The Two Bs (Boulez and Bowie)

Within the first two weeks of 2016 the world lost two very different musicians that each provoked huge reactions in their own right. French composer, conductor and innovator, Pierre Boulez (1925-2016), and the English musician, actor and painter, David Bowie (1947-2016). Boulez began his musical life experimenting with serialism and controlled chance (or chaos!) in pieces…Read more The Two Bs (Boulez and Bowie)

Johnny.B.Who?

I was listening to Johnny.B.Goode last week, a song that I have played at least a thousand times and have become a bit guilty of finding it, the most unfair criticism of any song, "overplayed". Chuck Berry has also become a bit tired of playing it however, refusing to play it when I saw him a…Read more Johnny.B.Who?

The Two Masks of a Modern Day Film Composer

This year I have become very aware of the number of  current film scores that are now heavily weighted towards sound design - the drums and distorted guitars of Mad Max, the rumbles and crashes of Sicario and the eerie atmospheres of Gravity. I love each of these scores and appreciate their effectiveness as an element of the…Read more The Two Masks of a Modern Day Film Composer

The Men Behind Motown

This Sunday I am running a workshop in which I was given the music of Motown to work with (please find details at the end). I initially thought that it was going to be very easy to choose songs with my Beatles’ obsession leading me straight to Please Mr Postman, You really got a hold on me…Read more The Men Behind Motown

The Name’s…Norman, Barry and Bond

Over the last week I have been having a bit of a John Barry Fest - Out of Africa, The Raising of the Titanic, Born Free, Dances with Wolves and Dr. No. John Barry’s scores cover many genres but there is always a “Barryness” to his music and approach - organic, informed and well considered.…Read more The Name’s…Norman, Barry and Bond