Soul Jazz records have announced a new 26-track 2CD compilation, championing the oft-neglected realms of British Television, Film and Library music. TV Sound and Image: British Television, Film and Library Composers 1955-80 has been put together by Soul Jazz’s Stuart Baker, and features a huge array of names ranging from the well-known (John Barry, best known for his James Bond soundtracks) through to the obscure.
Still, often the music will be familiar even if the name behind it isn’t: Roy Budd’s masterfully suspenseful theme tune to Get Carter will set neurons firing; C.C.S.’s version of Led Zep’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’ is forever associated with the top 40 for anybody over a certain age; and Richard Denton and Martin Cook’s theme music for Tomorrow’s World feels like a relic from a lost age when bleeding-edge technology was still something the public could get excited about. The compilation doesn’t intent to be a trip down memory lane, though, so much as a serious reappraisal of the huge – if largely un-discussed – impact this music has had on British cultural consciousness.
The release will include a 50-page booklet with sleeve notes penned by the inimitable Johnny Trunk, and will also be available as a two-volume, limited edition gatefold LP. Full tracklist below.
CD 1
- Barry Stoller – ‘Condition Red’
- Pentangle – ‘Light Flight (Theme From Take Three Girls)’
- Geoff Love And His Orchestra – ‘Three Days Of The Condor’
- The Tony Hatch Sound – ‘Man Alive’
- Richard Denton And Martin Cook – ‘Tomorrow’s World’
- Brian Fahey And His Orchestra – ‘At The Sign Of The Swingin’ Cymbal’
- Bullet – ‘The Contract Man’
- Syd Dale – ‘Man Friday’
- The Laurie Johnson Orchestra – ‘Echo Four-Two’
- Keith Papworth – ‘Hard Hitter’
- John Barry – ‘The Persuaders’
- Roy Budd – ‘Getting Nowhere In A Hurry’
- The Simon Park Orchestra – ‘Dawn To Dusk’
- The Marylebone Orchestra – ‘Fiesta Numero Uno’
- Sort Of Soul – ‘Bird ‘n Brass’
- Johnny Gregory And His Orchestra – ‘The Avengers’
- Johnny Harris – ‘Fragment Of Fear’
- Roy Budd – ‘Get Carter’
- Neil Richardson – ‘Guide Path’
CD 2
- Brian Bennett – ‘Canvas’
- Wil Malone – ‘Death Line’
- Syd Dale – ‘Huckleberry Fine’
- The Harry Roche Constellation – ‘Spiral’
- The Ivor And Basil Kirchin Band – ‘Jungle Fire Dance’
- The Laurie Johnson Orchestra – ‘The New Avengers Theme’
- James Clarke + Sounds – ‘Folk Song’
- The Reg Tilsley Orchestra – ‘Strike Rich’
- The Barry Gray Orchestra – ‘Joe 90’
- Keith Mansfield – ‘Soul Thing’
- C.C.S. – ‘Whole Lotta Love’
- Syd Dale – ‘Artful Dodger’
- John Gregory And His Orchestra – ‘Jaguar’
- Nick Ingman – ‘Down Home’
- Barbara Moore – ‘Steam Heat’
- Alan Parker – ‘Angels’
- Alan Moorhouse – ‘Face Up’
