et al...
I think I remember the film all right.Dennis Hoppers work,non?
Nice twist.Wasn´t Jennifer Connoly absolutely ravishing in it?
Or was that some other movie I wonder?
No image,SealPoet,to brighten up the page some more?
Hebba, Thanks for the link to this thread. Fantastic. I haven't read all the responses, but did anyone mention the movie "Lush Life" with Jeff Goldblum and Forest Whitaker? Supposedly, the trumpet that Whitaker's persona played belonged to Clifford Brown. :
http://jazzinstituteofchicago.org/index.asp?target=/jazzgram/reviews/clifford.asp
I know the song "Lush Life" but not this film Letty.
Clifford Brown was great too.Many trumpeters owe something to him (or at least that´s what it sounds like sometimes)..
Try and find an image of the cover to the soundtrack.
Hmmm. Where are all these images?
Had plain forgotten to include this gem.Shame on me....
I can't say I know the movie, either, but Billy Strayhorn's 'Lush Life' soon became one of Duke Ellington's signature tunes.
There has never been a finer trumpeter than Clifford Brown. As fine, maybe, but. . .
Piffka, I pulled Shaft from amazon.com
Hold onto those pants,it´s Francis Lai´s:
Lovely lovely lovely.
