https://www.sakennedymusic.com/single-post/shifrin-s-wwii-cantata-re-issued

Hello everyone,

We’re excited to announce our next batch of releases on June 11 at noon Los Angeles time, featuring physical CDs and an exclusive digital release!

First up is a two-CD set from a whimsical, satirical film of the early 1970s. This collection includes the previously released re-recorded album and the original soundtrack, marking the debut of this unique composer on Dragon's Domain.

Next, we have a TV movie score from the 1970s, arranged in a narrative flow that reflects its original concept. This well-regarded composer’s work will surely resonate with fans.

Our third title features a charming, rejected film score from a talented composer who has passed away. This early 1980s discovery includes all original recordings, capturing a unique style.

Returning to the 1970s, we present a Gothic thriller’s haunting score, offering the definitive edition with all existing materials for fans of atmospheric music.

Lastly, our digital release presents a gripping score from a dark early 1980s TV movie based on real events. While brief, it showcases the composer’s talent, complemented by a digital booklet that offers valuable insights.

We hope you’ll join us to explore these exciting offerings!

The Bruce Broughton Collection, Vol. 1 (1982/1981) ****
 
BRUCE BROUGHTON
Dragon’s Domain DDR844
29 tracks - 75:13

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By the early 1980s, Bruce Broughton was steadily transitioning from episodic television—credits including Quincy, M.E., Dallas and Logan’s Run—to scoring made-for-TV movies. Two of the latter are featured on The Bruce Broughton Collection, Vol. 1 from Dragon’s Domain, offering a valuable glimpse into the composer’s formative years.

In One Shoe Makes It Murder (1982), Robert Mitchum plays a private eye hired by a mob boss (Mel Ferrer) to track down a missing woman—though, unsurprisingly, things are not what they seem. With Mitchum’s character seemingly echoing his Out of the Past (1947) persona, Broughton’s “Main Title” takes a fittingly noir approach, featuring sultry saxophone, piano and swooning strings. The main theme surfaces at the 1:05 mark, setting the tone for what follows.

Tracks like “Shill and Fay” build on this moody texture with keyboard and double bass, while “Ride to Vallejo” introduces vibraphone and a lounge-style variation of the theme. “Finding Caroline” contrasts warm strings and sax with percussive hits and screeching violins in “Caroline’s Fall,” signaling a sharp tonal turn. The melancholy melody reappears in “Drink and Talk,” now shaded with resignation.

Elsewhere, shimmering harp in “The Next Day” deepens the mystery, and low-end piano in “Back to the Lodge” shifts the tone again. “About Caroline” offers introspective strings and light piano, while “Back to Los Angeles” weaves sneaky jazz rhythms with brushed percussion and bass.

A violent “Confrontation” bursts forth with pounding snare and cello, before the smoky “Burning the Film” returns to jazzier textures. The final cue, “Return to Charnock,” closes the score with a last breath of noir, as saxophone and bass fade into the distance.

A year earlier, Broughton scored Killjoy (1981), a darker, more psychological drama involving the murder of a young woman and the unraveling lives of an ex-boyfriend (Robert Culp) and a morally dubious doctor (Stephen Macht). The grim premise gave Broughton the opportunity to explore a moodier, more atmospheric soundscape.

The “Main Title” introduces a dissonant palette of sustained strings and unsettling percussive accents. A lonely keyboard line, eventually echoed by strings, forecasts the composer’s later work in thrillers like The Presidio. “The Murder” features sliding string glissandi and sharp anvil strikes to chilling effect.

The ominously jaunty “Laury Drives” is closely followed by “Into the House,” with the main theme returning in a deliberate, string-led fashion. The strings continue in “Devious Plan/Photo Album,” before harp and pizzicato join in halfway through.

Low and high strings fight for prominence in “Joy Morgan.” The suspense continues in “The Morgue/Searching the House,” broken up by a furious string run. In “Coming Home/Joy’s House,” suspense melts away to romanticism on keyboards.

The pervading atmosphere is such that even “Soap Opera Muzak” is tinged with darkness, making acoustic guitar and flute sound very downbeat. Quivering string figures punctuate the reappearance of the main theme in “Tailing Laury.” Meanwhile, “The Real Joy Morgan/Finding the Body” buries fragments of the same theme in layers of effects and textural unease.

In “The Hospital,” rolling piano figures and sustained keyboards offer a ghostly reprise of the theme. The final cue builds from creepy string passages to an ambiguous, unresolved close—an appropriate end for a film mired in psychological complexity.

The album closes with a generous selection of bonus tracks. The alternate version of “Soap Opera Muzak” is much lighter, favoring clarinet and electric guitar. The soft rock of “Bruce’s Bar” and “One More Drink” and the light jazz-rock of “Time to Party” make for welcome respites from the darkness, though the funky “Closing Time” finds the album trailing off instead of coming to a firm close.

For fans of the composer, The Bruce Broughton Collection, Vol. 1 is an insightful look at the earlier years of his stylistic development. Here’s hoping that it leads to future volumes detailing more of the obscure scores on Broughton’s resume. —Tor Harbin

Hello, everyone!

I’m excited to share some wonderful news with you! In celebration of the 80th anniversary of V-E Day (Victory in Europe), we are preparing to release four remarkable physical titles and one captivating digital title. Each of these releases pays tribute to the extraordinary narratives and themes of World War II, bringing to life the powerful emotions and stories represented in films and television projects from that era.

Our first two releases feature scores by the same renowned composer, spanning two distinct decades—one from the dynamic 1960s and the other from the evocative 1980s. While these scores have been released before, we have meticulously revisited the original recordings to enhance their quality. We’ve revamped the artwork to match the vibrancy of the music and completed a comprehensive remastering process, resulting in significantly improved sound clarity that I’m confident will impress and delight you.

For our third title, we present a score from the vibrant 1970s, originally released on a private CD. With this new edition, we have not only remastered the audio but also designed fresh artwork that captures the essence of the film. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised by our efforts to enhance this remarkable work—it’s truly a feast for the ears.

The fourth release will also take you back to the 1970s and features the unparalleled talent of an acclaimed composer. For this reissue, we have fully remastered the score to elevate its sonic brilliance. Additionally, we are thrilled to include a track that appeared on a rare version of the score. As a special bonus, we will present a stunning suite from an alternate score crafted for the European edition of the same film, composed by a different artist using the surviving music and effects track. This is a hidden gem you won’t want to miss!

Last but certainly not least, our digital offering features another World War II score from the 1970s, composed by a talented artist making their debut on Dragon's Domain. This score has undergone thorough remastering, providing a rich and immersive listening experience, accompanied by visually captivating artwork that beautifully complements the music. It will be available simultaneously with our four physical releases.

Mark your calendars for May 14 at 12 noon Pacific Time, right here in the Los Angeles area, when we unveil these incredible titles. I truly believe you will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by what we have in store for you