Jazz in Film Noir

[Steve-O]

http://www.jazzwisemagazine.com/news...ir-soundtracks

Film noir is a genre that has attracted many jazz composers and performers over the years and now for the first time, all of the jazz-inspired soundtracks from the 1950s era of film noir are collected together on one exclusively designed, deluxe 5-CD box set. Film Noir has been compiled (along with extensive liner notes in a 24-page booklet) by Jazzwise film writer Selwyn Harris and is the first volume in an ongoing series dedicated to Jazz on Film and will feature some great jazz (as well as groundbreaking film music) from classics as in Duke Ellington’s Anatomy of a Murder, Elmer Bernstein’s The Man with the Golden Arm and The Sweet Smell of Success through to a few relatively unknown scores from the likes of Shorty Rogers and John Lewis with the Modern Jazz Quartet.

Trivia: Did you know that Otto Preminger wanted to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" for Laura's theme but David Raksin objected... apparently he thought that jazz "embodied what he called "the usual Hollywood approach to woman of relativity easy virtue."

**edit: what a frustrating announcement. What's the name of the CD? When is it going to be released?

[Davidmk]

Just read about this on Twitter .... I am guessing with them Mentioning "Ronnie scotts" this is gonna be an import boxed set , but your right not much info at all , I'm on Ronnie scotts site & the upstairs bar schedule is not updated that far , I am guessing it will be out in may if that's the case when the show is happening .

I was gonna start a topic on Noir music over here , maybe this is a good place to talk about it , I know there are thsoe few "Compilations" with the Dialogue within them , but have there been any Movie specific cd's , Vinyl etc. every released as soundtracks ?

[Adam Lounsbery]

At least three of Elmer Bernstein's soundtracks were released on vinyl; Sweet Smell of Success (Decca), The Man With the Golden Arm (Decca), and Staccato (the TV series with John Cassavetes) (Capitol).

I own the Staccato soundtrack, and it's fantastic.

[Davidmk]

At least three of Elmer Bernstein's soundtracks were released on vinyl; Sweet Smell of Success (Decca), The Man With the Golden Arm (Decca), and Staccato (the TV series with John Cassavetes) (Capitol).

I own the Staccato soundtrack, and it's fantastic.

Very nice , i'll keep my eyes open while digging through the bin's ...

[Justanotherdame]

Fabulous news. I love the music in noirs and neo-noirs. The opening music in Body Heat comes to mind. It is not a particular Jazz track that I know of, but I would love to find it on a compilation.

[philsunset]

As far as neo-noir soundtracks, for Jean-Pierre Melville fans, there are soundtrack CD's for Le Cercle Rouge and Army of Shadows, a compilation CD of music from Melville films (Serie Noir) and a Tribute to Alain and Jean-Pierre Melville CD.

One of my favorite soundtrack CDs is Mark Isham's music for Romeo is Bleeding.

There's a soundtrack CD included in the boxset for M Squad. The theme song is by Count Basie.

Not to derail the thread but I recently finished watching the Johnny Staccato episodes. In one of the episodes, the characters were standing outside a movie theater and behind them was a big poster of the current movie playing, Johnny Stool Pigeon. I thought that was cool as hell.

phil

[Steve-O]

The interesting thing about Jazz in Noir is that early on Jazz wasn't in the soundtracks as themes. But rather the movie makers had to have a reason to have Jazz: "monkey music" on the jukebox in Blue Dahlia... jazz clubs in DOA, Phantom Lady. Jazz was just a little too sleazy, I guess, for the mainstream. It wasn't until the mid to late 50s did filmmakers actually use jazz in soundtracks (Touch of Evil and Odds Against Tomorrow come to mind.) Grade z 80s noir featured some great wailing sax in their noirs... like in Cop. I think Farewell My Lovely had a similar "generic" wailing saxophone theme (Guy Noir on NPR has a similar sound)

I have a number of Noir soundtracks. DOA (1950) was released a few years ago... believe it or not. Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn TV soundtrack is almost as good as Touch of Evil. There's also an alternate soundtrack from the actual jazz band in the show, Shelly Manne and His Men Play Peter Gunn is very good.

The oddest is the recording featuring the original cast of Night of the Hunter. It's a kids album with actors and the soundtrack. This is guaranteed to give you nightmares. It's so odd.

I have a few compilations too. Film Noir! is quite good... http://astore.amazon.com/noirofthewe...ail/B002XMFATY You can download it on Amazon but the CD has an Eddie Muller liner notes (remember them?) The music isn't necessarily from noir but the overall mood of the music is top shelf film noir.

Murder is My Beat is quite good but they added dialog from the films into the music! The best CD is out of print however. It's called Legendary Film Noir Movies... themes recorded off the movies but no dialog.

To get back on topic - since most mentioned above aren't jazz -- the best of all is Miles Davis' Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud

[Adam Lounsbery]

The best CD is out of print however. It's called Legendary Film Noir Movies[B]... themes recorded off the movies but no dialog.

That is a good one. It's out of print, but you can find it to download on the internet, if you don't mind doing that sort of thing.

I was listening to it on my iPod a few months ago, but found that Miklós Rózsa's theme for Brute Force made my morning commute too dramatic and stressful.

[Davidmk]

Love that "How high the moon" clip , I took my Girl out to see the Jeff beck show in boston last saturday , he is doing a 12 date tour tribute to Les Paul & the 1950's type stuff , has Imelda may on vocals along with Darrel higham , they did "How high the moon" this is from the new dvd/blu-ray


Last night i went into the Boston to see "the Raveonettes" they are a pretty cool band , their music emotes a spy/Noir type feel at times ..

[spress]

Click on the Jeff Beck video while you're watching it to get to YouTube. You'll find quite a few other songs of his, including The Girl Can't Help It, which is from the movie of the same name. It's one of the best rock 'n roll movies ever. Not at all noir, but it stars noir icon Edmond O'Brien along with Jayne Mansfield. Sultry noirish singer, Julie London performs her signature number, Cry Me a River. As an actress she appeared in The Red House, The Third Voice, and Crime Against Joe. Abbey Lincoln is also in it.



http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049263/

http://www.allmovie.com/work/the-gir...-help-it-19800

[spress]

The first track of the Charlie Haden--Quartet West 1993 CD Always Say Goodbye is the opening theme of The Big Sleep. The last track is the last few lines of the film. There's also Jo Stafford's Alone Together, as noir a song as you can get. Their 1992 CD Haunted Heart opens similarly and has tracks entitled Hello My Lovely, The Long Goodbye, and Lady in the Lake. Haden, who is very familiar with film made some other noir-titled albums with different musicians-- Night and the City and Nightfall, for example.

[Nighthawk]

To get back on topic - since most mentioned above aren't jazz -- the best of all is Miles Davis' Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud

I agree. If anyone here hasn't watched the supplemental features on Criterion's edition of "Elevator to the Gallows," there's a great behind-the-scenes feature on how Miles Davis recorded the music for the film; I think it includes the clip that Steve-O posted.

[Nauga]

Last night i went into the Boston to see "the Raveonettes" they are a pretty cool band , their music emotes a spy/Noir type feel at times ..

I've seen the Raveonette's in concert as well... interesting sound & they're named after the Buddy Holly song "Rave On."

I just discovered Imelda May not too long ago... great voice, huh? Nice alternative to Amy Winehouse, IMO.

[Steve-O]

The first track of the Charlie Haden--Quartet West 1993 CD Always Say Goodbye is the opening theme of The Big Sleep. The last track is the last few lines of the film. There's also Jo Stafford's Alone Together, as noir a song as you can get. Their 1992 CD Haunted Heart opens similarly and has tracks entitled Hello My Lovely, The Long Goodbye, and Lady in the Lake. Haden, who is very familiar with film made some other noir-titled albums with different musicians-- Night and the City and Nightfall, for example.

Thanks for the tip about Charlie Haden. I never heard of him! Very noir indeed. Also check out : High Wall: Real Life Film Noir

[spress]

Thanks for the tip on High Wall. I think I'll get the CD.

[Adam Lounsbery]

I can't believe I forgot to mention one of my favorite compilation LPs: Swing for a Crime

It's mostly '50s music, with a bunch of snippets of dialogue between tracks, like the "I suggest you shut your mouth" line from The Big Heat.

[Davidmk]

I've seen the Raveonette's in concert as well... interesting sound & they're named after the Buddy Holly song "Rave On."

I just discovered Imelda May not too long ago... great voice, huh? Nice alternative to Amy Winehouse, IMO.

Very cool , yeh i have seen the Raveonette's a few times , they just put out a new cd this past tuesday , it's pretty Dark for them .
Imelda really is an amazing singer , she is gonna try a tour of the U.S. this summer , hopefully she catches on , a super talent all the way .

The first track of the Charlie Haden--Quartet West 1993 CD Always Say Goodbye is the opening theme of The Big Sleep. The last track is the last few lines of the film. There's also Jo Stafford's Alone Together, as noir a song as you can get. Their 1992 CD Haunted Heart opens similarly and has tracks entitled Hello My Lovely, The Long Goodbye, and Lady in the Lake. Haden, who is very familiar with film made some other noir-titled albums with different musicians-- Night and the City and Nightfall, for example.

Good call , i love Charlie's stuff , they did a nice compilation a few years ago that covers some different stuff that flowed really nice , his stuff really "paints a picture" & set's the mood .

[lime]

Hi all, new to the forum!

Wouldn't it be nice if the theme to Melville's Le Doulos was released a fabulous moody jazz piece that has a very similar sound to some of the work that was played in Odds Against Tomorrow by The Modern Jazz Quartet.

[SuperDanX]

Hi all, new to the forum!

Wouldn't it be nice if the theme to Melville's Le Doulos was released a fabulous moody jazz piece that has a very similar sound to some of the work that was played in Odds Against Tomorrow by The Modern Jazz Quartet.

Le Doulos soundtrack is on iTunes, very good it is too. A couple of tracks from Le Doulos also appear on the Melville compilation soundtrack cd 'Le cercle noir'

[Steve-O]

Le Doulos soundtrack is on iTunes, very good it is too. A couple of tracks from Le Doulos also appear on the Melville compilation soundtrack cd 'Serie Noire'

another nice pick... an outstanding soundtrack...