most significant thing i’ve created in my lifetime.
Exotic Marigold Music
Thomas Newman calls upon local flavor for his score to “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” the sleeper indie hit this spring among the NPR crowd. The film is about a group of seven British retirees that get more than they bargained for when they head off toIndia for a stay at what they think will be the luxurious Marigold Hotel. Although the hotel turns out to be less than their expectations, all of them are transformed by the cultural immersion of being in Jaipur.
Newman became known in the late 1990s and early 2000s for his quirky scores for projects like Sam Mendes’ film “American Beauty” and the HBO program “Six Feet Under.” The music used tuned percussion and sparse arrangements to create a melodic, yet uneasy, shifty sound. Here, Newman uses Indian vocalists and instrumentalists, as well as strings and rock guitar, in often highly charged tracks. The music befits the uplifting and positive spirit of the story. I’m not enough of an expert to know if it’s authentic Indian, but it captures the flavor of India—or at least, what I would expect it to be!
Those blouses!
Brigitte Bardot & Claudia Cardinale? This guy got a nice little assignment here. Lucky so-and-so.
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William Wellman, Jr. Interview
William Wellman, Jr. retells stories from his father’s legendary career, including behind-the-scenes insights from Westward the Women.
Visit the Warner Archive Collection for Westward the Women and other great William Wellman films.
This Podcast is also available on iTunes.
Herbie makes my big toe shoot up in my boot!
Happy birthday, Herbie Hancock!
The keyboardist played in Miles Davis’ “second great quintet,” wrote classics spanning the music spectrum — from the game-changing post-bop of “Watermelon Man” to, yes, “Rockit” — and generally has one of the coolest, funkiest synth collections around.
Hear Herbie Hancock in a synth-heavy set from the 2008 Newport Jazz Festival.
Hancock also sat in with Marian McPartland for an episode of Piano Jazz in 1987.
