Charlie Barnett

Charlie Barnett

by | Aug 15, 2024 | 0 comments

Charlie Barnett

An accomplished and popular American composer, Charlie Barnett is the winner of numerous awards for his film scores. Barnett also writes music for television; his credits include Saturday Night Live, Weeds, Royal Pains, and Archer.

Barnett’s lively orchestral and chamber works are performed both nationally and internationally. His theatrical scores include 19: The Musical, a show about the fight for women’s suffrage, and When We Get There, a 1960’s 1960s-era civil rights musical.

As a producer, Barnett has recorded scores of pop and jazz albums for labels including Def Jam and Elektra. As a performer, he plays guitar and piano for Chaise Lounge, an eclectic jazz band that frequently appears on the national college radio charts with his original compositions.

Barnett also writes and has been heard as an occasional commentator on NPR. His essay “Hitching a Ride with Junior McGee” was included in the network’s Classic Driveway Moments compilation.

What’s the strangest method you’ve used to get the perfect sound?

While scoring a six-part documentary series, I needed a large percussive, ringing, and unearthly sound. Outside my favorite recording studio, I found an upright piano on the street waiting for the junk man. I talked two young interns from the studio into stripping it down to just the harp and strings. We set it up in the studio and played it with a wire brush and a brass hammer. We named it the Kablangiphön. I have never found anything else that sounded like it. I would have used it on other projects, but the studio wouldn’t let me keep it there.

Which instrument(s) do you have the most fun playing?

Heaven help me, but I love any chance I get to play my accordion. The first instrument I ever played was the five-string banjo. I still love playing that, especially the old-time frailing style.

What are two things you’re most proud of? One musical/professional, one personal. No humility allowed.

As a composer: I collaborated with Dr. Maya Angelou on a piece that she performed at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree. The piece was played by the US Navy Band and a choir, to accompany Dr. Angelou reciting her poem “Peace.” I spent several days with her at her home in North Carolina writing the sketches for this.

In civilian life: I was the chairman of the board for Maryland Youth Ballet for ten years, starting at a moment of crisis when the prior board had dissolved in conflict and the ballet school had lost its lease. During that time, I helped raise funds for and build a new state-of-the-art facility. It was one of the most stressful and ultimately satisfying things I’ve ever done.

What’s your favorite score of all time?

The Man Who Would Be King by Maurice Jarre. His use of the traditional ballad, “The Minstrel Boy” makes me cry every time I hear Michael Caine and Sean Connery sing it. This is a beautiful, grand, old-school film score.

Who is your “guilty pleasure” artist?

There was a French composer named Roger Roger who wrote production tracks for French TV in the 1950s and 1960s. Someone put out a CD of his music several years ago called Grands Travaux. To some, this might sound like “elevator music.” But the melodies are great, the orchestrations are clever, the performances are excellent and the recordings hold up after all these years. If it is “elevator music” then it has reached the top floor. These tunes make me smile every time I hear them.

Who is your dream composer dinner guest and why?

Oliver Nelson. There are very few jazz albums that have stood up like The Blues and the Abstract Truth has—for sixty years! I love the recording, the playing, the writing, the arranging. I would ask him about his working methods as an arranger. He would certainly have some stories about working with Bill Evans, Eric Dolphy, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes, and Freddy Hubbard all in the same session. I somehow feel that a guy who had such an organized mind for music would be a great dinner companion.

What are your other hobbies when you’re not in the studio?

For the past few years, I have been on a deep dive into classical Greece. I started by studying the myths and then moved on to studies of the tragedians. Lately, I’ve been learning about the pre-Socratic philosophers. The surprising thing about all of it is that all of the issues from the 5th century BCE feel so current. The rules of tragedy apply to current playwriting. The questions that Socrates asks are still unanswered. And the myths still have lessons that are important to understand.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

My mother was a farm girl from Maine. Once, when I was complaining to her about not having enough work, she said: “When we had downtime on the farm, we would go to the shed and sharpen the tools.” It was such a simple statement and was spoken without irony. But I have never forgotten it. And whenever I am less than fully employed, I make sure to spend some time sharpening the tools of my trade.

Marcus Olgers

Marcus Olgers

by | Aug 15, 2024 | 0 comments

Marcus Olgers

 

 

 

 

Marcus Olgers is an Amsterdam-based composer and pianist. He studied jazz piano at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. He composes and produces music for short films and documentaries as well as albums for other artists and also made an album under his own name. His music has been used by Google, Microsoft, AT&T, and Johnnie Walker among many others. As a session pianist, he works with major artists, bands, and orchestras in the Netherlands, such as Ilse DeLange and the Metropole Orkest.

When did the journey start for you?

I guess as a four-year-old, listening to the radio.

Who are some composers/artists you pull inspiration from?

My influences are extremely eclectic. As a kid, I grew up with Bach and the Beatles and the pop & rock of the 1980s. In high school, I was into the art and jazz-rock of the 1970s. I studied jazz piano at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Music, so the whole jazz tradition shaped me a lot as well. It’s a rich and beautiful world. I tend to be inspired by artists and composers who create new worlds, drawing from different styles. Bach did that, Strawinsky, Miles Davis, Peter Gabriel, and Pat Metheny, to name a few.

Which instrument(s) do you have the most fun playing?

Being a pianist, almost all of my time goes into that, but I would love to be a decent guitar player!

What was your latest gear purchase?

A Squier Telecaster.

What’s your favorite piece of gear in your studio?

The boring but honest answer is the computer. It’s amazing what it allows you to do now, the only limit being your imagination.

Is there a piece of music you’re most proud of?

More than a decade ago I made an album called Hiding in the Hinterland, an amalgamation of my influences. Mostly, I would do it all very differently today, but there’s also music on there that I’m very proud of.

What are two things you’re most proud of? One musical/professional, one personal. No humility allowed.

I sometimes play with the Metropole Orchestra, a fantastic orchestra here in the Netherlands specializing in pop and jazz. That always brings a special feeling of pride. Personally, I’m very proud of my seven-year-old son, his lust for life, and my own part in that.

If you could join any band, past or present, which would it be and why?

I could say the Miles Davis quintet in the 1960s, but then I would put myself up there with Herbie Hancock which would be the biggest joke ever! So I say Coldplay. I love their concepts and the energy they bring into the world. Their last album was great.

In your opinion, what’s a score (or soundtrack) that is better than its movie?

Under the Cherry Moon by Prince.

What’s your favorite score of all time?

John Williams’ score for E.T. was life-changing for me as a kid. The way it works with the picture, especially the end sequence, is just marvelous. There is a great little clip on YouTube with footage of the scoring session but also of Williams at home playing those themes to Spielberg for the very first time. Must see!

Who is your favorite composer and why?

Bach. The blending of the emotional and the intellectual, the sense of math and melody, the minimalism and the grandness, everything really.

Who is your dream composer dinner guest and why?

My dream composer dinner guests would be Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, Kate Bush, Joni Mitchell, Sting, and Björk, preferably on the same night, talking about songs and sounds.

What’s the oddest job you’ve ever had?

I did not have many odd jobs, from 15 on I was playing piano in restaurants. But I worked one summer in a factory for traffic signs with dangerous machines. Surely wouldn’t want to do that again!

What are your other hobbies when you’re not in the studio?

I’m also a session pianist, performing and recording with artists mostly here in the Netherlands. Between that, composing, and family there’s not much time left. I’m into history. I’d love to read more.

If you were stranded on a desert island with one album on your Walkman that somehow never ran out of power, what would it be?

That’s always such a hard question. Today I say Close to the Edge by Yes.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Don’t give up!

 

Roland Bingaman

Roland Bingaman

by | Aug 15, 2024 | 0 comments

Roland Bingaman

Roland Bingaman started out on his musical journey from a very young age. His teenage years and most of his young adult life were spent singing and touring in an alt-rock band. After that, he transitioned into video production and began directing, filming, and editing commercials and music videos. The itch to get back into music was always inside of Roland so he began composing and producing music on the side. Now his days are spent composing, producing, and writing music.

Who are some composers/artists you pull inspiration from?

This always seems to be changing but the foundation of my musical influence has been Sigur Ros. That band opened my mind up to a form and beauty of music that I’d never heard. There was something so mystical, emotional, and textural to their music that a young lad who only ever listened to pop-punk and hardcore music had never experienced.

What’s the strangest method you’ve used to get the perfect sound?

Anytime I make sounds using my voice it feels strange. I always have to warn my family that I’m about to record strange sounds and noises with my voice.

Which instrument(s) do you have the most fun playing?

Though I’m not very good at any particular instrument, I could sit at a piano and drums all day. Playing a real piano is so meditative for me whereas banging the heck out of a drum kit is therapeutic.

Is there a piece of music you’re most proud of?

I have a track titled “Unbound” on my recent trailer album. I think that is a piece that I’m proud of because it felt like the first time I wrote a trailer score that sounded “like me”. Up to that point, I had attempted the epic, hybrid, intense trailer stuff. But when “Unbound” was made it felt like something different and that was really exciting to me.

Other than your studio, where does inspiration most often strike? (or rather “Where is the second most common place you come up with ideas?”)

My ideas most often come from driving alone in my car or in the shower. There’s something about doing a monotonous task alone that lets my mind come up with creative ideas.

In your opinion, what’s a score (or soundtrack) that is better than its movie?

As a die-hard Star Wars fan I’d have to say that without a shadow of a doubt, the sequel trilogy (episodes seven, eight, and nine) scores are way better than the movies. Don’t get me started on those though.

What’s your favorite score of all time?

Besides Star Wars, the score I go back to time and time again is Alexandre Desplat’s score for Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. It’s beautifully whimsical, quirky and emotional. I find it totally mesmerizing.

Who is your favorite composer and why?

John Williams. I think he’s on a whole different level in the way he writes motifs and arrangements. He’s an absolute genius.

What are your other hobbies when you’re not in the studio?

I really love spending time with my family. My wife and son are my whole world so anything with them is how I spend all my time when I’m not working. Playing outside, going on walks, making stop motion videos with my son, and family time is the best time. If I were to pick a hobby that I enjoy outside of that I’d say digital illustration. I love doodling on my iPad. In another life, I’d be a concept artist.

If you were stranded on a desert island with one album on your Walkman that somehow never ran out of power, what would it be?

I could listen to Relient K’s album Mmhmm forever and never get tired of it.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

“Write it, submit it, forget it.”

Tangelene Bolton

Tangelene Bolton

by | Aug 15, 2024 | 0 comments

Tangelene Bolton

Tangelene Bolton is a film, TV, and media composer known for Walt Disney Animation Studios Just a Thought, which can be seen on Disney+ as a part of the Short Circuit Experimental Films series. She also recently scored the music for the Disney live-action short, Let’s Be Tigers, which can be seen on Disney+ as a part of the Disney Launchpad Shorts Series. Other score credits include: the new Marvel’s Avengers game, where Tangelene served as Technical Score Engineer/Additional Drum Programmer, additional music on the CBS legal drama show, All Rise, and additional music for the Nickelodeon hit children’s show, Shimmer and Shine. Tangelene is a Sundance Film Music in Animation Composer Fellow.

When did the journey start for you?

At the age of two, when my grandma first taught me how to play the piano.

Who are some composers/artists you pull inspiration from?

Jon Brion, James Horner, Hans Zimmer, Thomas Newman, Debussy, and Chopin.

Which instrument(s) do you have the most fun playing?

The piano and the guitar.

Is there a favorite score you’re most proud of?

My score for Let’s Be Tigers, a Disney live-action short.

Other than your studio, where does inspiration most often strike? (or rather “Where is the second most common place you come up with ideas?”)

Usually when I’m taking a quick break from the computer, taking a walk, making coffee, or when I’m in the shower. I’ll get a quick musical thought, grab my phone, and sing or whistle the thematic idea or musical phrase into a voice memo.

What are your other hobbies when you’re not in the studio?

I’m fortunate that my hobby is my career! When I’m not in the studio doing music, I’m enjoying a nice meal or scoping out LA for new restaurants and coffee shops to try.

Louis Weeks

Louis Weeks

by | Aug 15, 2024 | 0 comments

Louis Weeks

Louis Weeks is an award-winning, critically acclaimed composer. He’s scored films that have taken top honors at some of the nation’s biggest independent film festivals and made music for some of the most recognized brands in the world, including Google, McDonald’s, Snapchat, American Express, and many more; and his projects have garnered mentions from NPR, The Washington Post, AdWeek, and The New York Times Critics’ Pick.

When did the journey start for you?

I was eight years old when I found my father’s Casio keyboard and was obsessed with the Strings 2 preset.

Who are some composers/artists you pull inspiration from?

The three B’s: Brian Eno, Bjork, and Bach. Brian Eno inspires me to slow my work down and simplify. Bjork inspires me to create with courage. Bach has every voice-leading, harmony, bass line, and arrangement inspiration I could ever need.

What’s the strangest method you’ve used to get the perfect sound?

I was hired to play synths and sound design on a record, but I wasn’t getting enough high-end excitement out of the synths I was making so the producer and I went into the kitchen, fried an egg, recorded its sizzle, and sent it through a vocoder.

What’s your favorite piece of gear in your studio?

Anything that infuses a little chaos into the process. The studio setting can get prescriptive and creatively predictable at times, so I love it when a piece of gear inspires a happy accident. Sometimes it’s a prepared piano (erasers, or coins, or cloth up against the strings), sometimes a randomly assigned knob on a synth. Lean into the chaos, and embrace the frontier!

Is there a piece of music you’re most proud of?

My first record, shift/away will always be special to me.

Other than your studio, where does inspiration most often strike? (or rather “Where is the second most common place you come up with ideas?”)

I’m most inspired when I’m on the move – walking, running, hiking, or even driving. There’s something about being in motion that makes me think clearer, and associate more freely.

What’s your favorite score of all time?

Bernard Herrmann’s Vertigo.

Who is your dream composer dinner guest and why?

Randy Newman! Nobody writes a song like Randy, and his scores are treasures.

What’s the oddest job you’ve ever had?

Hand model for a fast-food commercial.

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

“All great accomplishments require great vulnerability.” I often think of this advice when I need to muster more generosity and courage.