i’m usually talking about music that evokes nostalgia, practicing the association of memories to certain songs, but lately – and telling of my current listening tendencies – i’ve been listening to alot of jazz and soundtrack scores. there is a way that a soundtrack can take you to a most vivid daydream where the movie is taking place, or when/where it should take place based on the selection. it’s those kinds of daydreams where stories are written up, plotlines developed, characters chosen, and denouments are finalized. i would always do stuff like this, come up with the movie idea based on the music, but right now it’s in full effect.
i’m a big fan of that typically sixties/early seventies full orchestral sound/spaghetti western sound, built and refined by people like John Barry or Ennio Morricone. however my utmost favoritest artist/composer of the era is Les Baxter. there is something about his exotica-filled production that bring me to a whole other place, trying to put myself into the shoes of the protagonist in a spy movie set in europe. to quote his wiki:
Baxter offered package tours in sound, selling tickets to sedentary tourists who wanted to stroll around some taboo emotions before lunch, view a pagan ceremony, go wild in the sun or conjure a demon, all without leaving home hi-fi comforts in the white suburbs.
just check out a sample track off youtube, voodoo dreams, and close your eyes and try not to be transported. my first thought is that island Syndrome runs all his superhero tests on. which, btw, is one of my favorite pixar movies evah. anyway, a lot of les baxters music is so good that i wonder why the majority of his work was strictly on vinyl and never on its proper intention – an actual soundtrack. however i’m also going to contradict myself and say that it’s better that way, so that listeners can imagine their own cinematic visuals rather than have their thoughts replaced by moving images.
my favorite album by les baxter (tough call, i wanna just say everything? gotta catch em all) is Que Mango, which i believe should be made into a movie immediately, straight up from track one being the introduction sequence to the last track starting the credits, as the main character is sailing into the sunset. he dare not look back; already having the hardest of times fighting away his tears, while she’s longingly looking towards the ship, knowing well that she’ll never see him again. pangs of regret flicker* all around them, yet he has to leave, and she.. well, yeah. i’m already getting lost in it. i’ve already cast the main characters: jude law as the jetsetting debonair yet afflicted spy, and naomi watts as the meek and unwaveringly loyal love interest – hey, it’s the sixties! stereotypes are still okay.
only now has it dawned on me that it would bring me great joy to be a music director on a film, atleast for a period piece that i could use all this music. one can dream.
some youtube selections:
+ Metti, Una Sera a Cena by Ennio Morricone
+ Meglio Stasera (pink panther movies ARE THE BUSINESS.)
+ Dawn Raid at Fort Knox by John Barry
+ Nikki by Burt motherfucking Bacharach (full name because Burt is that dude)
+ nujabes fans and musiq soulchild fans, get blown away by this, as i did.
+ arr matey, find que mango here.
+ other composers tickling my fancy(seems to have an italian slant): Luis Bacalov, Armando Trovaioli, Piero Umiliani.
*fucked up that i wanted to type flickr instead of flicker. fuck you, internet. fuck you.
nujabes is amazing, i love his music. what is the song that you used to mix amerie’s talking about?
wow i commented on the wrong post.
…..anywho,
i love listening to the original samples. i was blown away.
that Vivre Pour Vivre joint is so damn smooth. Thanks for pointing the masses in the direction of that so-solid groove