Okay, so maybe middle-aged to elderly British folk don’t exactly comprise the majority of our readership, but considering the label and the amount of effort put into it, I expect Soul Jazz’s upcoming 2CD compilation TV Sound and Image: British Television, Film and Library Composers 1955-80 to garner widespread interest, regardless of age or nationality, and assuming one has an appreciation for 60s and 70s pop-culture. Or, maybe your friends are all hipsters, and you’re just trying to out-hipster them by latching onto a label that specializes in re-releasing rare music from around the world. To this I would say: good on you. Soul Jazz is a label worth embracing, a fact that I quickly realized upon listening to Invasion Of The Mysteron Killer Sounds In 3D from last year. Corners boy!
Oh, right, the new album. TV Sound and Image, which is due later this month, offers a 36-track overview of some of the most notable British composers for television, film, and music libraries during the period between 1955 and 1980. As you might expect given mediums for which the pieces were composed, the names behind them might not ring a bell (excepting, perhaps, John Barry), but the music itself tends to inspire a vague sense of familiarity, even if you’re a child of the latter decades. Sampling a few of the tracks myself, many of them are quite simply oozing the general musical tone of the period during which they were produced. You know what I’m talking about. What do you think of when someone mentions “70s music”? There, you’ve got it!
In addition to the explicitly musical aspect of things, TV Sound and Image will also include a 50-page booklet containing biographies, photography, and sleeve notes written by Jonny Trunk, who seems to have a penchant for this sort of thing (meaning film scores, unreleased TV music, and library music). Fortunately, thanks to him, as well as Soul Jazz’s Stuart Baker (who compiled the music), we all can reap the benefits.
TV Sound and Image: British Television, Film and Library Composers 1955-80 tracklisting:
CD 1
01. Barry Stoller - “Condition Red”
02. Pentangle - “Light Flight (Theme From Take Three Girls)”
03. Geoff Love And His Orchestra - “Three Days Of The Condor”
04. The Tony Hatch Sound - “Man Alive”
05. Richard Denton And Martin Cook - “Tomorrow’s World”
06. Brian Fahey And His Orchestra - “At The Sign Of The Swingin’ Cymbal”
07. Bullet - “The Contract Man”
08. Syd Dale - “Man Friday”
09. The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - “Echo Four-Two”
10. Keith Papworth - “Hard Hitter”
11. John Barry - “The Persuaders”
12. Roy Budd - “Getting Nowhere In A Hurry”
13. The Simon Park Orchestra - “Dawn To Dusk”
14. The Marylebone Orchestra - “Fiesta Numero Uno”
15. Sort Of Soul - “Bird ‘n Brass”
16. Johnny Gregory And His Orchestra - “The Avengers”
17. Johnny Harris - “Fragment Of Fear”
18. Roy Budd - “Get Carter”
19. Neil Richardson - “Guide Path”
CD 2
01. Brian Bennett - “Canvas”
02. Wil Malone - “Death Line”
03. Syd Dale - “Huckleberry Fine”
04. The Harry Roche Constellation - “Spiral”
05. The Ivor And Basil Kirchin Band - “Jungle Fire Dance”
06. The Laurie Johnson Orchestra - “The New Avengers Theme”
07. James Clarke + Sounds - “Folk Song”
08. The Reg Tilsley Orchestra - “Strike Rich”
09. The Barry Gray Orchestra - “Joe 90”
10. Keith Mansfield - “Soul Thing”
11. C.C.S. - “Whole Lotta Love”
12. Syd Dale - “Artful Dodger”
13. John Gregory And His Orchestra - “Jaguar”
14. Nick Ingman - “Down Home”
15. Barbara Moore - “Steam Heat”
16. Alan Parker - “Angels”
17. Alan Moorhouse - “Face Up”
• Soul Jazz: http://www.souljazzrecords.co.uk
