93 DAYS.

93 DAYS is a 2016 Nigerian produced thriller/drama directed by filmmaker Steve Gukas, the movie tackles the difficult and also heroic events that surrounded the EBOLA epidemic in Nigeria and surrounding areas. The film which is dedicated to the Nigerian born physician Amevo Adadevoh who played a crucial and important part in the eradication of the deadly virus in his homeland and western Africa tells of the horror and heartbreak of the EBOLA virus and how it affects the lives of many and not just the people who have contracted it and their families. The movie stars Bimbo Akintola, Danny Glover and Bimbo Manuel.

“93 days the movie celebrates the act of doing what is right, selfless service and making a difference in the world.” Steve Gukas Director.

The musical score is the work of composer George Kallis who is known for his inventive and haunting music to films such as GAGARIN-FIRST IN SPACE and TV series such as HIGHLANDER, THE SOURCE and HEARTLESS. The score for 93 DAYS is a fusion of both symphonic and synthetic with the symphonic elements definitely having the Lion’s share of the work. Released on the ever industrious MOVIE SCORE MEDIA label 93 DAYS was recorded by a 65-piece orchestra, the style employed by composer Kallis ranges from a celestial almost serene sound to tense and apprehensive atmospheres which underline the drama and desperation of certain situations within the storyline. It also reflects the dedication and selflessness of the team of Doctors that acted quickly and without thought for themselves in a bid to stem the spread of the deadly Ebola virus within the Nigerian Capital Lagos. Kallis utilizes the string section to great effect and bolsters enhances and punctuates this with the use of subdued brass, woodwind, piano and percussive elements. The compact disc opens with SPEECH OF REMEMBERANCE which is the longest cue on the release running for just over six minutes, this is a emotive and somewhat proud piece but at the same time is filled with an air of melancholy, it has an almost opulent and lush aura about it which as the opening piece purveys a sense of hope, in many ways the style and sound we hear is not many miles away from the style of the late James Horner, strings combining with faraway sounding horns and choir at certain points, giving the composition a mood that is lonely but determined. Track number 2, THIS IS MY CITY, is a mix of electronic and symphonic where the composer puts to effective use percussion that acts as a background to layered and melodic strings which themselves are supporting and enhancing a wordless vocal performance by Nigerian born singer Onyi who is now based in The United States, although short lived the cue for me personally is one of the most affecting and memorable cues within the score as it seems to set the scene for all of what is to follow.
Track number 4, INTERNATIONAL REPORTS is a more intense and taught sounding piece, with strings again being the mainstay of the proceedings, acting as both background and central instrumentation to percussion, brass, woodwind and female voice. Track number 6, THE DISEASE IS SPREADING is a particularly poignant and haunting track, with female voice being underlined by emotive sounding strings and further embellished by subtle brass, percussion again is brought into the equation adding weight to both strings and brass elements, which continue to give support to the vocal performance. Track number 16, THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, for me is one of the score’s highlights is effectively a combination of the scores central or core thematic material, performed by the string section with light touches from piano and woods that introduce choir which although is just a fleeting appearance is wonderfully atmospheric. The final cue EVELYN is a beautiful and mesmerizing piece, with strings and choral elements being given a more emotive and affecting aura by the use of piano and finally by percussion which acts as an introduction and a background to a short but stunning. This is a score that should be savoured by any discerning soundtrack enthusiast.

1.
Speech of Remembrance
6:13
2.
This Is My City
2:07
3.
The Beautiful Man
2:42
4.
International Reports
2:09
5.
Liberian Threats
2:33
6.
The Disease Is Spreading
2:42
7.
Evelyn’s Story
1:54
8.
Blood Everywhere
1:48
9.
Mr. Sawyer
2:16
10.
U.S. Presentation
1:49
11.
Miscarriage
2:06
12.
Dr. Abaniwo
2:10
13.
Happy Birthday
2:01
14.
It Started
2:11
15.
Taken to the Ward
3:33
16.
The Valley of the Shadow of Death
2:02
17.
Evelyn
3:49
 
Total Album Time:
44:05

JOHN WILLIAMS 2016, CONCERT,THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA.

Saturday October 1st, 2016.
THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON.
THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PRESENTS.
JOHN WILLIAMS 2016.
A TRIBUTE TO THE WORLDS LEADING FILM COMPOSER.

 

 

 

ROBERT ZIEGLER.

 

 

ROBERT ZIEGLER Conductor.
Presented by Tommy Pearson.
Leader/Solo Violin, Tamas Andras.

This was a concert I was really looking forward to and the demand was so great they had a matinee performance as well as the evening concert. I was pleased to see that the massive and imposing Royal Albert Hall was filled to capacity in both performances, even the gallery with standing only was packed and it was also great to see a lot of youngsters there as in teenagers and Uni students all of whom seemed to know what they liked by their reaction to the performances by the RPO. I would not say that the programme was anything I would not have expected, so no surprises like TOWERING INFERNO or POSEIDEN ADVENTURE, but the themes that we love and adore such as SUPERMAN which opened the concert wonderfully, the RPO acquitting themselves marvellously in their rendition of the Main theme from the first movie in the franchise with the man of steel being played by the sadly missed Christopher Reeve. HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHERS STONE was next in the running order, the mystical and magical sound created by John Williams being purveyed to perfection by the RPO under the more than able baton of Mr Ziegler. From its quiet and almost enchantingly beautiful opening to its more pronounced and windswept aura HEDWIGS THEME resounded around the great hall and left the audience spellbound and mesmerised.

 

 

Tommy Pearson introduced sections of the concert and a very good job he did too, I felt that he spoke to the audience as fellow soundtrack collectors and interacted with them affectively, raising a few laughs and a number of grimaces which were responses to a few lame but entertaining one liners, even inviting them to tweet him with their thoughts on the night, dedications, etc. I have to say felt sorry for the young lady who had come along expecting to see Pharrel Williams, but as Tommy said I think we have heard better tunes tonight, much to the amusement of the crowd. Jaws was third in the running order, with Williams now iconic low and menacing strings setting the scene for a theme that still terrifies and puts people off going in the water, the orchestra performing an arrangement of the famous theme which delighted the assembled audience and drew a long and deservedly loud reaction from the crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

HOME ALONE came next and as Mr Pearson reminded us John or Johnny Williams was known for scoring comedy movies during his early career before becoming attached to nearly every blockbuster ever released, SOMEWHERE IN MY MEMORY was giving an airing by the RPO the arrangement being more of an easy listening version than the original within the film, but it still hit the spot and whilst listening to it memories of that madcap and highly amusing movie came flooding back. INDIANA JONES THE RAIDERS MARCH came next, and this I have to say was simply superb, the audience thought so too much applause and whistles for the RPO on this one. SCHINDLERS LIST MAIN THEME was also met with much applause as we heard the solo violin part of the theme performed by the RPO’S leader Tamas Andras, who should be given a special mention for his highly emotive and flawless performance. For the next piece we moved a little more up to date to the chaotic and mud filled battle scenes of WAR HORSE, the cue being performed was the subtle and beautiful THE REUNION, which has always reminded me of the style and sound of Vaughn Williams. The last performance before the intermission was from ET THE EXTRA TERRESTIAL the orchestra throwing themselves into ADVENTURES ON EARTH which again as soon as heard conjured up images of that icon last twenty minutes of the movie, with the BMX chase, leading to ET being taken to his spaceship so he can at last go home. I think this was the highlight of the first half of the concert, the famous ET theme echoing around the Albert Hall and drawing wild applause and shouts of delight from the crowd.

 

 

 

FLIGHT TO NEVERLAND from HOOK opened part two, and then an absolute treat FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, which was like an OVERTURE including a number of the popular songs as arranged by Williams for the movie version of the musical, these ended in the music that acted as the main credits music or main title for the movie, again Tamas Andras took the lead and again mesmerised the audience with his wonderful performance, the RPO literally propelled themselves into the piece giving it a marvellous rendition to the absolute delight of the full hall. The PROLOGUE from JFK was next, a downbeat but at the same time inspiring piece, with snares building the tension and leading into a glowing trumpet solo by the RPO’S principal trumpet player James Fountain. 1976 THRU TO 1977 was a busy time for John Williams it was in this year he scored the first STAR WARS movie for George Lucas and also the alien epic CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND for Steven Spielberg, and it is CETK that we went to next, I was hoping for the end section of the score to be performed as I had heard it earlier in the year performed by The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, but sadly the RPO chose to perform a more commercial arrangement of the theme, and although tis was also very good, I have to admit to being a little disappointed. From space and aliens, we returned to earth but an earth that had via the wonders of DNA wizardry been able to bring back dinosaurs to life in JURASSIC PARK, released in 1993 it was like most Spielberg movies a box office hit and Williams score became a classic almost overnight. Next we came right up to date, with STAR WARS THE FORCE AWAKENS, from this score the RPO performed REYS’THEME and MARCH OF THE RESITANCE. We then returned to a galaxy far far away, with STAR WARS the original movie. PRICESS LEIAS THEME has never sounded so emotive, romantic and lush, with the familiar STAR WARS THEME being the last item on the programme bringing the concert to a thundering end with the whole Albert Hall on its feet. So was there an encore, yes there was, THE IMPERIAL MARCH thundered out from the stage and resounded around the hall, the delight and pleasure upon the faces of the crowd was evident even in the dimmed lighting. A resounding and undoubted success a great concert, well put together and performed to a high standard by the ever polished and flawless ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, with their conductor Mr Robert Ziegler. Concerts of film music are few and far between I hope that there will be more in the future and they are of this high standard and as entertaining.

THE WELTS. ( PREGI).

Produced by Polish veteran film maker Krzysztof Zanussi, this is the directorial debut of Magdalena Piekorz. THE WELTS (PREGI) is a melodrama which begins with a somewhat shocking picture of child abuse: Set in the early 1980, s in a Poland that is unforgiving and unwelcoming a young boy Wojciech lives with his Father an unpredictable individual who is one-minute handing out sharp, harsh physical and mental violence and the next is attempting to create a bond between himself and his son which never seems to be genuine or long lasting. The film is divided into two parts, the first half concentrates on the childhood days of Wojciech the second part of the drama we see Wojciech as an adult, who is a journalist in his thirties who has in a number of ways grown into a similar human being as his Father, who turns to a woman who for some reason loves him without question and unconditionally. THE WELTS was the official Polish nomination for the Academy Awards(Oscars) in 2004 and the musical score by Adrian Konarski is one of the movies most precious and glowing attributes. The score is released here on Caldera records for the first time alongside music from a number of the composer’s film and theatre assignments, the compilation makes for some wonderful listening. The music for THE WELTS not only does its job within the movie but also simply mesmerises and enthrals when listening to the score away from the images it was intended to support and enhance, saying this however it is also a delicate and highly supportive element within the movie, and I have to admit although I was conscious of the music from time to time whilst watching the picture it never overpowered or intruded. Which I think is what good film music should do, it elevates and underlines but never overwhelms the dialogue or the scenario taking place on screen. Concentrating firstly upon the score for THE WELTS which is tracks 1 to 19 on the compact disc, it is in many ways a piano led score with the piano solos being performed by the composer. Konarski makes effective and affecting use of both strings and woodwind, which complement and accompany the haunting piano playing of the Maestro, who purveys a sense and atmosphere of tenderness, romanticism and delicate fragility with his eloquent and elegant compositions. There is a sound here and to a degree a style that is very evocative of composers such as Preisner, Morricone, Legrand and to a certain extent some of the more classically inspired film scores by Cipriani (Anonymous Venetian for example).

 

                                                                                        ADRIAN KONARSKI

 

For me the sound achieved by Polish film music composers and in particular Konarski is genuinely beguiling and addictively compelling. Driving but not aggressive strings act as a background or introduction to a soaring woodwind solo in a number of cues which is interspersed and punctuated by attractive and attention grabbing piano passages, harp is also utilised as is a particularly heartrending solo violin which although never in the foreground both add an even more poignant level to the work that is tinged with melancholy and creates a mood that for me conjures up a sense of loneliness and vulnerability. This is an intricate, rich and dramatically emotive soundtrack, that once listened to will be returned to almost immediately, its polished and skilfully written pieces melding together to create a work that is quite breath-taking. The compilation also includes selections from DROWSINESS and CITIZEN in the former the composer makes stunning use of a flawless Soprano which if I have to make comparisons did remind me somewhat of some of the music of Christopher Komeda. I cannot recommend this release enough or tell you how much I love it, it is one of those releases that comes along when you are not expecting it and completely blows you away, please go and buy this asap.