Sounding Cinema

Jack Curtis Dubowsky on the Legacy of Easy Listening in Film Music

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Cecilia Kryzda and Nathan Platte talk with Jack Curtis Dubowsky about his recent book, Easy Listening and Film Scoring, 1948-1978 (Routledge, 2021). A composer, performer, and scholar, Jack illuminates the vast and underappreciated opportunities easy listening provided film composers and how certain styles and habits shaped later music and film practices. Jack also explains the process of writing the book, including his inspiration behind the project and how his vision for the book changed over time.

Jack's book spotlights an array of fascinating albums and films. His recommendations for listeners are:

Music:

  1. Michel Legrand, I Love Paris (preferably the original mono record)
  2. Michel Legrand, Archi-chordes
  3. Cecil Holmes, The Black Motion Picture Experience
  4. Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker with Strings
  5. Wendy Carlos, Sonic Seasonings
  6. Stu Phillips & The Hollyridge Strings (all the albums)

    7. Films and TV

    1. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961, music by Henry Mancini)
    2. Peter Gunn television series (1958-61, music by Henry Mancini)
    3. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964, music by Michel Legrand)
    4. Partir Revenir (1985, music by Michel Legrand)
    5. Mahogany (1975, music arranged by Lee Holdridge)
    6. Battlestar Galactica (1979, music by Stu Phillips)
    7. Watership Down (1978, music by Angela Morley)
    8. The Lawrence Welk Show (1951-1982)
    9. The Liberace Show (1952­-1969)

      10. The musical excerpts heard in the episode are discussed in Jack’s book. In order of appearance, they are:

      1. Michel Legrand, I Love Paris, “La Vie en rose” (Édith Piaf, Louiguy)
      2. Quincy Jones, Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini, Theme from Charade (Henry Mancini)
      3. Hollyridge Strings, The Best of the Beatles, vol. 2, “Ticket to Ride,” (Lennon-McCartney)
      4. Ramsey Lewis, The Movie Album, Theme from The Pawnbroker (Quincy Jones)
      5. Swingle Singers, Jazz Sebastian Bach, “Fugue in D Minor” and “Wachet auf” (J. S. Bach)
      6. Henry Mancini, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, “Moon River (Original Main Title)” (Mancini)
      7. Henry Mancini, Encore, “Foreign Film Festival” (theme from Legrand’s Umbrellas of Cherbourg)
      8. Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker with Strings, “Laura” (David Raksin)
      9. Michel Legrand, Archi-chordes, “Di-gue ding ding” (Legrand)
        10. ...more
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        Sounding CinemaBy Nathan Platte
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