Found: William S. Fischer

[Teasing the Korean]

Some time ago, I posted about an obscure disillusionment-in-sun-drenched-1970s-American-new-wave-cinema film. It had a score by a guy I never heard of.

I looked up the composer.  There had never been a soundtrack album for the film.  However, the composer released one album, which IIRC was reasonably regarded in jazz circles.  He may have been a sideman on other albums, but I can't remember.

I realize this is not much to go on.  Any ideas?

Edited August 21, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[Niko]

Duane Tatro

[Big Beat Steve]

1 hour ago, Niko said:

Duane Tatro

If so, this is the one.

https://www.discogs.com/Duane-Tatro-Duane-Tatros-Jazz-For-Moderns/master/767106

The DB review gave it 2 1/2 stars. Nat Hentoff found it "exercises being worked out, sterile, often cold ..." I remember it being more interesting than that (IMO) and - Nat Hentoff or not - found the review to reflect tastes of the times in certain circles that were a "period thing" but not everlasting gospel. But will have to pull it out again to listen.

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Big Beat Steve

[Teasing the Korean]

Great guess, not who I'm thinking of though.

This was an African American composer/musician who would have been coming up in the early 70s.  We were bingeing a lot of early- to mid-70s American auteur existential films, so the film roughly fit into that category.  I don't think it was a major film, but it is one that would be known by fans of disillusionment-in-sun-drenched-1970s-American-new-wave cinema.

I liked the score and checked to see if it had been released, but it wasn't.  IIRC, the music had that early 70s funkified sound, but with definite jazz elements.  I then Googled the guy and found that he had done an album in roughly the same period.  I don't think it had been reissued on CD, but it had its fans.  EDIT:  I do think that it may have been reissued on CD, but long out of print.

His resume may consist of more than that film and that album, but those seemed to be the two major things that he did.  

I keep a running list of things I'm looking out for, but I neglected to add this album.

Again, not much to go on, but that's what I've got.

 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[Big Beat Steve]

So you actually have the name (and this is a riddle) or not?

[Teasing the Korean]

1 minute ago, Big Beat Steve said:

So you actually have the name (and this is a riddle) or not?

No, I am trying to remember who he is.  I'm posting what little I remember.

[Big Beat Steve]

When you said you googled the guy and found he had done that album, how did you arrive there? No hook or detail that would get you started in remembering the name?

[Teasing the Korean]

3 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

When you said you googled the guy and found he had done that album, how did you arrive there? No hook or detail that would get you started in remembering the name?

We were watching the movie, and I noted the composer in the opening credits. I looked to see if there was a soundtrack album, and there was not one, but the composer did release an album that seemed to be reasonably regarded in certain circles.  I found videos from the album on the InterTubes. 

Again, not much to go on, but that's all I got.

I thought I may have started a thread here either in artists or recommendations, but I don't remember the name.  

Edited August 21, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[JSngry]

Who else was in the movie, the cast?

[Teasing the Korean]

44 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Who else was in the movie, the cast?

At the time, we were bingeing a lot of films in this category, so they kind of blur together.  My best bet at this point is to probably spend some time on this (excellent) website and see if anything rings a bell:

https://mubi.com/lists/disillusionment-in-sun-drenched-1970s-american-new-wave-cinema

 

[jazztrain]

This reminds me of the folks who walk into a record store and say something like "I'm looking for this record.  I don't remember who it is or the title, but I think it has a blue cover and the tune goes something like this -- dum to dum dee dum... You know the one."   

It can be frustrating trying to remember things like this!

 

[Teasing the Korean]

6 minutes ago, jazztrain said:

This reminds me of the folks who walk into a record store and say something like "I'm looking for this record.  I don't remember who it is or the title, but I think it has a blue cover and the tune goes something like this -- dum to dum dee dum... You know the one."   

It can be frustrating trying to remember things like this!

Yes, I realize this is very vague.  It is interesting that the guy is known for one album, and that he scored this one film.  I'm also trying to remember if it was a Blaxploitation film, but I don't think it was.  

[JSngry]

Didn't realize that "disillusionment-in-sun-drenched-1970s-American-new-wave-cinema" had become an actual thing, but before that, my first thought, just on movie terms was The Last Movie That thing is 1000% disillusioned and sun-drenched and Dennis Hopper-directed.

But looking at the credits for the soundtrack, nobody matches up.

I was thinking maybe William S. Fischer might be your guy, but no film credits there, not that I could find.

 

[Teasing the Korean]

21 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Didn't realize that "disillusionment-in-sun-drenched-1970s-American-new-wave-cinema" had become an actual thing, but before that, my first thought, just on movie terms was The Last Movie That thing is 1000% disillusioned and sun-drenched and Dennis Hopper-directed.

But looking at the credits for the soundtrack, nobody matches up.

I was thinking maybe William S. Fischer might be your guy, but no film credits there, not that I could find.

That's him!  The film is called Born to Win.  I posted about him in recommendations.  The album is Circles.  

Thank you! 

Now, I am adding him to my list so I won't have to annoy anyone again.  

And I used the word "circles" in my first post! 

Edited August 21, 2021 by Teasing the Korean

[JSngry]

That guy did a lot of work in the Adderley Brothers & Herbie Mann orbs, including some really stealth work for Nat on A&M CTI.

He had another record or two of some merit, but Circles was the most visible.

Definitely a name (aka "Bill Fischer") worth knowing and exploring, and glad the mystery is solved!

 

[sgcim]

Yeah, I remember the film. I think George Segal plays a junkie. I always remembered that the score had a guitarist that sounded like Larry Coryell. Interesting funk-fusion type of thing.

[sgcim]

Hugh McCracken and Eric Weissberg played guitar on "Circles".. Maybe he used them on Born to Win, too?

[mikeweil]

Here are Fischer's credits as per IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1331948/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr4