Varèse Sarabande Records celebrate composer Elmer Bernstein with the release of Elmer Bernstein: The Wild Side. This special recording focuses on the jazz and big band scores from the acclaimed composer, from such films as The Man With the Golden Arm, Johnny Staccato, Devil in a Blue Dress and Walk on the Wild Side...

Elmer Bernstein: The Wild Side will be a welcome addition to his fan's music collections. Over the course of this album's 17 tracks (55 min, 38 sec) we are treated to big band and jazz renditions of some of his most memorable scores... as well as a few forgotten classics.

Personally, I'd forgotten that Bernstein composed the score for Ghostbusters, so to hear the familiar theme here was a pleasant surprise - even if I wasn't too struck on its reworking. It was also interesting to note that Devil in a Blue Dress has a segment in it that appears to be an extension of a segment that Bernstein had written for Ghostbusters.

Of course, it goes without saying if you hate jazz and big band recordings then you should steer well clear of this... as there's nothing here that will convert you.

It's an interesting, and well compiled collection that beautifully honours the man and his work.

Track listing:

01 - The Man With The Golden Arm
02 - The Rat Race
03 - Saints and Sinners
04 - Jubilation
05 - The Age of Innocence
06 - Black Straitjacket
07 - Birdito
08 - The Silencers
09 - Ghostbusters
10 - Theme
11 - Night Mood
12 - Like Having Fun
13 - Walk A Lonely Street
14 - Pursuit
15 - Devil In A Blue Dress
16 - Sweet Smell of Success
17 - Walk On The Wild Side

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Darren Rea