
The Goldsmith Odyssey (Clark, David, and Yavar)
Explore every episode of The Goldsmith Odyssey
Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
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21 Mar 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - David Newman | 01:35:49 | |
The Goldsmith Odyssey's next regular episode is in the oven, but in the meantime, we're pleased to serve up an exciting and substantial installment of Odyssey Interviews! This time, Yavar has a lively conversation with Oscar-nominated film composer David Newman (known for his work on films like Ice Age, Galaxy Quest, Anastasia, The War of the Roses, and many more). As someone who has both conducted Jerry Goldsmith's music and worked under Goldsmith as a session musician, Newman has a wide variety of insights into both who Goldsmith was as a person and what makes his music so remarkable. Additionally, David talks about his father Alfred's impact on the world of film music, the evolution of the film music industry, and much more. Whether you're a devoted Goldsmith fan or merely a casual film music fan, this is an episode you don't want to miss!
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
28 Mar 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Justin Freer | 01:19:17 | |
Ru-dy! Ru-dy! Jer-ry! Jer-ry! Jus-tin! Jus-tin! Ya-var! Ya-var! In this installment of Odyssey Interviews, Yavar has a conversation with composer, conductor, and CineConcerts co-founder Justin Freer, who is preparing to conduct Jerry Goldsmith’s score for Rudy live to picture in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 30th, 2019. In addition to discussing that beloved score and the upcoming performance, Freer talks about his efforts to make symphonic music accessible for modern audiences, his personal memories of Jerry, his own career as a composer, and more. Don’t miss this wide-ranging and illuminating conversation!
Note: Jerry "pulling a Glenn Gould" can be heard in the Rudy Main Title at 32:48 in our podcast episode, or at 3:07 into the cue on album. But beware, for once it is heard, it can never be un-heard. | |||
01 Mar 2022 | Odyssey Interviews - Mike Davis | 02:57:35 | |
We realize that we've been interrupting our Odyssey with a lot of Soundtrack Spotlights lately. To make up for that, this month we're interrupting the Odyssey with a new Odyssey Interview! Back in October of 2021, Yavar had an in-depth conversation with Retired Chief Master Sergeant Mike Davis, who served as chief arranger for the U.S. Air Force band for many years. Among Davis's numerous musical endeavors was a reconstruction of Jerry Goldsmith's "The Thunder of Imperial Names" (originally written for the 1957 radio production 1489 Words), which in turn inspired Goldsmith himself to re-examine his original piece. Over the course of this wide-ranging interview, Davis talks about his personal and professional encounters with Goldsmith, his own efforts as a composer and sole experience writing for film, his work with the U.S. Air Force Band, his role in the creation of Goldsmith's now-iconic "The Generals" Suite, the experience of working in Hollywood on a '70s Goldsmith recording, encounters with other legendary film composers such as Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, and Richard Rodney Bennett... and much more! Lots of great stories and great music in this one, so do your patriotic duty and give it a listen! | |||
04 Apr 2019 | Gold Nugget 4 - In Japan 2003 | 00:38:32 | |
Hey look, we dug up another Gold Nugget! After offering a quick update on his progress through James T. Farrell’s Studs Lonigan trilogy, Jens offers an examination of a 2003 concert in which conductor Charles Fox (filling in for an ailing Jerry Goldsmith) led the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra through a series of Goldsmith cues. How did Fox and the KPO fare? Jens offers his analysis while sampling selections from The Last Castle, The Illustrated Man, The Sum of All Fears, The Edge, and more. Give it a spin! | |||
01 Apr 2022 | Episode 34 - Wagon Train - The Ah Chong Story (1961) | 02:59:49 | |
Hyah! Hyah! Odyssey Ho! | |||
16 Apr 2019 | Gold Nugget 5 - [Redacted] | 01:02:23 | |
After over twenty years of collecting, it’s not often one finds a Jerry Goldsmith album one has never heard—let alone never heard of. Yet, while doing research for this podcast, that is precisely what happened to Jens. He therefore invited David as an impromptu guest to share this joy for the first time ever. | |||
28 Apr 2022 | Golden Opportunities: Create a Goldsmith-Filled Future on Kickstarter | 00:08:38 | |
We’ll be back to our regular scheduled program momentarily. But first, a word from our sponsor! | |||
30 Apr 2022 | Episode 35 - The Desperate Age - Westinghouse Studio One (1958) | 01:57:08 | |
Your friends want you to go out with them, but you keep turning them down. Your mother wants you to go out on a date with one of your old high school classmates, but the idea doesn’t interest you. Everyone’s worried that if you don’t get more proactive, you’re going to end up alone. What they don’t know is that you’re already seeing someone. Three people, in fact: David, Yavar, and Clark, the humble hosts of The Goldsmith Odyssey. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you steal away to a secluded spot to listen for a little while, keeping the volume low. Their latest installment spotlights the Studio One episode “The Desperate Age,” starring Barbara Bel Geddes as a young woman whose situation mirrors your own. The melancholy Jerry Goldsmith score seems straightforward and simple, but contains surprising subtleties and complexities. So double-check to be sure no one is watching, and press play! | |||
30 May 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Matinee (1993) with Joe Dante, Marshall Harvey, Doug Fake, Roger Feigelson and John Takis | 02:58:25 | |
Yes, the atomic podcast is terrible. But more terrible still are the effects of atomic podcast mutation. Hello, we’re your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark, and we want to warn you about something that could happen… something that does happen in our latest podcast. Observe the Soundtrack Spotlight: a miniature marvel of focused conversation on a single CD release. But if a Soundtrack Spotlight and a large group of guests were exposed to radiation simultaneously, the result would be terrible indeed. What began life as a simple chat about Intrada’s expanded release of Jerry Goldsmith’s charming, intuitive score for Joe Dante’s “Matinee” was shockingly transformed into a wide-ranging conversation on the entire Goldsmith-Dante oeuvre. For this very special show, we’re joined by none other than director Joe Dante himself, along with Dante’s longtime editor Marshall Harvey, liner notes writer John Takis, and Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records. Suffice it to say this is a can’t-miss production. Presented in AtomoSound: the new podcasting miracle that puts you in the action! | |||
02 May 2019 | Episode 18 - Thriller - The Cheaters (1960) | 02:07:48 | |
Phase 2 of the Goldsmith Odyssey Podcast Universe has begun! Jens has relinquished his regular hosting/editing duties (he'll remain involved in a variety of other ways), passing the baton to friend of the show W. David Lichty. David joins Yavar and Clark for an exploration of the Thriller episode "The Cheaters," an anthology show within an anthology show centering around a pair of spectacles imbued with mysterious power. The whole thing is held together by an intelligent, suspenseful Goldsmith score that also makes room for a surprisingly lovely character theme. Your humble hosts explore the way Goldsmith’s thematic ideas work and examine the effectiveness of the episode's approach to horror. Put on your reading* glasses** and join us for the start of a new era!
Other Sources:
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
24 Jun 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Seconds (1966) with Chris Malone and John Takis | 01:55:10 | |
Trapped in a life that doesn't fulfill you? Struggling with the feeling that too many years have been wasted? Uncomfortable with being forced to confront your own mortality? If so, why not trade in your increasingly fragile body for a gloriously youthful one? With your vitality restored, you'll be able to participate in a host of high-energy activities, like painting, socializing, grape-stomping, and - best of all - listening to The Goldsmith Odyssey! This time around, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark place the Soundtrack Spotlight on Quartet's new release of Jerry's Goldsmith's haunting score for John Frankenheimer's Seconds! They're joined by returning guests Chris Malone, who restored and produced this new album, and John Takis, who wrote the liner notes. You'll hear about Goldsmith's assorted thematic ideas, the challenges of removing dialogue from certain cues, the key differences between this release and the previous one, the different ways the film strikes certain viewers, and more! Lots of good stuff here, so contact The Company at your earliest convenience, settle into your thrilling new life, and press play! | |||
01 Jul 2022 | Gold Shavings - Shop Talk with Chris Malone | 00:44:51 | |
Revised Description: | |||
22 Jul 2022 | Production Report - The Bar Mitzvah of Major Orlovsky / Sarah's Laughter (2022 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 01:46:08 | |
New Goldsmith music is just around the corner, and we have a new production report to fill you in on all the details! With the aid of his Kickstarter backers, Leigh Phillips has created two new recordings of previously unreleased Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: “The Bar Mitzvah of Major Orlovsky” (which foreshadows such Jewish-themed Goldsmith works as QBVII and Masada) and “Sarah’s Laughter” (a tender, yet surprisingly complex, score marked by striking harmonica passages). Leigh joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to talk about the origins of the project, the fundraising process, the challenges of reconstructing “Major Orlovsky”, recording the music with members of the City of Prague Philharmonic, mixing the music, and much more! Naturally, you’ll be treated to some choice excerpts of the new music along the way. Whether you’re a Kickstarter backer who’s eager for more details on the project or simply a casually curious listener, we think there’s much to enjoy here. So give the show a listen, and get ready for the arrival of two wonderful television scores! | |||
29 Aug 2022 | Odyssey Interviews - Sally Stevens | 03:07:43 | |
The Sound of Music. Dirty Harry. Airplane! The Simpsons. Edward Scissorhands. Rudy. The Sixth Sense. Finding Nemo. Deadpool 2. If you’ve seen any of these, you’ve heard the voice of Sally Stevens. Hey, we recorded this almost a year ago, and, you know, things change. Sally's memoir is now titled “I SANG THAT…From Sound of Music to The Simpsons, to South Park and Beyond - a Memoir from Hollywood” | |||
12 Sep 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Goldsmith at 20th Vol. V - Music for Television (1968-1975) with Mike Matessino and Chris Malone | 01:43:13 | |
La-La Land's Goldsmith at 20th series continues with the most exciting volume yet, and we have a new Soundtrack Spotlight to commemorate the occasion! Film music restoration experts Mike Matessino and Chris Malone join your humble hosts Yavar and David to discuss the varied challenges of working on seven different Goldsmith television projects composed between 1968 and 1975: Anna and the King, A Girl Named Sooner, Nick Quarry, Only in America, Prudence and the Chief, Room 222, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. You'll hear excerpts from all of these scores, along with discussion of where certain elements were found, which projects required the greatest degree of restoration work, how Goldsmith's work fits within the musical conventions of the era, and much more! This is one of the most exciting Goldsmith releases in some time (boasting two premieres and two significant expansions), so tune in and get a taste while waiting for your copy to arrive! | |||
18 Sep 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Rudy (1993) with Tim Greiving | 00:31:12 | |
Our latest Soundtrack Spotlight may be smaller than most, but it's got a lot of heart! Liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving joins your humble host Yavar to talk about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's beloved score for Rudy. Among the topics of conversation: Tim's personal connection to the score, why he took a less analytical approach to the liner notes, standout moments from the previously unreleased music on the album, Goldsmith's personal affection for this project, and more. Enjoy the show, and stay tuned for another Rudy-themed program in the near future! | |||
30 Sep 2022 | Episode 36 - A Dead Ringer - Westinghouse Studio One (1958) | 02:32:14 | |
Confession: we meant to record this episode back in April, but failed to do so. If this were happening to some other show, a lesser podcast perhaps, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark suppose they might find this amusing. One expects ordinary podcasts to fail, to be betrayed by their own incompetence. We suppose we might even find a grotesque humor in our predicament if our failure were due to any lack of logic or skill on our part. But to be betrayed by this clumsy intrusion of scheduling... if one can call busy lives, varied work weeks, and unfinished prep work scheduling... well, no matter, we did the best we could, which is all any podcast of sensitivity and intelligence can do. What's it about, you ask? Why, it's about the Studio One episode "A Dead Ringer", which stars Gig Young as a man plotting the murder of his wealthy wife. It's a knotty hour of television featuring a compelling, Herrmannesque Goldsmith score, which features a variety of striking ideas and is largely built around a rising-and-falling ostinato. We're glad that we finally managed to get the recording done, and we hope you enjoy it. Still, all things considered, it does seem ironic that what was planned and eventually executed with such perfection, even artistry, should now be reduced to just another episode. | |||
06 Oct 2022 | Odyssey Field Report - Rudy in Concert (2022) with Justin Freer, Jens Dietrich and Ron Burbella | 02:59:11 | |
Good evening, and welcome to Odyssey World News. Our top story tonight: in September of 2022, Jerry Goldsmith's iconic score for Rudy was performed live-to-picture by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Justin Freer. We sent two of our reporters, Jens Dietrich and W. David Lichty, to produce our very first Field Report. They had the opportunity to talk with Freer, who spoke at length about his love of Goldsmith, the process of preparing for a live-to-picture performance, which Goldsmith scores he'd most like to conduct next, and a host of other topics. The group was joined by noted film music enthusiast Ron Burbella, who had some fun and surprising anecdotes of his own to share. Additionally, David and Jens take a little time to share details of their own wonderful experiences surrounding the Rudy performance. Here's their report. | |||
27 Oct 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Hollow Man (2000) with Doug Fake, Roger Feigelson, Jeff Bond, Bruce Botnick and Nick Vidar | 02:15:07 | |
One of Jerry's longest scores gets an appropriately substantial Soundtrack Spotlight! In celebration of Intrada's new two disc complete release of Jerry's alternately suspenseful, cerebral, and thrilling score for Paul Verhoeven's Hollow Man, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Clark, and Jens are pleased to welcome a quintet of special guests. Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records share details of how this album was assembled. Liner notes writer and film music historian Jeff Bond adds insightful commentary on the score and where it fits in Goldsmith's larger body of work. Plus we welcome two close Goldsmith collaborators who participated in the creation of this score: Recording engineer Bruce Botnick and synth programmer Nick Vidar join us to share their memories of the recording sessions and shed light on Jerry's approach to employing synths! You may not be able to see any of the participants, but we hope you'll enjoy hearing this wide-ranging, illuminating chat on one of the standout scores of Goldsmith's later years. This episode contains clips from a radio program produced and hosted by Michael Moricz in January of 1988, The Audio Works Studio WDUQ. It's one of the ones where Jerry really was forthcoming! Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
12 Nov 2022 | Odyssey Interviews - Paul Verhoeven | 01:09:51 | |
Want to hear some great Jerry Goldsmith stories? You could pay a major corporation to remember them for you wholesale... or you could listen to one of Jerry's most important collaborators remember them for free. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Jens, Yavar, and Clark are joined by a very special guest: legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. Over the course of this conversation, you'll hear Paul talk about the pleasure of hearing Jerry's memorable music for Total Recall, the challenging (and ultimately rewarding) process of finding the right sound for Basic Instinct, why he was moved to tears by Jerry's music for Hollow Man, his admiration of Jerry's music for other movies, his attempt to reunite with Goldsmith and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the unrealized blockbuster Crusade, the classical composers who influenced the musical sound of his movies, and much more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a lively hour of memories and music! | |||
23 Nov 2022 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - L.A. Confidential (1997) with Tim Greiving | 00:35:32 | |
On the record, off the QT, and not even remotely hush hush: it's a new Soundtrack Spotlight! Yavar is joined by liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving for a conversation about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score for L.A. Confidential. You'll hear about how this score represents the culmination of Goldsmith's noir-themed work, why Tim didn't connect with the film, Tim's approach to the liner notes, the balance between source music and score in the film, Goldsmith's conservative approach to spotting, and more! Along the way, you'll hear plenty of excerpts from the new album, which adds over 15 minutes of previously unreleased music. So give it a listen! Life is good on The Goldsmith Odyssey... it's paradise on earth. Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway. | |||
12 Dec 2022 | Odyssey Interviews - Amin Matalqa and Panu Aaltio | 01:07:05 | |
While we've been honored to have both composers and directors appear on The Goldsmith Odyssey, it was a particular treat to welcome our first director-composer team to the program: filmmaker Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, whose new film 5000 Blankets is playing in theaters December 12 & 13 (and will be streamable in the months ahead). In this Odyssey Interview, Amin and Panu tell your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark about their deep and abiding film music fandom, their love of Jerry Goldsmith, their collaborative process, and much more! Naturally you'll hear plenty of excerpts from Panu's new score: a melodic, emotional work marked by memorable themes, striking orchestrations, and a welcome sense of old-fashioned romanticism. And stay tuned for our next regular episode, in which Amin and Panu will join us for an examination of Jerry's score for the Thriller installment “What Beckoning Ghost?” Enjoy! | |||
08 Jan 2023 | Episode 38 - Project Immortality - Playhouse 90 (1959) | 02:49:13 | |
One fateful evening, your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark gathered together to record a new installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, focusing on the Playhouse 90 drama “Project Immortality”. The episode is a character-driven story with just a splash of sci-fi intrigue, starring Lee J. Cobb as a dying scientist who has agreed to let a team of researchers attempt to reproduce his brain using an advanced computer program. The accompanying Jerry Goldsmith score is frequently somber and sensitive, though it also contains some dazzling bursts of energy and color. If we're permitted to say so, it's a good conversation about a good episode of television. The only problem — and it's a sizable problem, to be honest — is that Clark's mic was having issues, and his audio sounds rather dismal as a result. An unfortunate turn of events, but we hope the conversation and analysis proves compelling enough to overcome this issue. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy the show! | |||
23 Dec 2022 | Episode 37 - Thriller - What Beckoning Ghost? (1961) with Amin Maltaqa and Panu Aaltio | 02:28:57 | |
What's that mysterious sound coming from the room upstairs? Could it be the ghost of a murdered composer, playing a distinctly Goldsmithian melody on the piano? Mercifully, no. Upon closer inspection, it was just an audio clip featured in the latest installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, which focuses on the Ida Lupino-directed Thriller episode "What Beckoning Ghost?" Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark are joined by two special guests: director Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, both of whom have a wide variety of insights to offer on Goldsmith's playfully mysterious score. Also, if you want to get to know Amin and Panu a bit better and hear more about their Goldsmith fandom, be sure to check out our recent Odyssey Interview with them. Enjoy the show, and happy holidays! | |||
30 May 2019 | Episode 19 - The Twilight Zone - Dust (1961) | 01:35:28 | |
Who's this new guest on the Goldsmith Odyssey, summoning up thoughtful commentary on the brilliance of Jerry Goldsmith? There are some who call him… Tim (Greiving, a film music journalist who has written pieces for NPR, Variety, the New York Times, and many other publications). After telling your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark about his career and his relationship to Jerry's music, Tim joins us on a journey out west for an examination of the Twilight Zone episode “Dust.” We dissect the atypical dramatic approach Goldsmith takes with his spare, downbeat music, and also engage in a bit of debate on the degree to which magic plays a role in this mostly-realistic episode. Check it out, and be sure to join us next time for a return appearance from our esteemed guest.
Other Sources:
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
14 Feb 2023 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - The 'Burbs (1989), with Joe Dante, Marshall Harvey, Bruce Botnick, Neil S. Bulk and Dan Goldwasser | 02:33:58 | |
A lot of unusual noises have been heard in Jerry Goldsmith’s score for The ‘Burbs, so we gathered all of the neighbors together to discuss them. In this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Jens, and Clark are pleased to welcome director Joe Dante, editor Marshall Harvey, recording engineer Bruce Botnick, album co-producer Neil S. Bulk, and album art designer Dan Goldwasser. You’ll hear stories about the creation of the film, discussion of the wide array of colorful elements in Goldsmith’s witty score, insights on the creation of the Morricone-heavy temp track, details on the improved sound and additional music offered by the new La-La Land release, and much more! In addition, we also take a little time to discuss the group’s memories of Goldsmith’s collaboration with Dante on the comparably spirited and eclectic Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which turned out to be the final score of the composer’s remarkable career. It’s a joyful, tuneful show with lots of music and memories, so open the trunk and see what you find! | |||
09 Sep 2023 | Odyssey Interviews - Joe Sikoryak | 02:24:46 | |
Back in October of 2021, your humble hosts Yavar and David had a conversation with esteemed art designer Joe Sikoryak about his work for Film Score Monthly, Intrada, Percepto, and La-La Land Records. Over the course of that chat, Joe offered comments on falling in love with film music as a child, shopping at Intrada Records during the physical shop's early days, and getting a job from Lukas Kendall to redesign and help give Film Score Monthly a more professional magazine look. He mused on the evolving style of soundtrack album design, the challenging economics of releasing soundtrack albums, the Jerry Goldsmith music he enjoys most, and why (as a huge fan of both Goldsmith and Star Trek) he initially struggled to fully connect with the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture! That discussion is bookended by a more recent chat, in which Joe offers an update on a graphic novel he’s been working on, talks about his participation in both The Jerry Goldsmith Companion and Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater Kickstarter projects, and offers a great many further insights. Joe has contributed a great deal to the world of soundtrack albums and has a lot of thoughtful commentary to offer, so this is a 2-in-1 conversation you'll want to make time for. It's the interview equivalent of dry-aged brisket placed within a freshly-baked bun, and our hope is that it's comparably enjoyable! | |||
17 Mar 2023 | Mike Matessino on Robert Wise and the Director's Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture | 04:06:36 | |
In the summer of 2022, your humble hosts David and Yavar had a conversation with Mike Matessino about his work on the Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (both the original DVD presentation and the dazzling new 4K restoration). While some of the revelations Mike offered prevented us from releasing this show until now, we are pleased to finally share this extraordinary interview. Over the course of this bountiful conversation, Mike talks about the years he spent working alongside director Robert Wise, the circumstances that led to the creation of the Director’s Edition, the challenging aspects of the restoration process, the ways in which the many changes enhance the film’s storytelling, his discussions with Jerry Goldsmith about the project, and so much more. This is our longest show to date, but one we feel is well worth the time. It’s an essential supplement to The Director’s Edition, loaded with insights from a man who knows the film as well as anyone. It will startle your senses, challenge your intellect, and alter your perception of the future… or at the very least, provide an absorbing listen. Enjoy! | |||
19 Aug 2023 | Odyssey Interviews - Jonathan Frakes (and Lukas Kendall joins us as an interviewer) | 00:49:54 | |
Given that all members of the Odyssey team are also lifelong Star Trek enthusiasts, we were particularly thrilled and honored to welcome actor/director Jonathan Frakes to the program. Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark, along with Film Score Monthly founder Lukas Kendall, chat with Jonathan about his experiences working with Jerry on Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection, the complex nature of Goldsmith’s relationship with the Trek franchise, the collaborative qualities that distinguished Jerry from other film composers, the warmly-received third season of Star Trek: Picard, and much more! It's a warm, lively chat filled with fond memories and memorable music. If you've got 50 minutes to spare, make this show your Number One priority! | |||
09 Apr 2023 | Production Report - The Legend That Walks Like a Man / Hitler's Secret (2023 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 01:53:12 | |
Another pair of Jerry Goldsmith re-recordings are right around the corner, and we're pleased to offer all of the exciting details in our latest Production Report. This time, Leigh Phillips is presenting two strikingly different Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: the bright, chipper “The Legend That Walks Like a Man” (previously covered by The Goldsmith Odyssey back in Episode 25) and the grim, militaristic "Hitler's Secret." Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark talk with Leigh about how those scores were chosen, the work that was involved in preparing them for recording, which passages in "The Legend That Walks Like a Man" required virtuosic soloists, the thought process behind making minor modifications to the "Hitler's Secret" sheet music, what we can expect from the next round of Kickstarter recordings, and much more! Additionally, this episode is loaded with exclusive behind-the-scenes excerpts from the recording sessions, giving you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall for a variety of key moments in the creation of these new recordings. Unlike certain notorious historical figures, we keep no secrets on this show, so give it a listen and get the inside scoop! | |||
24 May 2023 | Episode 39 - The Security Agent - CBS Suspense (1956) & Fifth Anniversary Celebration (with Jens!) | 03:12:13 | |
The whole band is back together for a very special kinda-sorta anniversary show! Your humble hosts David, Yavar, Clark, and Jens dig into Goldsmith’s memorable radio score for the 1956 CBS Suspense episode "The Security Agent," a political thriller about two friends attempting to flee Communist Poland. You'll hear discussion of the surprising musical origins of Goldsmith's main theme, the composer's early instincts for knowing when to hold back, the surprisingly nuanced characterizations this tale has to offer, and much more! Afterwards, stick around for a bonus trip down memory lane, as we look back on some of our favorite episodes and discoveries of the Odyssey's first five years. Whether you've been along for the whole ride or have just discovered the show, we thank you for listening, and hope you'll pardon the self-indulgence. Enjoy! | |||
26 Jul 2023 | Episode 40 - The Shape of the River - Playhouse 90 (1960) with Andy from the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score | 03:18:25 | |
In this episode, we turn our attention to one of America's most memorable, witty, and insightful figures: Andy, co-host of the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score. He joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to examine the Playhouse 90 installment "The Shape of the River," which details the tragedy-filled later years of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), and offers a Goldsmith score that alternates between bustling Americana and plaintive melancholy. We take a look at why this teleplay struggles to succeed despite being written by Oscar-winner Horton Foote, try to pin down Goldsmith's unusually loose and slippery thematic ideas, and even offer some reconstructed versions of cues missing from the episode (generously provided by friend of the show Carson Cohen). So give it a listen, and allow our viewing pain to become your listening pleasure! | |||
10 May 2023 | Production Report - The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, by Jeff Bond | 02:40:47 | |
After decades of writing about Jerry Goldsmith, author and film music historian Jeff Bond is preparing to deliver his definitive work on the subject: The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, a massive, two-volume set offering a thorough examination of the legendary composer's full career. In this Production Report, your humble hosts Yavar and David chat with Jeff about the process of creating the book, the degree to which the Goldsmith-themed liner notes he's written over the years informed the project, surprising discoveries made throughout the process, the different eras and defining traits of Goldsmith's career, and much more! It's a lively, music-filled conversation that we hope serves as a satisfying appetizer for the grandiose main course that lies ahead. Enjoy! | |||
27 Jun 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Robert Townson Part 1 | 01:34:10 | |
Robert Townson, the prolific soundtrack producer behind over 1400 releases over the course of his 30-plus years with film music label Varèse Sarabande, joins Yavar for a sprawling, candid conversation. In this first half, Townson talks about his start in the film music business, getting to know Jerry Goldsmith, working with Jerry on a variety of re-recordings, watching Jerry work under a tight deadline, Jerry’s friendships, and so much more! Enjoy, and stay tuned for part two of this can’t-miss discussion. This exciting release is (possibly) limited to the first 3,000 downloads, so click now!
Edited by Robert Townson and Jens. | |||
20 Jun 2019 | Episode 20 - The Twilight Zone - Back There (1961) | 01:20:42 | |
Suppose, just suppose, that a man living in the year 1961 were able to travel all the way back to the year 1865, arriving mere hours before President Lincoln's assassination. Would he be able to do anything to stop that tragic event? That's an intriguing question posted by "Back There," a second-season episode of The Twilight Zone.
Other Sources:
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
14 Nov 2023 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - City Hall (1996) with Tim Greiving | 01:10:31 | |
Better late than never, we offer a detailed Soundtrack Spotlight on Varese Sarabande's definitive presentation of Jerry Goldsmith’s memorably noir-tinged score for Harold Becker's City Hall! First, your humble hosts David and Clark are joined by liner notes writer Tim Greiving for a discussion of the film's modest virtues, the score's central ideas, the real-life experiences that informed the film's screenplay, the musical influence of Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront, and other topics. Afterwards, David and Clark explore the significant and subtle differences between the various film versions, album versions, and alternates this thorough score presentation has to offer. We hope you'll join us for a stroll down the corridors of power(ful film music)! | |||
16 Nov 2023 | Bonus Soundtrack Spotlight - The War of the Worlds (1953) / When Worlds Collide (1951) with Chris Malone and John Takis | 02:14:26 | |
We know what you're thinking: why is The Goldsmith Odyssey covering Leith Stevens? Well, for one thing, War of the Worlds (1953) is a personal favorite film and score of Odyssey co-host and editor W. David Lichty. For another, it's a good excuse to spend time with friends of the show Chris Malone (who co-produced the new expanded album for La-La Land) and John Takis (who wrote the liner notes), both of whom once again have marvelous musical insights to offer. And for more reasons, just listen to the show itself, in which you'll hear discussion of where this score sits within Stevens' body of work, the surprising ways in which the score functions dramatically, the crucial improvements this album makes to the previous release, the qualities of the companion score When Worlds Collide, the wildly different versions of this classic story that have been offered over the years, and much more! Don't worry, we aren't planning to start wandering off-mission on a regular basis, but this new release was too exciting a conversation topic to pass up. Despite the relative absence of our pal Jerry, we hope you'll enjoy this affectionate celebration of an underappreciated composer's most significant work. | |||
04 Jun 2024 | Episode 42 - The Early Guitar Scores (1954-1958) with Carlos Rafael Rivera | 05:37:12 | |
Returning guest Carlos Rafael Rivera joins us for our longest episode to date! | |||
22 Jan 2025 | Odyssey Interviews - Austin Symphony Conductor Peter Bay and Orchestra Librarian Ali Verderber | 01:31:33 | |
In June of 2024, The Austin Symphony offered an evening of live Jerry Goldsmith music containing selections from Gremlins, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Total Recall, and other beloved scores. A few months later, Yavar and Clark — who were in attendance at the concert, along with Goldsmith Odyssey co-founder Jens — spoke to conductor Peter Bay and principal librarian Ali Verderber about the performance. You'll hear about Peter's long-time passion for Goldsmith's music, Ali's efforts to secure the rights to certain pieces, the difficulty of staging a Goldsmith concert vs. a John Williams program, the pieces that proved most challenging in rehearsals, and much more! It’s a fun and informative chat, and we hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did. | |||
05 Jul 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Robert Townson Part 2 | 01:39:49 | |
The Empire Strikes Back. The Godfather Part II. Lionheart Volume Two. The best sequels thoughtfully build on the foundation of their predecessors, and the second installment of Yavar's interview with Robert Townson certainly does so. This time around, Robert reveals a variety of unrealized projects he had hoped to work on with Jerry, shares memorable moments from the final years of Jerry's career, talks about his departure from Varèse Sarabande and his subsequent career plans, and much more!
Edited by Robert Townson and Jens. | |||
02 Oct 2023 | Production Report - The Last Dance (2023 Leigh Phillips Recording) | 02:03:31 | |
The latest Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater volume is now available, and we're thrilled to give you all the details in this Production Report with our friend, conductor/reconstructionist/renaissance man Leigh Phillips. The fifth entry in his ongoing series of re-recordings is "The Last Dance," a sensitive and emotionally complex score for an episode of television that remains lost for the time being. In addition to offering a detailed breakdown of the assorted challenges posed throughout the recording session, Leigh talks to your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark about how the success of the earlier Kickstarter campaigns led to this "bonus" recording, inviting a wider audience to view the recording sessions, the most effective approach to leading an orchestra, his ambitious plan to re-record Goldsmith's Lionheart, and much more. Give it a listen, and then click over to Leigh's website to secure your copy of the score (featuring liner notes by Yavar). Enjoy! | |||
22 Jan 2025 | Episode 44 - Thriller - Guillotine (1961) with Leigh Phillips | 03:46:37 | |
Say, what's that great big thing, amidst this collection of freshly-lopped heads? Sacre bleu! I's a new regular episode! Longtime friend of the show (and Certified Thriller Expert) Leigh Phillips joins David, Yavar, and Clark to discuss Jerry Goldsmith's music for the Thriller installment "Guillotine," a score that is by turns ominous, slyly beautiful, and darkly playful. The guys examine the score's echoes of other Goldsmith works (particularly Basic Instinct), debate the degree to which the episode is intended as dark comedy, consider the possibility of this score being re-recorded for a potential third volume of Leigh's Thriller series in the future, and much more. So grab a big plate of fresh pancakes, press play, and enjoy! | |||
02 Dec 2023 | Episode 41 - Storm - CBS Radio Workshop (1956) | 02:22:46 | |
Take shelter! Mariah is here! (No, not that one.) Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark dig into the CBS Radio Workshop episode "Storm," a meteorologically-themed docudrama featuring striking narration from William Conrad and a tense, turbulent score from Jerry Goldsmith. You'll hear discussion of the unique nature of this experimental radio series, the effectiveness of Goldsmith's decision to use music to create a dividing line between the narration and the scripted drama, the striking use of a harmonica to represent the storm, the minimal use of recurring themes, and more! While you're waiting for the skies to clear, join us in the storm cellar for an exploration of this little-known musical gem. Enjoy! | |||
13 Dec 2023 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - MacArthur (1977) with Doug Fake, Chris Malone and Jeff Bond | 01:36:36 | |
Attention! Our final Soundtrack Spotlight of the year is here! 2023 hasn’t exactly been jam-packed with new Goldsmith releases, but it’s closing with a pretty special one: Intrada’s new 2-CD presentation of MacArthur, which offers both a restoration of the original LP re-recording and the premiere of the original film tracks. Your humble hosts Yavar and David are joined by Intrada’s Douglass Fake, liner notes writer Jeff Bond, and restoration specialist Chris Malone to discuss this thrilling new release. They discuss the surprising thematic depth and variety the full version of the score has to offer, the assorted restoration challenges posed by this project, the sonic differences between the film mix and the re-recorded album cues, and much more. Remember: old film scores never die, they just get better-sounding and more complete. Dismissed! | |||
19 Jan 2024 | Odyssey Interviews - Sherri Chung on Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai | 01:46:56 | |
Jerry Goldsmith's musical legacy lives on in the new animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, featuring a wonderful score by composer Sherri Chung. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Sherri about the score's large collection of memorable thematic ideas, the joy of being given the opportunity take a traditionally orchestral musical approach, the wide array of distinctive ethnic instruments employed throughout, the importance of nodding to Goldsmith's iconic themes, the challenges of navigating the modern TV music landscape, what we might be able to expect musically from the second season of the show, and more! So if it's after midnight and you're struggling to fall asleep, just sit down in a brightly-lit place, pour yourself a nice glass of water, grab a snack, and give this one a listen! | |||
28 Feb 2024 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Inchon Tech Talk with Doug Fake and Chris Malone | 01:45:16 | |
We know what you’re thinking: "Wait… didn't you guys already do an Inchon Soundtrack Spotlight?" Indeed we did, back in 2020, when Intrada rereleased Jerry Goldsmith's memorable score for the otherwise largely forgotten 1981 Korean War drama. Now, Intrada has released the score yet again, with improved audio and a small handful of new extras. In this follow-up Spotlight, your humble hosts David and Clark chat with Intrada's Douglass Fake and audio engineer Chris Malone about the surprising discovery that led to this new release, the ways in which this score improves on the audio quality offered by previous releases, the various engineering decisions that affect the quality of a film music recording, the thought process that goes into deciding whether or not to reissue a score, and much more. Those who have already purchased one or more of the previous editions of the score will undoubtedly have differing opinions on whether or not to upgrade, but we hope this program will prove a useful resource in helping you make an informed decision. So give it a listen, and find out why you should consider visiting Inchon againchon! | |||
14 Mar 2024 | Production Report - The Committeeman / My Dark Days / Autumn Love (2023 Leigh Phillips Recordings) | 02:37:59 | |
Are you now, or have you ever been, a Jerry Goldsmith fan? If so, you won't want to miss our third and final production report on Leigh Phillips' marvelous Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater series. Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Leigh about the three latest additions: the stark and grim "My Dark Days," the cheerfully Italian-flavored "The Committeeman," and the gorgeous library music collection "Autumn Love." In addition to exploring the various challenges of bringing these scores to the finish line, Leigh reflects on the success of the GE Theater project as a whole, and takes some time to talk about what he might be tackling in the future. Along the way, you'll hear samples from each of the scores, and behind-the-scenes excerpts of Leigh working his talented ensemble of players. So grab a plate of mama's homemade spaghetti, and take a listen! | |||
31 Jul 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Mike Ross-Trevor | 01:19:54 | |
If you're a fan of Jerry Goldsmith's music (and of course you are, because you're here, reading this), you've almost certainly enjoyed the work of recording engineer Mike Ross-Trevor, who worked with Jerry on a wide variety of projects in the '80s and '90s. In this revealing Odyssey Interview, Mike talks to Yavar about his memories of working on many different scores (included Jerry's rejected score for The Public Eye), explains Jerry's falling out with recording engineer Eric Tomlinson, reveals the one classic Goldsmith score he wishes he could have recorded, and much more!
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
30 Aug 2024 | Odyssey Interviews - John Paesano on Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (with Jeff Bond) | 02:11:18 | |
Jerry Goldsmith's music has been present in multiple Hollywood blockbusters this year, and his musical voice is particularly prominent in John Paesano's score for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. In this Odyssey Interview, Yavar and Goldsmith biographer Jeff Bond talk with Paesano about the challenges of finding a middle ground between Goldsmith's iconic original score and the more recent sound Michael Giacchino has established for the series, director Wes Ball's passion for film music, Paesano's slow and steady path to finding success as a film composer, assisting Goldsmith on some of the legendary composer's later film scores, and much more! Whether you're one of our human listeners or an intelligent ape doing research on human musical preferences, we think you'll find this an engaging conversation. Enjoy! | |||
20 Aug 2019 | Episode 21 - The Twilight Zone - The Invaders (1961) with David Newman and Jeff Bond | 02:46:44 | |
Our journey through Jerry Goldsmith's contributions to The Twilight Zone (the TV series, anyway – give us a few* years and we'll get to the movie) concludes in epic fashion with a plus-sized installment featuring TWO special guests. This time, we're taking a look at the iconic episode "The Invaders," a nearly dialogue-free affair that proves an exceptional canvas for Goldsmith's suspenseful music. The first portion of our program features a conversation with Oscar-nominated composer David Newman and esteemed film music producer/liner note writer Jeff Bond, who discuss the virtues of this classic episode, David's memories of conducting Goldsmith's music for "The Invaders" live to picture, what makes Goldsmith such a remarkable composer, the musical storytelling techniques that set great composers apart, and much more. Afterwards, Jeff joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark for our usual track-by-track examination of the score. It's a long episode, yes, but both of our guests have an abundance of compelling insights that you won't want to miss. Enjoy!
Other Goldsmith:
Other Non-Goldsmith:
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
26 Sep 2024 | Episode 43 - Season of Disbelief & Hail and Farewell - CBS Radio Workshop (1956) | 03:37:41 | |
Our intermittent exploration of Jerry Goldsmith's early radio work continues with a 2-for-1 special: an episode of CBS Radio Workshop that offers brief dramatizations of the Ray Bradbury short stories "Season of Disbelief" and "Hail and Farewell" (both of which are introduced by Bradbury himself). Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark explore the rich, sensitive small-scale scores Goldsmith created for these stories, both of which contain memorable themes and compelling musical ideas. While all three members of the team regard "Hail and Farewell" rather warmly, "Season of Disbelief" prompts some strikingly different interpretations and spirited conversation. We've included the full presentation of both stories within the episode for your consideration, so you can form your own opinions on the matter. If you're looking for something to listen to attempting to grasp the rope of life, give this one a spin! Our hope is that it'll provide a bit of solace when the rope inevitably hisses through your fingers. | |||
11 Oct 2024 | Odyssey Interviews - Director Jonathan Kaplan on Sol Kaplan, Love Field, and Bad Girls | 02:40:01 | |
It's always a treat to hear from filmmakers who got to work directly with Jerry, and we're thrilled that director Jonathan Kaplan took the time to share his memories with us. In this wide-ranging Odyssey Interview, Jonathan tells David and Yavar about his father Sol Kaplan's career as a film composer, the thrill of watching Isaac Hayes perform the Truck Turner score, collaborating with Goldsmith on Love Field and Bad Girls, helping James Horner craft the main theme for Unlawful Entry, the budget limitations that led to Brad Fiedel creating a solo electronic score for The Accused, and so much more! This one is a lively, entertaining chat that's loaded with great stories (and plenty of musical illustrations), so we hope you’ll give it a listen. Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
11 Mar 2025 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Islands in the Stream (1977) and Doug Fake Memorial, with the Intrada Team and Chris Malone | 02:35:51 | |
Intrada's new release of Jerry Goldsmith’s original film tracks for Islands in the Stream gave us the opportunity to not only talk about a score the composer regarded as a personal favorite, but also to share memories of Intrada’s beloved founder, Douglass Fake. On this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, the complete Odyssey team — Jens, Yavar, David, and Clark — is joined by Intrada producer Roger Feigelson, shipping manager Jeff Johnson, media consultant Joe Sikoryak, liner notes writer Frank DeWald, and mastering engineer Chris Malone. First you’ll hear a discussion of the new album, including details on the sound improvements this release makes over the original FSM presentation, the integrity of Goldsmith’s work as a complete composition, Intrada’s long history with this score, and more. Following this, the group takes some time to offer personal memories of Doug, who meant a great deal to all of us in different ways. In addition, at the program’s conclusion you'll hear a special bonus: a pair of never-before-released excerpts of past conversations with Doug, teasing the then-unreleased Intrada presentations of Goldsmith’s MacArthur and John Williams’s The Patriot. This is a meaningful one, and we hope you’ll enjoy it. Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
12 Sep 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Brian Tyler | 01:54:16 | |
From working on the replacement score for Richard Donner's Timeline to re-recording the Universal Studios logo music to taking over scoring duties for the Rambo franchise, composer Brian Tyler has made a host of surprising Jerry Goldsmith connections over the course of his impressive career. In this engaging Odyssey Interview, Yavar chats with Tyler about meeting Jerry, the many Goldsmith-related projects he's worked on, ways in which Goldsmith has influenced Tyler's own work, and a whole lot more. Plus, we're pleased to offer an exclusive sneak preview of some selections from Tyler's Goldsmith-infused score for the forthcoming Rambo: Last Blood. We don’t want to Bug you, but we’ve gotta tell the Truth: this interview is a Godsend for Goldsmith and Tyler fans.
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
26 Sep 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Peter Bernstein | 02:00:19 | |
Cards on the table: the latest Odyssey Interview doesn't devote a lot of time to Jerry Goldsmith. However, we imagine that most Goldsmith fans are also fans of the great Elmer Bernstein, whose career mirrored Goldsmith's in a number of ways. Yavar has an in-depth conversation with Elmer's son Peter Bernstein, who discusses memories of growing up in the world of film music, his successful career as a rock musician, his eventual decision to follow in his father's footsteps, working with Elmer on scores like Canadian Bacon, Rough Riders, and Wild Wild West, working on solo assignments like the Ewok films and 21 Jump Street, running into Jerry Goldsmith while synth-shopping, and much more. This one is full of stories and details film music fans will enjoy, so give it a listen!
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
31 Oct 2019 | Episode 22 - Gunsmoke - Love Thy Neighbor & Old Faces (1961) | 02:58:53 | |
This episode marks the latest installment of a seemingly never-ending blood feud between the Goldsmith Odyssey family and the notorious Time clan (led by the eternally stubborn Father Time). Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark have killed a whole lot of hours over the course of this podcast, and eagerly take out three more in the process of discussing two episodes of Gunsmoke: "Love Thy Neighbor" (featuring an alternately somber and suspenseful Goldsmith score) and "Old Faces" (in which Goldsmith offers a variety of colorful thematic ideas and makes compelling use of the banjo). Tune in!
Cues from “Old Faces”:
Other Sources:
The Work: Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
21 Nov 2019 | Odyssey Interviews - Bruce Broughton | 01:54:40 | |
One great composer pays tribute to another! In Yavar's latest Odyssey Interview, Oscar-nominated composer Bruce Broughton (Silverado, Young Sherlock Holmes, Tombstone) shares numerous memories of his colleague Jerry Goldsmith. Additionally, Broughton offers a host of thoughts on key moments from his own career: his early days as a television composer, memories of some of his major feature film assignments, working with Seth MacFarlane on The Orville, and much more! This one is a great listen, so click the play button on your device of choice and bring on the Broughton.
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
30 Dec 2019 | Episode 23 - Thriller - Hay-Fork and Bill-Hook (1961) with Jeff Bond | 02:31:31 | |
An episode so nice we recorded it twice! This time, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark, along with special guest Jeff Bond - graciously agreeing to return after technical snafus thwarted our initial recording with him - take a look at the Thriller episode "Hay-Fork and Bill-Hook." In addition to spotlighting a memorably vivid Goldsmith score (offering lovely melodies, thrilling action music, and a good deal more), this episode also functions as a solid jumping-on point for those curious about the podcast. Grab your rustic deadly farm tool of choice and join us!
Also featuring excerpts from (in order of appearance): | |||
16 Jan 2020 | Episode 24 - Tongues of Angels - Westinghouse Studio One (1958) with Jens Dietrich | 02:01:23 | |
The Goldsmith Odyssey plays a round of musical chairs as former host Jens returns to his former seat to fill in for the absent Clark. Well, to be accurate, Jens's seat is currently occupied by David, and Yavar is in the same seat he's always been in, so Jens is actually in Clark's seat. Unless David sat there? Entirely possible Yavar sat there. I'm not sure if... anyway, your three humble hosts – that's David, Yavar, and Jens, not Clark – go all the way back to 1958 to examine a little-known and recently uncovered rarity: the Westinghouse Studio One episode "Tongues of Angels." They discuss the questionable merits of the episode itself, along with the less questionable merits of the subtly effective Goldsmith score. They offer thoughtful insights, and do not become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Enjoy!
Other Sources:
The Work: | |||
01 Mar 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Nasrollah Davoodi Part 1 | 02:11:37 | |
Grab your passport, because Odyssey Interviews is journeying to new and exotic lands! This time, we're pleased to present part one of an in-depth conversation between Yavar and Iranian film music scholar Nasrollah Davoodi, who gave a Jerry Goldsmith lecture in Tehran just last year. Their wide-ranging chat touches on a host of topics, from the political urgency of Goldsmith's music for Under Fire to the indelible diversity of the score for Papillon to the various distinctive qualities of Jerry‘s musical peers. Davoodi’s scholarly approach brings fresh perspective to numerous familiar topics, making this an interview you'll want to make time for.
Edited by Wes Deckers. | |||
01 Apr 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Nasrollah Davoodi Part 2 | 03:16:16 | |
Don't miss the fascinating conclusion of Yavar's conversation with film music scholar Nasrollah Davoodi! After opening with a discussion of Jerry Goldsmith's assorted forays into the Middle East (in works such as Justine, The Wind and the Lion, and The Mummy), Davoodi offers a crash course in the history of Iranian art music and a tour through some of the most important composers and exceptional film music the country has produced. Loaded with insight and wonderful music that will likely be new to most listeners, this episode stands as one of our most distinctive Odyssey Interviews.
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16 Apr 2020 | Episode 25 - The Legend That Walks Like a Man - General Electric Theater (1961) | 01:35:21 | |
The Goldsmith Odysseys of this world don't come back. Comebacks are for ordinary podcasts. I don't know, maybe there never was a Goldsmith Odyssey. Maybe it's just the eternal fresh carnation, the eternal grin, the eternal hope. It's a legend. A legend that plays like a podcast. Well, here's to both of 'em: the legend... and the podcast. Within that podcast, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark examine the General Electric Theater episode "The Legend That Walks Like a Man," and the alternately playful and tender Goldsmith score that accompanies it. Enjoy!
Other Sources:
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
23 Apr 2020 | Gold Nugget 6 - Expanded Archival Collection | 01:56:19 | |
Dear Goldsmith Odyssey Listeners,
So consume. Enjoy. And we’ll get through this... together.
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
30 Apr 2020 | Gold Shavings - The Inside Scoop on Episode 25 | 00:28:55 | |
On infrequent occasions, members of the Goldsmith Odyssey team will disagree about something. On rare occasions, we will disagree about something without even realizing it. On the rarest of occasions —just the once, so far— examining the cause and nature of that disagreement requires its own miniature episode. Something a little less than a Gold Nugget, and a little more than Gold Dust. Join David and Yavar for our very first episode of Gold Shavings, a behind-the-scenes look at a complex misunderstanding regarding Jerry Goldsmith's thematic ideas for the GE Theater episode "The Legend That Walks Like a Man" (which we discussed in detail in Episode 25 of The Goldsmith Odyssey). Plus: a few insights into how our show gets made, a surprising musical connection to a Goldsmith score that has just been released on CD, and some additional observations that have emerged in the wake of our Episode 25 recording. Enjoy! | |||
31 May 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Neil S. Bulk Part 1 | 01:26:27 | |
Double your interview, double your fun! The latest Odyssey Interview not only offers two installments, but two interviewers: Yavar and David team up for a wide-ranging chat with renowned soundtrack album editor and producer Neil S. Bulk. In the first half of their conversation, Neil talks about how he got his start in the world of film music album production thanks to Mike Matessino, working with Lukas Kendall at FSM, the differences between titles like "producer" and "editor," the unique challenges of working with various analog and digital music sources, working on Goldsmith album releases like The Swarm, The Challenge, and The Blue Max, and much more! It's a chat sure to fascinate anyone interested in the album production process. Enjoy, and be sure to check out part two when you're done! | |||
01 Jun 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Neil S. Bulk Part 2 | 01:30:57 | |
Who wants seconds? Hot on the heels of our first installment, here's part two of Yavar and David's Odyssey Interview with soundtrack album editor and producer Neil S. Bulk. In this part of the conversation, Neil offers his memories of working on a host of additional Goldsmith scores (Gremlins 2: The New Batch, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Total Recall, The Great Train Robbery, and more), discusses why certain scores have an easier time staying in print than others, and details some of the unique music production problems he has solved. If you're a serious soundtrack collector, you won't want to miss the illuminating stories and insights Neil has to offer. Enjoy! | |||
15 Jun 2020 | Gold Nugget 7 - Dropped Names with Bryan Erdy | 01:11:50 | |
Ever wonder what a ballet set to the music of Capricorn One might be like? For our latest Gold Nugget, Jens sits down with film critic and film music enthusiast Bryan Erdy, who talks about his pair of first-hand encounters with Jerry Goldsmith, conversations with other notable film composers (including Michael Giacchino, Danny Elfman, and Tom Holkenborg) who expressed admiration for Jerry, frightening Hans Zimmer, witnessing the aforementioned ballet Belling the Slayer, and writing a memorial tribute to Jerry that reached a far wider audience than anticipated. This one is full of entertaining stories and touching memories, so give it a click!
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
01 Aug 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Chris Malone | 03:27:00 | |
The latest Odyssey Interview is our longest single episode to date, but we believe it's well worth the time. Mastering Engineer Chris Malone joins Yavar and David for a detailed, wide-ranging conversation about the myriad complexities of film music restoration, memories of tackling his first restoration project for Film Score Monthly, working on Goldsmith soundtrack releases like Take Her, She's Mine and Archer/Warning Shot, the joys and challenges of restoring scores by composers like Henry Mancini, Nino Rota, and John Barry, and much more. It's an interview loaded with both educational insights and memorable stories, and is sure to fascinate film music enthusiasts of all sorts. You can consume the whole thing in one big helping, or you can break it up into a half-dozen modest portions, but you won't want to miss it. Enjoy! | |||
22 Aug 2020 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - The Don Is Dead (1973) with Doug Fake and Roger Feigelson | 00:31:16 | |
The Goldsmith Odyssey is thrilled to present a brand new sub-series! In our very first Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight, Yavar chats with Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records about their forthcoming release of Jerry Goldsmith's score for the 1973 crime drama The Don Is Dead. Over the course of this half-hour chat, you'll hear about the movie's place in pop culture history, the score's distinctive instrumentation, the album production process, Jerry's first artistic collaboration with his wife Carol, and more. Along the way, you'll be treated to some wonderful samples from the new album. You can purchase your own copy of the score at intrada.com. Enjoy! | |||
01 Sep 2020 | Episode 26 - Thriller - Well of Doom (1961) | 02:52:32 | |
There is a vast estate. Within that estate, there is some moorland. Within that moorland, there is an old castle. Within that old castle, there is a well. Within that well, there are your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark, splashing and fumbling in the dark, searching for a way out. To achieve this goal, they must explore a particularly moody episode of “Thriller,” and uncover the many secrets of its effectively ominous Jerry Goldsmith score. Can they find their way within a mere three hours? Click play to find out! | |||
01 Oct 2020 | Episode 27 - Thriller - Late Date (1961) | 02:48:45 | |
We're late, we're late | |||
26 Oct 2020 | Odyssey Interviews - Carlos Rafael Rivera | 02:00:06 | |
The Odyssey team is thrilled to welcome a very special guest: film composer (and bona fide Goldsmith enthusiast) Carlos Rafael Rivera, whose music for the Netflix miniseries The Queen's Gambit ranks as one of the year's most compelling original scores. When your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark began recording this episode, our intention was to interview Carlos for about thirty minutes, then move into an examination of of the Rawhide episode "Incident in the Middle of Nowhere." However, Carlos had so many fascinating things to say that we simply couldn't cut things off at the half-hour mark, and we hope you'll enjoy what turned out to be a two-hour conversation about a host of different topics (the Rawhide stuff is coming soon, we promise). You'll hear Carlos tell us about the first Jerry Goldsmith scores he fell in love with, being mentored by Randy Newman, stories behind his assorted creative decisions on The Queen's Gambit, how Alfred Newman's score for The Robe came to play a pivotal role in the first episode, working on the western miniseries Godless, and much more! Check it out, and stay tuned for the follow-up installment coming soon! | |||
29 Oct 2020 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - The Last Castle (2001) with Doug Fake | 00:33:58 | |
In their historic second episode of Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight, Doug Fake joins Yavar to discuss Intrada Records' latest expansion of a classic Jerry Goldsmith score, written for Rod Lurie's 2001 military prison drama The Last Castle. So pour yourself a glass of whiskey, sit back in your comfortable armchair overlooking Fort Leavenworth, turn on your vintage sound system, and let Doug regale you with the tale of how The Last Castle's precarious position in American history caused Jerry Goldsmith a great deal of trouble. Doug also expounds why The Last Castle is one of his favorite Goldsmith scores, from its somberly beautiful trumpet solos to its carefully calculated dramatic build to its explosion of propulsive action music. It's an episode - and a score - that you won't want to miss. | |||
20 Nov 2020 | Episode 28 - Rawhide - Incident in the Middle of Nowhere (1961) with Carlos Rafael Rivera | 03:04:58 | |
After joining us for what turned out to be a full-blown Odyssey Interview, composer Carlos Rafael Rivera (currently earning widespread acclaim for his fine work on the Netflix miniseries The Queen's Gambit) was kind enough to stick around for an examination of the Goldsmith-scored Rawhide episode "Incident in the Middle of Nowhere." It's a dynamic, exciting effort that both foreshadows later western scores like Rio Conchos and offers an instantly memorable main theme. Employing his considerable skills as a musician and educator, Carlos takes your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark on a full-blown guided tour of the score's assorted themes and motifs, breaking them down for us in remarkable detail in advance of our cue-by-cue journey. So when you have three hours to spare, just click play, then let it keep rollin', rollin', rollin'.
There are too many external sources to list here. You can find a full Goldsmith Odyssey Rawhide - Incident in the Middle of Nowhere track list in this Google Doc. | |||
01 Mar 2018 | Episode 0 - Live Television and Radio | 01:09:08 | |
In this introductory episode, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar and Clark offer thoughts on why we chose Goldsmith as a subject and what we're hoping to accomplish over the course of this series. Additionally, we dig into some of Goldsmith's most notable early radio and television work: the poetry-themed radio program 1489 Words (an episode of the anthology series The CBS Radio Workshop), Gore Vidal's TV adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (an episode of the anthology series Climax!) and the first three episodes of the western radio drama Frontier Gentleman. Don't miss this informative and entertaining prelude to a grand podcast adventure! | |||
15 Mar 2018 | Episode 1 - Black Patch (1957) | 00:50:43 | |
In our first regular-format episode, we invite you to join us for an exploration of the 1957 western Black Patch, starring George Montgomery, Leo Gordon, Diane Brewster, Tom Pittman, and Sebastian Cabot. Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark discuss the ways in which this low-budget western succeeds and struggles in its efforts to buck formula. Black Patch also bears the important distinction of being the first feature film to be scored by Jerry Goldsmith, who takes a deceptively intelligent psychological approach to the material. We explore some of his assorted thematic ideas and standout musical moments, including a dynamic action piece and a genuinely gorgeous romantic sequence. Saddle up and enjoy! | |||
29 Mar 2018 | Episode 2 - City of Fear (1959) | 00:57:25 | |
In this episode, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark take a look at the second feature film scoring assignment of Jerry Goldsmith's career: the lean, gritty 1959 noir City of Fear. We discuss the way this paranoia-filled film reflects the anxieties of its era, and examine the ways it falls short despite its striking premise. Additionally, we dive into Jerry Goldsmith's intense, jagged score, noting the ways in which Goldsmith's music works overtime to elevate otherwise mundane scenes. Finally, we dip into the mailbag and take a few moments to respond to some thoughtful listener feedback. Don't worry: this episode isn't dangerous, merely addictive. | |||
12 Apr 2018 | Episode 3 - Face of a Fugitive (1959) & Toccata (1958) | 01:07:38 | |
In this episode, we take a look at another Goldsmith-scored western: the 1959 Fred MacMurray vehicle Face of a Fugitive. Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark discuss the simple pleasures of this conventional yet competent film, and explore some of the highlights of Goldsmith's melodic, entertaining score (including a flexible central motif, a memorably melancholy secondary theme, a delicate love theme, and some thrilling action cues). As a prelude to that discussion, we offer a brief look at the flavorful "Toccata for Solo Guitar," the first concert piece of Goldsmith's career. Climb aboard the train and enjoy the ride! | |||
26 Apr 2018 | Episode 4 - Perry Mason (1959) | 01:25:14 | |
In this episode, we turn to the small screen for a look at the classic TV legal drama Perry Mason. Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark explore two episodes scored by Jerry Goldsmith: the jewelry-themed mystery "The Case of the Blushing Pearls" (featuring an Asian-inspired score built around a gorgeous central melody) and the convention-breaking "The Case of Paul Drake's Dilemma" (which offers a more noirish score that both echoes City of Fear and previews Chinatown). Are these episodes and scores hidden gems? We examine the evidence and offer a verdict! | |||
19 Dec 2020 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Take Her, She's Mine (1963) with Mike Matessino, Chris Malone and John Takis | 01:32:48 | |
Earlier this year the good folks at Intrada Records served up the world premiere release of Jerry Goldsmith's lively score for the 1963 comedy Take Her, She's Mine, and that album is now getting its own Soundtrack Spotlight! Yavar and David are joined by three of the album's key participants: Mike Matessino (who produced the album), Chris Malone (who did the painstaking restoration work), and John Takis (who provided the liner notes). You'll receive a full portrait of just how much effort went into the creation of the album, learn why the timing was right for this particular release, and hear generous excerpts of Goldsmith's entertaining music along the way. Click the download button and take her, she's yours! | |||
24 Dec 2020 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Inchon (1981) with Doug Fake | 01:01:39 | |
A little something for your stocking: it's the final Soundtrack Spotlight of 2020! Douglass Fake of Intrada Records joins Yavar and Jens for an exploration of Intrada's latest reissue of Jerry Goldsmith's rich, thrilling score for the ill-fated 1981 war movie Inchon. Over the course of this installment, the guys discuss Intrada's long-term relationship with this particular Goldsmith score, the process of remastering the album in a hi-res format, the unusual environment the score was recorded in, the gradual critical rehabilitation of the score over the years, and much more! Plus, you'll hear some choice excerpts from Goldsmith's score along the way. Enjoy, and we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season! | |||
10 May 2018 | Episode 5 - A Marriage of Strangers - Playhouse 90 (1959) | 01:32:24 | |
In this episode, we take a look at "A Marriage of Strangers," an installment of the 90-minute CBS anthology series Playhouse 90. Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark discuss the unique nature of this series, the teleplay's struggle to create a persuasively authentic portrait of a marriage, the challenges of writing music for live television, and – of course – the tender Jerry Goldsmith score. Offering a pair of memorable themes (one melancholy, one romantic) and some moments of surprising tension, "A Marriage of Strangers" is the longest Goldsmith score we've covered to date. Additionally, we dip into the mailbag and briefly discuss a bit of listener feedback. Put this episode around your finger and join us! | |||
24 May 2018 | Episode 6 - Tomorrow - Playhouse 90 (1960) | 01:09:51 | |
In this episode, we jump ahead to early 1960 to examine another installment of the 90-minute CBS anthology series Playhouse 90: famed playright Horton Foote’s adaptation of William Faulkner’s short story "Tomorrow." Your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark discuss the teleplay’s strengths and weaknesses abridging Faulkner for the small screen, and its economical but subtly effective, poignant Jerry Goldsmith score. We discover unique performances of the album material, unused cues, and entirely unreleased music. It’s the Podcast of the Future: Listen to "Tomorrow" Today! | |||
14 Jun 2018 | Episode 7 - Peck's Bad Girl (1959) & The Sergeant and the Lady (1958) | 01:14:15 | |
In this episode, we take a look at two half-hour TV rarities from the late 1950s. First up, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark (aka "Goldsmith's Bad Boys") head into cutesy family sitcom territory with "Lips That Touch Lipstick", a Goldsmith-scored episode of the short-lived series Peck's Bad Girl. Afterwards, they explore something a bit more dramatic: the unaired pilot of the cop drama The Sergeant and the Lady. Comedy and drama, playful melodies and aggressive jazz scoring, thoughtful analysis and goofy moments — suffice it to say this episode has a bit of something for everyone. All the other kids at school are listening, so you probably should, too. | |||
28 Jun 2018 | Episode 8 - Fifties Roundup | 01:49:04 | |
The day has finally arrived. At long last, we have reached the end... of the 1950s, thus concluding the brief prologue to this obscenely lengthy podcast journey. On this episode, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark gather up odds n' ends from the decade: an exploration of the Climax! episode “Trail of Terror” (featuring a suspenseful Goldsmith score highlighted by a lovely, reflective melody), a MIDI reconstruction of Goldsmith's dynamic score for the Civil War-themed Playhouse 90 episode “The Tunnel,” two strikingly different (yet equally impressive) scores written for the '50s cop drama The Lineup, and multiple versions of Goldsmith's instantly catchy Black Saddle theme. Finally, we take a few moments to reflect on the highlights of the material we've covered thus far. It's a musical feast... but save room, because we'll be stuffing one more surprise into the mix. Take a seat and gobble it up! In Depth: Jerry Goldsmith interviewed by Jon Burlingame for the Archive of American Television (May 8th, 2002) | |||
25 Jun 2018 | Gold Nugget 1 - Big in Japan | 00:14:37 | |
In our first side episode, Jens listens to an anime score and makes a discovery. The result is a forum post in podcast form. | |||
19 Jul 2018 | Episode 9 - The Twilight Zone - The Four of Us Are Dying & The Big Tall Wish (1960) | 01:47:53 | |
Submitted for your approval: a voyage of musical discovery, critical analysis, and profound mystery. These three men – Jens, Yavar, and Clark – are entirely ordinary in every way but one: their odd obsession with the music of a film composer named Jerry Goldsmith. Crossing the threshold into a new era, they explore two classic episodes of television: “The Four of Us Are Dying” (which features a dynamic, off-kilter jazz score) and “The Big Tall Wish” (which offers up impressively structured musical melancholy). These men analyze the music and the episodes that music accompanies, offering commentary you may find alternately playful and earnest. Now witness if you will three unsuspecting music lovers taking their first steps into The Twilight Zone. In Depth: The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic by Martin Grams Jr. (at Amazon), A Dimension of Sound: Music in the Twilight Zone by Reba Wissner (at Amazon) Also in the Show: MeTV Perry Mason / Twilight Zone TV promo spot, Television Themes: 16 Most Requested Songs (at Discogs) | |||
31 Jan 2021 | Episode 29 - Thriller - Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper (1961) | 02:34:31 | |
Your dear loving friends return! We plunge into 2021 with an incisive look at the 1961 Thriller episode "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper." Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark take a stab at analyzing Jerry Goldsmith's piercing score, which features a killer main theme. They also dissect the episode itself, praising the sharper elements and skewering the weaker ones. We hope you enjoy tearing into this one! | |||
08 Aug 2018 | Episode 10 - The Twilight Zone - Nightmare as a Child & Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room (1960) with John Takis | 01:58:14 | |
Portrait of a film music expert: John Takis, a talented writer known for his exceptional liner notes and informative blog posts. John has been invited to be the very first guest on a podcast known as The Goldsmith Odyssey. He knows that he will be asked to offer his thoughts on the virtues of film composer Jerry Goldsmith. He knows that he is expected to offer commentary on the classic television episodes "Nightmare as a Child" and "Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room." However, what he doesn’t know is that program hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark have lured him into their lengthiest episode yet, requiring John to conjure mass quantities of dazzling insight. John Takis: a film music expert taking a two-hour journey… into The Twilight Zone. In Depth: John Takis's blog, Jerry Goldsmith interviewed by Jon Burlingame for the Archive of American Television (May 8th, 2002), The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic by Martin Grams Jr. (at Amazon), A Dimension of Sound: Music in the Twilight Zone by Reba Wissner (at Amazon) | |||
29 Aug 2018 | Episode 11 - Man on the Beach (1959) & The Fair-Haired Boy (1958) with W. David Lichty | 01:40:49 | |
Another episode, another special guest: Friend of the show and Goldsmith archivist extraordinaire W. David Lichty joins your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark for an examination of "Saturday Night in Santa Monica", the unaired television pilot for Man on the Beach, starring Gavin MacLeod as an eccentric private investigator. While gritting our teeth and playfully dissecting the pilot's truly dreadful writing, directing, and acting, we also explore its jazzy, energetic Goldsmith score (which Goldsmith fans may know as "Jazz Theme #1" from various Twilight Zone albums). As a bonus, we also take a look at Goldsmith's spare, jazz-tinged music written for the Studio One in Hollywood episode "The Fair-Haired Boy" (featured on the Twilight Zone albums as "Jazz Theme #2"). Grab your scuba gear and dive in! | |||
12 Sep 2018 | Episode 12 - CBS Music Library Spectacular Part 1 with W. David Lichty | 01:10:01 | |
Supported by the invaluable aid and research of returning guest W. David Lichty, your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark offer the first installment of a two-part examination into Jerry Goldsmith's contributions to the vast CBS Music Library, which featured a diverse array of fully orchestral cues that would ultimately be used on a wide variety of CBS television programs, including The Twilight Zone. In this episode, we explore all of the original library cues featured on Prometheus's Jerry Goldsmith: The Early Years Volume One album, plus a sampling of additional library cues that will be brand new to most Goldsmith fans. Be sure to stay tuned for our follow-up episode, which will offer a host of rarely-heard Goldsmith material. Grab your library card and join us for a journey into the archives! The Work: Jerry Goldsmith: The Early Years, Volume 1 (at Screen Archives), The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (at Amazon). David’s Bibliography: Ron Burbella supplied us with his CBS EZ CUE disc and index (discussed in this Film Score Monthly thread) and with his TransWorld 78s (discussed in this Film Score Monthly thread). Martin Grams Jr. wrote The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. This gave names and running times for all of the tracks used in each episode. Note his excellent coverage of "To Serve Man" in his sample section. Dan Hollis supplied the time locations for all of the cues used in each Twilight Zone episode via his thread at Twilight Zone Cafe -> Twilight Zone, Etc. -> Classic Twilight Zone -> Musical Cues. Bill Wrobel documented the mass of CBS Music Library stuff donated to UCLA, giving us a little more info on the tracks we’ve acquired. Even more helpful info was found in his piece "Television Works of Bernard Herrmann." You can find some of the TransWorld tracks used in the show on his YouTube channel. Despite being uncredited, Gene Feldman supervised the Twilight Zone scores for all five seasons. Twilight Zone isn’t listed for him on IMDb, but Grams Jr.'s book may explain why, and Bill Wrobel's research seems to confirm that he was CBS’s guy for this process. | |||
01 Mar 2021 | Score Masters: Celebrating John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith | 02:15:54 | |
Recently, The Goldsmith Odyssey was thrilled to join forces with The Legacy of John Williams podcast and the Ipswich Film Theatre to present Score Masters, a celebration of both Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams. While you can watch the full program on YouTube, we're pleased to present this audio-only version (enhanced by newly-added illustrative music clips) for those who prefer the podcast format. You'll hear insightful commentary from a truly remarkable panel of experts: Oscar-nominated composer/conductor David Newman, Grammy-winning classical composer/conductor Leonard Slatkin, soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, sound engineer and producer Bruce Botnick, acclaimed pianist/keyboardist Mike Lang, composer Leanna Primiani, and author/writer Jeff Bond. In addition to the familiar voices of Yavar and David, you'll hear questions from their fellow moderators Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden, along with some comments from IFT director Daniel Champion. It's a truly special, illuminating, entertaining two hours of conversation – don't miss it! | |||
26 Sep 2018 | Episode 13 - CBS Music Library Spectacular Part 2 with W. David Lichty | 01:40:21 | |
In the second and final part of our CBS Music Library Spectacular, returning guest W. David Lichty guides your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, and Clark through a remarkably diverse array of suites spotlighting a large portion of Goldsmith's contribution to the CBS music library. Over the course of this episode, you'll hear playful comedy, moody suspense, lush romance, chilling horror, and lots of other musical goodies. Even if you're a devoted Goldsmith fan, odds are high that the majority of this music will be new to you. Join us as we don our research caps and complete a sojourn into one of the most under-explored corners of Goldsmith's career! To follow along with David's custom suites, please consult this Google Doc for a thorough breakdown. The Work: The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series (at Amazon). David’s Bibliography: Ron Burbella supplied us with his TransWorld 78s (discussed in this Film Score Monthly thread). Martin Grams Jr. wrote The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic. This gave names and running times for all of the tracks used in each episode. Note his excellent coverage in his sample section. Dan Hollis supplied the time locations for all of the cues used in each Twilight Zone episode via his thread at Twilight Zone Cafe -> Twilight Zone, Etc. -> Classic Twilight Zone -> Musical Cues. Bill Wrobel documented the mass of CBS Music Library stuff donated to UCLA, giving us a little more info on the tracks we’ve acquired. Even more helpful info was found in his piece "Television Works of Bernard Herrmann." You can find some of the TransWorld tracks used in the show on his YouTube channel. We also recommend his video on "Autumn Love." Despite being uncredited, Gene Feldman supervised the Twilight Zone scores for all five seasons. Twilight Zone isn’t listed for him on IMDb, but Grams Jr.'s book may explain why, and Bill Wrobel's research seems to confirm that he was CBS’s guy for this process. | |||
25 Sep 2018 | Vote Goldsmith for Kickstarter | 00:05:47 | |
Presenting an important campaign announcement from The Goldsmith Odyssey. To vote in Intrada's new Kickstarter poll, go directly to this thread. If you haven't already signed up for their forum, you'll need to register. Even if you're already registered to purchase items from Intrada's store (store.intrada.com), a separate registration is required for the forum. To complete the process, you'll need the answer to their security question about their first release from 1985 (it's “Red Dawn”). You should then receive a confirmation e-mail allowing you to complete your registration (the e-mail should arrive instantaneously, so check your spam folder if you don't see it right away). When you're all done, head to the forum and cast your vote! Feel free to vote your conscience, which we assume will tell you to vote for Jerry Goldsmith. | |||
23 Mar 2021 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Face of a Fugitive (1959) with Doug Fake and Roger Feigelson | 00:49:11 | |
Wanted: 49 minutes of your time! Hot on the heels of The Don Is Dead and Take Her, She's Mine, the good folks at Intrada Records have served up yet another exciting Goldsmith premiere: the 1959 western Face of a Fugitive (previously covered way back in Episode 3 of The Goldsmith Odyssey). As such, it's time for another Soundtrack Spotlight, with Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada joining your humble hosts Yavar and Clark for a conversation about this compelling and important early Goldsmith score. This informative chat offers conversation about discovering music that was previously believed to be missing, how this score offers the first real taste of Goldsmith's signature action writing, thoughts on the score's key thematic ideas, and whether or not there's any possibility of getting Goldsmith's Black Patch on album at some point in the future. Plus, you'll be treated to a variety of clips that give you a good taste of what the full album has to offer. Check out the Spotlight, then check out the album – we think you'll enjoy both. | |||
31 Mar 2021 | Gold Nugget 8 - Black Saddle: History of a Theme (1958-2020) | 03:38:09 | |
Way back in Episode 8 (our Fifties Roundup show), we talked about Jerry Goldsmith's memorable theme for the western TV series Black Saddle and also noted a couple fun cover versions of the theme we had found. Since then, we've uncovered a host of additional cover versions and thought it might be fun to produce a Gold Nugget featuring them. Over time, this nugget evolved into something considerably more grandiose: a massive affair with two special guests (Bill Humphrey of the ‘60s surf band The Revelairs and John Gilbert, whose father Herschel Burke Gilbert was the music director for Black Saddle), several exclusive interviews with musicians who have covered the theme, analysis of the music featured on the TV show itself, and a generous collection of Black Saddle covers. A grand achievement or an excessive work of madness? Take a day off, click play, and decide for yourself!
Click here for your Black Saddle: History of a Theme full track list and links to corresponding untruncated YouTube video performances. Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
10 Oct 2018 | Odyssey Interviews - Leonard Slatkin | 01:13:41 | |
We are pleased to present the first installment of Odyssey Interviews, an occasional feature that will offer interviews with special guests who have some connection to Jerry Goldsmith and/or his music. In our debut interview, Yavar has a conversation with internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin, Music Director Laureate of the Detroit Symphony. Slatkin maintains a rigorous schedule of guest conducting (he has conducted virtually all of the leading orchestras in the world) and is active as a composer, author, and educator. He has received 6 Grammy Awards and 33 nominations, and is a recipient of the prestigious National Medal of the Arts. Over the course of this interview, Slatkin discusses growing up in the world of film music, his family's relationship with Goldsmith, commissioning Goldsmith's Music for Orchestra, and much more.
Also Discussed: The opening of How to Marry a Millionaire, KSDK TV 5 News Open | |||
25 Oct 2018 | Odyssey Interviews - Cliff Eidelman | 01:11:42 | |
In our second installment of Odyssey Interviews, Yavar has a conversation with film composer and conductor Cliff Eidelman. Eidelman is perhaps best known for his striking score for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, and has scored such diverse projects as Leap of Faith, Triumph of the Spirit, The Meteor Man, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Eidelman has also written a variety of works for the concert hall, some of which will be featured on an album being released this fall. Over the course of this interview, Eidelman talks about his personal encounters with Jerry Goldsmith, the unique challenges of conducting Goldsmith's work, his current musical endeavors, and much more.
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. | |||
19 Apr 2021 | Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Along Came a Spider (2001) with Bruce Botnick | 00:48:10 | |
A substantial Goldsmith expansion receives the Soundtrack Spotlight treatment! This time, your humble hosts David and Clark sit down on their tuffet for a conversation with legendary recording engineer and album producer Bruce Botnick, who produced Varese Sarabande's new complete presentation of Jerry Goldsmith's score for the 2001 thriller Along Came a Spider. Over the course of this chat, Bruce tells us about the approach he takes when re-examining a score he worked on years earlier, the distinctive musical soundscape Goldsmith created for this project, why this score works best when it can be heard in full, and much more! Naturally, you'll be treated to plenty of compelling excerpts from the new album along the way. Plus: a bit of breaking news that will be of particular interest to Disney soundtrack fans. So grab a bowl of curds and whey, sit down beside us, and enjoy! | |||
30 Apr 2021 | Odyssey Interviews - Leigh Phillips | 00:40:47 | |
Our chefs are hard at work in the kitchen, experimenting with various aural seasonings and editing techniques as they prepare to serve our next regular episode. In the meantime, however, please enjoy this delicious apertif: a brief, entertaining interview with film score reconstructionist (and friend of the show) Leigh Phillips, who fills us in on the status of a potential Thriller: Volume 3 Kickstarter, reveals which Thriller scores would likely be included on that album, talks about his work reconstructing Jerry Goldsmith's score for Damnation Alley, reveals his favorite recent Goldsmith album releases, and more! Plus, be sure to stay tuned for that regular episode, in which Leigh will give us his expert analysis of Goldsmith's score for the Thriller installment Mr. George. Enjoy!
Please send your correspondence to mail@goldsmithodyssey.com. |