Presented by Film Fest Gent, Mark Isham: Music for Film is the ninth album from the now well established and critically acclaimed Silva Screen Records series. Spotlighting some of Isham’s best work, this is the first time that an entire album is devoted to the composer’s film and television scores. The album presents a unique selection from Isham’s massive opus, including studio recordings of concert suites from 42, American Crime, The Black Dahlia, Eight Below, the Oscar-nominated score A River Runs Through It and from his recent score The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Further highlights include the jazz-infused selections from Judas and the Black Messiah and The Moderns and a symphonic version of one of his best-known original compositions 'On the Threshold of Liberty', which was also used to great effect in Rules of Engagement...

Mark Isham: Music for Film is performed by the Brussels Philharmonic and conducted by Film Fest Gent music director Dirk Brossé, the album features trumpet solos on selected pieces, played by composer Mark Isham and the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s principal trumpet Thomas Hooten.

Mark Isham is a composer whose work I've admired for years, but oddly enough never managed to get around to collecting his back catalogue of music. I mean, where do you start? He's been a film composer since the early '80s. I think the first and only score of his that I've actually bought was 1992's Of Mice and Men.

Listening to this release, I realise how many of his scores I need to invest in. Most notably, his soundtrack for Bobby is one I'll certainly be buying shortly. Also it's a major oversight that I never bought A River Runs Through It.

There's a great mix of styles here from the jazz based 'Funeral' from Judas and the Black Messiah to the epic core of 'Suite' from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Whether you're a fan of Isham's or a casual soundtrack collector, it's worth adding this richly layered album to your collection. Isham is a talented and often overlooked composer who has delivered so many incredible scores.

Track listing:

01. Prologue from Bobby
02. Suite from Eight Below
03. Suite from A River Runs Through It
04. Funeral from Judas and the Black Messiah
05. Building a Family from Life as a House
06. On the Threshold of Liberty from Rules of Engagement
07. The Event Flashback from The Nevers
08 Suite from The Black Dahlia
09. Suite - Movement III from American Crime
10. Les Modernes Suite from The Moderns
11. Suite from The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
12. Suite from 42

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Darren Rea