To the Organissimo members who still believe in the music

[sgcim]

Recorded in the pianist's living room:

 

[Teasing the Korean]

Beautiful!  When will you guys record some Bernard Herrmann?

Love the Evans-esque minor chord on the end!  

Edited August 25, 2018 by Teasing the Korean

[sgcim]

Thanks! It's funny you mention Herrmann and Evans; the pianist heard Evans at the age of eleven, and has spent his life studying,analyzing, and transcribing Evans' work.

He even studied for six years with Andy LaVerne, one of the few students Evans took on.

He also played me some of his attempts at film music, and he wrote one demo called 'Bernard Herrmann', which sounded extremely Herrmannesque.

Other than 'Taxi Driver', it would be difficult to find some Herrmann to adapt to a jazz quartet. I've looked in vain for Herrmann's Yiddish musical. I don't know of any recordings or published music. Herrmann didn't write songs...

Since it's the pianist's ball game (it's his baby grand, recording equipment and house we play at), I'm trying to convince him to record some Raksin, who unlike Herrmann, wrote many songs besides the completely exhausted 'Laura', but this situation is not a democracy, It would be a hard sell for him to record anything that he doesn't know inside out.

However, a friend of mine started a dynamite big band, and there's a good chance that he's going to record some of my original compositions, plus an arrangement of a Raksin tune that has already had several successful performances.

[Teasing the Korean]

I think the "Marnie" theme may be the closest thing (other than "Taxi Driver") that Herrmann wrote in song form, although it lacks a bridge.

I would imagine that the "Vertigo" theme, "Scene d'Amour," "Conversation Piece" from NxNW, the sad theme from "Snows of Kilimanjaro," and "Marion and Sam" from "Psycho" could conceivably work in a jazz setting, with the caveat that these would not be 32-bar AABA kinds of tunes. 

Edited August 25, 2018 by Teasing the Korean

[sgcim]

1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I think the "Marnie" theme may be the closest thing (other than "Taxi Driver") that Herrmann wrote in song form, although it lacks a bridge.

I would imagine that the "Vertigo" theme, "Scene d'Amour," "Conversation Piece" from NxNW, the sad theme from "Snows of Kilimanjaro," and "Marion and Sam" from "Psycho" could conceivably work in a jazz setting, with the caveat that these would not be 32-bar AABA kinds of tunes. 

Thanks for the ideas! I'll check them out.

[medjuck]

Also check out the Vertigo theme.  And Obsession which knocks it off. 

[sgcim]

2 minutes ago, medjuck said:

Also check out the Vertigo theme.  And Obsession which knocks it off. 

2 minutes ago, medjuck said:

Also check out the Vertigo theme.  And Obsession which knocks it off. 

1 hour ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I think the "Marnie" theme may be the closest thing (other than "Taxi Driver") that Herrmann wrote in song form, although it lacks a bridge.

I would imagine that the "Vertigo" theme, "Scene d'Amour," "Conversation Piece" from NxNW, the sad theme from "Snows of Kilimanjaro," and "Marion and Sam" from "Psycho" could conceivably work in a jazz setting, with the caveat that these would not be 32-bar AABA kinds of tunes. 

Thanks for the ideas! I'll check them out.

medjuk- I saw Obsession in a movie theater when it first came out. What an unforgettable experience! I was concentrating so much on Herrmann's magnificent score, I didn't even bother following the plot!

All I remember is that Cliff Robertson was in it...   It seemed like DePalma was giving Bennie his last shot at composing the film score of a lifetime, which he did!.

[medjuck]

IIRC they advertised it as Hermann's "last romantic score" I guess because Taxi Driver was his actual last score-- though I think it came out first. 

[Teasing the Korean]

I love the opening scene in "Obsession" when it is supposed to be 1959, and all the actors have long hair and mutton chop sideburns.