The Goldsmith Odyssey

Intrada's new re-recording of Jerry Goldsmith's The Chairman is now being shipped to Kickstarter supporters, and our new Production Report offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of this remarkable album. Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark are joined by a large cast of key contributors: conductor William Stromberg and his wife Anna (both of whom worked on preparing the score for the Royal Scottish National Orchestra), producer Leigh Phillips, and Jeff Johnson and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records. Over the course of this revealing conversation, the group talks about the The Chairman's unique instrumentation, the benefits of conducting from the podium vs. listening from the booth, amusing moments from the two-day recording sessions, the remarkable collection of bonus tracks recorded for the album, and so much more! Plus, a sneak preview of Intrada's next recording with the RSNO. There's an abundance of great stuff in this one, so check it out!Note: while we're primarily an audio-only show, in this instance, we'd recommend watching the video version of the program on YouTube. In addition to seeing the friendly faces of all involved, you'll be treated to an abundance of behind-the-scenes photos and videos that provide further insight into the recording process. However, if listening is easier than watching, we've provided this audio-only version for your convenience.And here’s a link to the unlisted General with the Cockeyed Id video on YouTube!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

The good folks at La-La Land Records have unveiled this year's Black Friday releases, and we're pleased to bring you a Soundtrack Spotlight on their latest Goldsmith offering. J. Lee Thompson's 1985 film King Solomon's Mines takes much inspiration from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Goldsmith follows suit with an old-fashioned, fully orchestral adventure score. Your humble host Jens is joined by album producer Neil S. Bulk and liner notes writer Jeff Bond for a conversation on correcting the pitch and tempo of the music, how much of a debt the music owes to John Williams, the sonic adjustments Mike Matessino made to the score during the mixing process, why the score has more depth and complexity than it's given credit for, and much more! In the words of King Solomon: "Checking out this new Spotlight would be a wise decision, imo." Enjoy!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

If your musical tastes are anything like ours, odds are you've been spinning the wonderful new recordings of Jerry Goldsmith's music for the TV movies Pursuit, Crawlspace, and The People Next Door quite frequently over the past few months. Now, we invite you to join us for a look at the creation of this terrific album. Before the main event gets underway, our show begins with a tribute to composer, orchestrator, and reconstructionist John Morgan, who passed away only the day before we recorded this program this past January. Following this, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Leigh Phillips about how these three scores were chosen, the benefits of him working in the booth while Adam Klemens conducts the orchestra, the challenges of recreating a vintage '70s sound for these scores, the subtle adjustments that are made over the course of the mixing process, the tantalizing musical preview of The Waltons offered at the end of the album, and much more! Apologies for the delay on this one, but we think you'll enjoy the music, memories, and conversation.Edited by Wes Deckers....who made us a handy Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

With the aid of their magic amulet, the good folks at Intrada Records have finally located the missing pieces of Jerry Goldsmith’s score for the 1982 animated film The Secret of NIMH. In this new Soundtrack Spotlight, mastering engineer Chris Malone, liner notes writer Jeff Bond, and Intrada's own Roger Feigelson join your humble hosts Jens, Yavar, David, and Clark for an examination of the definitive new presentation of this extraordinary work. You'll hear conversation about why this score sounds richer than ever, what the handful of new cues add to the listening experience, this score's significance within Goldsmith's larger body of work, and much more. As always, you'll hear plenty of illustrative excerpts from the new album along the way. Remember: you can unlock any door if you only have the key, and you can listen to this podcast if you only click the play button.Here's the track list!Special thanks to Chris Shaneyfelt for getting us the early LP pressings version of "Jadwiga Relived," from QB VII!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

It's a long road when you're fixing First Blood And it hurts when you have to double dip But this new release Corrects some notable flaws In some crucial ways It really rights the ship It's a Spotlight Your hosts David and Jens, they'll tell ya They're here to inform ya And they brought some friends Roger Feigelson And Neil S. Bulk Serve as our special guests Explain why this new release is the best, For you and meeeee Cause restoration is long, yeah Each step is only the beginning They've fixed the speed now And added tiny pieces that were missing It's a good show And it's short as hell You should give it a spin Before you buy Now they've fixed First Blood And that's the end of it A definitive release that just might Make John Rambo cry! Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

It's another Soundtrack Spotlight! This time, your humble hosts Yavar and David are joined by liner notes writer Tim Greiving and mastering engineer Chris Malone for an examination of Jerry Goldsmith's alternately lyrical and chilling score for Robert Mulligan's 1972 horror film The Other. Previously only available on CD as a 22-minute suite, the complete score has been beautifully restored and reveals itself as a yet another remarkable Goldsmith work. In this show, you'll hear discussion of the film's troubled production history and mixed critical reception, the advances in audio restoration tools since the release of the previous album, Goldsmith's eclectic instrumental choices, and much more. Plus, as usual, you'll hear plenty of musical selections from the new album along the way. Unfortunately, the CD sold out long before we were able to get this program to the finish line, but remains available for digital purchase and can be heard via the major music streaming services. So give our Spotlight a listen, or just wait until we learn how to astrally project our thoughts into your mind. Enjoy!Here is your The Other Soundtrack Spotlight Track ListPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

With only three days left to pledge your support for a New Recording of Jerry Goldsmith's score to The Chairman on Kickstarter, Jens makes an impassioned plea to all of you to help make it happen.Click here for the Kickstarter pagePlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

Intrada's new release of Jerry Goldsmith’s original film tracks for Islands in the Stream gave us the opportunity to not only talk about a score the composer regarded as a personal favorite, but also to share memories of Intrada’s beloved founder, Douglass Fake. On this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, the complete Odyssey team — Jens, Yavar, David, and Clark — is joined by Intrada producer Roger Feigelson, shipping manager Jeff Johnson, media consultant Joe Sikoryak, liner notes writer Frank DeWald, and mastering engineer Chris Malone. First you’ll hear a discussion of the new album, including details on the sound improvements this release makes over the original FSM presentation, the integrity of Goldsmith’s work as a complete composition, Intrada’s long history with this score, and more. Following this, the group takes some time to offer personal memories of Doug, who meant a great deal to all of us in different ways. In addition, at the program’s conclusion you'll hear a special bonus: a pair of never-before-released excerpts of past conversations with Doug, teasing the then-unreleased Intrada presentations of Goldsmith’s MacArthur and John Williams’s The Patriot. This is a meaningful one, and we hope you’ll enjoy it.Islands In the Stream Soundtrack Spotlight Track ListPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

Say, what's that great big thing, amidst this collection of freshly-lopped heads? Sacre bleu! I's a new regular episode! Longtime friend of the show (and Certified Thriller Expert) Leigh Phillips joins David, Yavar, and Clark to discuss Jerry Goldsmith's music for the Thriller installment "Guillotine," a score that is by turns ominous, slyly beautiful, and darkly playful. The guys examine the score's echoes of other Goldsmith works (particularly Basic Instinct), debate the degree to which the episode is intended as dark comedy, consider the possibility of this score being re-recorded for a potential third volume of Leigh's Thriller series in the future, and much more. So grab a big plate of fresh pancakes, press play, and enjoy!Thriller: Guillotine Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

In June of 2024, The Austin Symphony offered an evening of live Jerry Goldsmith music containing selections from Gremlins, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Total Recall, and other beloved scores. A few months later, Yavar and Clark — who were in attendance at the concert, along with Goldsmith Odyssey co-founder Jens — spoke to conductor Peter Bay and principal librarian Ali Verderber about the performance. You'll hear about Peter's long-time passion for Goldsmith's music, Ali's efforts to secure the rights to certain pieces, the difficulty of staging a Goldsmith concert vs. a John Williams program, the pieces that proved most challenging in rehearsals, and much more! It’s a fun and informative chat, and we hope you'll enjoy it as much as we did.Here is your track list!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

It's always a treat to hear from filmmakers who got to work directly with Jerry, and we're thrilled that director Jonathan Kaplan took the time to share his memories with us. In this wide-ranging Odyssey Interview, Jonathan tells David and Yavar about his father Sol Kaplan's career as a film composer, the thrill of watching Isaac Hayes perform the Truck Turner score, collaborating with Goldsmith on Love Field and Bad Girls, helping James Horner craft the main theme for Unlawful Entry, the budget limitations that led to Brad Fiedel creating a solo electronic score for The Accused, and so much more! This one is a lively, entertaining chat that's loaded with great stories (and plenty of musical illustrations), so we hope you’ll give it a listen.Track List - Odyssey Interviews - Jonathan Kaplan on Sol Kaplan, Love Field, and Bad GirlsPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

Our intermittent exploration of Jerry Goldsmith's early radio work continues with a 2-for-1 special: an episode of CBS Radio Workshop that offers brief dramatizations of the Ray Bradbury short stories "Season of Disbelief" and "Hail and Farewell" (both of which are introduced by Bradbury himself). Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark explore the rich, sensitive small-scale scores Goldsmith created for these stories, both of which contain memorable themes and compelling musical ideas. While all three members of the team regard "Hail and Farewell" rather warmly, "Season of Disbelief" prompts some strikingly different interpretations and spirited conversation. We've included the full presentation of both stories within the episode for your consideration, so you can form your own opinions on the matter. If you're looking for something to listen to attempting to grasp the rope of life, give this one a spin! Our hope is that it'll provide a bit of solace when the rope inevitably hisses through your fingers.The Bradbury Show Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Jerry Goldsmith's music has been present in multiple Hollywood blockbusters this year, and his musical voice is particularly prominent in John Paesano's score for Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. In this Odyssey Interview, Yavar and Goldsmith biographer Jeff Bond talk with Paesano about the challenges of finding a middle ground between Goldsmith's iconic original score and the more recent sound Michael Giacchino has established for the series, director Wes Ball's passion for film music, Paesano's slow and steady path to finding success as a film composer, assisting Goldsmith on some of the legendary composer's later film scores, and much more! Whether you're one of our human listeners or an intelligent ape doing research on human musical preferences, we think you'll find this an engaging conversation. Enjoy!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Returning guest Carlos Rafael Rivera joins us for our longest episode to date!In the opening portion of the show, Carlos takes us on an in-depth guided tour of the history of Spanish classical guitar music, providing a brilliant framework through which to view the music we'll be covering.After that, Carlos joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark for an exploration of three guitar-based Goldsmith radio scores: the Hallmark Hall of Fame installment "Simón Bolívar," plus the CBS Romance episodes "Córdoba" and "The Guitar." Additionally, we return to Goldsmith's early Toccata for Solo Guitar concert work, this time with expert insights from our guest.Finally, we take some time to catch up with Carlos on the work he's been doing in recent years, offering comments on and samples from projects like Lessons in Chemistry, Monsieur Spade, Ezra, Just Beyond, Chupa, and more!Despite lasting nearly as long as Simón Bolívar’s exile in Jamaica, we think there's a great deal to savor in this one. Listen in manageable chunks, or just sit back and spend the day with us. Enjoy!Here's your The Early Guitar Scores (1954-1958) with Carlos Rafael Rivera Track list!  Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Are you now, or have you ever been, a Jerry Goldsmith fan? If so, you won't want to miss our third and final production report on Leigh Phillips' marvelous Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater series. Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Leigh about the three latest additions: the stark and grim "My Dark Days," the cheerfully Italian-flavored "The Committeeman," and the gorgeous library music collection "Autumn Love." In addition to exploring the various challenges of bringing these scores to the finish line, Leigh reflects on the success of the GE Theater project as a whole, and takes some time to talk about what he might be tackling in the future. Along the way, you'll hear samples from each of the scores, and behind-the-scenes excerpts of Leigh working his talented ensemble of players. So grab a plate of mama's homemade spaghetti, and take a listen!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

We know what you’re thinking: "Wait… didn't you guys already do an Inchon Soundtrack Spotlight?" Indeed we did, back in 2020, when Intrada rereleased Jerry Goldsmith's memorable score for the otherwise largely forgotten 1981 Korean War drama. Now, Intrada has released the score yet again, with improved audio and a small handful of new extras. In this follow-up Spotlight, your humble hosts David and Clark chat with Intrada's Douglass Fake and audio engineer Chris Malone about the surprising discovery that led to this new release, the ways in which this score improves on the audio quality offered by previous releases, the various engineering decisions that affect the quality of a film music recording, the thought process that goes into deciding whether or not to reissue a score, and much more. Those who have already purchased one or more of the previous editions of the score will undoubtedly have differing opinions on whether or not to upgrade, but we hope this program will prove a useful resource in helping you make an informed decision. So give it a listen, and find out why you should consider visiting Inchon againchon! Your Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Inchon Tech Talk with Doug Fake and Chris Malone Track ListPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

Jerry Goldsmith's musical legacy lives on in the new animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, featuring a wonderful score by composer Sherri Chung. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark chat with Sherri about the score's large collection of memorable thematic ideas, the joy of being given the opportunity take a traditionally orchestral musical approach, the wide array of distinctive ethnic instruments employed throughout, the importance of nodding to Goldsmith's iconic themes, the challenges of navigating the modern TV music landscape, what we might be able to expect musically from the second season of the show, and more! So if it's after midnight and you're struggling to fall asleep, just sit down in a brightly-lit place, pour yourself a nice glass of water, grab a snack, and give this one a listen!Here's the Odyssey Interviews - Sherri Chung on Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai Track List, with better credits than you'll find stated in the episode itself for some tracks.Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Attention! Our final Soundtrack Spotlight of the year is here! 2023 hasn’t exactly been jam-packed with new Goldsmith releases, but it’s closing with a pretty special one: Intrada’s new 2-CD presentation of MacArthur, which offers both a restoration of the original LP re-recording and the premiere of the original film tracks. Your humble hosts Yavar and David are joined by Intrada’s Douglass Fake, liner notes writer Jeff Bond, and restoration specialist Chris Malone to discuss this thrilling new release. They discuss the surprising thematic depth and variety the full version of the score has to offer, the assorted restoration challenges posed by this project, the sonic differences between the film mix and the re-recorded album cues, and much more. Remember: old film scores never die, they just get better-sounding and more complete. Dismissed! Soundtrack Spotlight shall return… in 2024.Track List - Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - MacArthur Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Take shelter! Mariah is here! (No, not that one.) Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark dig into the CBS Radio Workshop episode "Storm," a meteorologically-themed docudrama featuring striking narration from William Conrad and a tense, turbulent score from Jerry Goldsmith. You'll hear discussion of the unique nature of this experimental radio series, the effectiveness of Goldsmith's decision to use music to create a dividing line between the narration and the scripted drama, the striking use of a harmonica to represent the storm, the minimal use of recurring themes, and more! While you're waiting for the skies to clear, join us in the storm cellar for an exploration of this little-known musical gem. Enjoy!CBS Radio Workshop - Storm Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

We know what you're thinking: why is The Goldsmith Odyssey covering Leith Stevens? Well, for one thing, War of the Worlds (1953) is a personal favorite film and score of Odyssey co-host and editor W. David Lichty. For another, it's a good excuse to spend time with friends of the show Chris Malone (who co-produced the new expanded  album for La-La Land) and John Takis (who wrote the liner notes), both of whom once again have marvelous musical insights to offer. And for more reasons, just listen to the show itself, in which you'll hear discussion of where this score sits within Stevens' body of work, the surprising ways in which the score functions dramatically, the crucial improvements this album makes to the previous release, the qualities of the companion score When Worlds Collide, the wildly different versions of this classic story that have been offered over the years, and much more! Don't worry, we aren't planning to start wandering off-mission on a regular basis, but this new release was too exciting a conversation topic to pass up.  Despite the relative absence of our pal Jerry, we hope you'll enjoy this affectionate celebration of an underappreciated composer's most significant work. Here!  A The War of the Worlds Bonus Soundtrack Spotlight track list!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Better late than never, we offer a detailed Soundtrack Spotlight on Varese Sarabande's definitive presentation of Jerry Goldsmith’s memorably noir-tinged score for Harold Becker's City Hall! First, your humble hosts David and Clark are joined by liner notes writer Tim Greiving for a discussion of the film's modest virtues, the score's central ideas, the real-life experiences that informed the film's screenplay, the musical influence of Leonard Bernstein's On the Waterfront, and other topics. Afterwards, David and Clark explore the significant and subtle differences between the various film versions, album versions, and alternates this thorough score presentation has to offer. We hope you'll join us for a stroll down the corridors of power(ful film music)!Here is your de-confusing City Hall Soundtrack Spotlight Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

The latest Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater volume is now available, and we're thrilled to give you all the details in this Production Report with our friend, conductor/reconstructionist/renaissance man Leigh Phillips. The fifth entry in his ongoing series of re-recordings is "The Last Dance," a sensitive and emotionally complex score for an episode of television that remains lost for the time being. In addition to offering a detailed breakdown of the assorted challenges posed throughout the recording session, Leigh talks to your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark about how the success of the earlier Kickstarter campaigns led to this "bonus" recording, inviting a wider audience to view the recording sessions, the most effective approach to leading an orchestra, his ambitious plan to re-record Goldsmith's Lionheart, and much more. Give it a listen, and then click over to Leigh's website to secure your copy of the score (featuring liner notes by Yavar). Enjoy!Edited by Wes Deckers.Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Back in October of 2021, your humble hosts Yavar and David had a conversation with esteemed art designer Joe Sikoryak about his work  for Film Score Monthly, Intrada, Percepto, and La-La Land Records. Over the course of that chat, Joe offered comments on falling in love with film music as a child, shopping at Intrada Records during the physical shop's early days, and getting a job from Lukas Kendall to redesign and help give Film Score Monthly a more professional magazine look. He mused on the evolving style of soundtrack album design, the challenging economics of releasing soundtrack albums, the Jerry Goldsmith music he enjoys most, and why (as a huge fan of both Goldsmith and Star Trek) he initially struggled to fully connect with the music for Star Trek: The Motion Picture! That discussion is bookended by a more recent chat, in which Joe offers an update on a graphic novel he’s been working on, talks about his participation in both The Jerry Goldsmith Companion and Jerry Goldsmith at The General Electric Theater Kickstarter projects, and offers a great many further insights. Joe has contributed a great deal to the world of soundtrack albums and has a lot of thoughtful commentary to offer, so this is a 2-in-1 conversation you'll want to make time for. It's the interview equivalent of dry-aged brisket placed within a freshly-baked bun, and our hope is that it's comparably enjoyable!Edited by Wes Deckers.https://www.joesikoryak.comhttps://birdcage-bottom-books.myshopify.com/products/when-we-were-trekkies-bundle-issues-1-7Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Given that all members of the Odyssey team are also lifelong Star Trek enthusiasts, we were particularly thrilled and honored to welcome actor/director Jonathan Frakes to the program. Your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark, along with Film Score Monthly founder Lukas Kendall, chat with Jonathan about his experiences working with Jerry on Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection, the complex nature of Goldsmith’s relationship with the Trek franchise, the collaborative qualities that distinguished Jerry from other film composers, the warmly-received third season of Star Trek: Picard, and much more! It's a warm, lively chat filled with fond memories and memorable music. If you've got 50 minutes to spare, make this show your Number One priority!Note: This interview was conducted on July 12th, 2023, just prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike.Track List - Odyssey Interviews - Jonathan FrakesSpecial thanks to friend of the show Stéphane Coëdel for his lovely work on this episode's cover image.Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

In this episode, we turn our attention to one of America's most memorable, witty, and insightful figures: Andy, co-host of the excellent film music podcast Settling the Score. He joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to examine the Playhouse 90 installment "The Shape of the River," which details the tragedy-filled later years of writer Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain), and offers a Goldsmith score that alternates between bustling Americana and plaintive melancholy. We take a look at why this teleplay struggles to succeed despite being written by Oscar-winner Horton Foote, try to pin down Goldsmith's unusually loose and slippery thematic ideas, and even offer some reconstructed versions of cues missing from the episode (generously provided by friend of the show Carson Cohen). So give it a listen, and allow our viewing pain to become your listening pleasure!Your handy Shape of the River Track List! Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

The whole band is back together for a very special kinda-sorta anniversary show! Your humble hosts David, Yavar, Clark, and Jens dig into Goldsmith’s memorable radio score for the 1956 CBS Suspense episode "The Security Agent," a political thriller about two friends attempting to flee Communist Poland. You'll hear discussion of the surprising musical origins of Goldsmith's main theme, the composer's early instincts for knowing when to hold back, the surprisingly nuanced characterizations this tale has to offer, and much more! Afterwards, stick around for a bonus trip down memory lane, as we look back on some of our favorite episodes and discoveries of the Odyssey's first five years. Whether you've been along for the whole ride or have just discovered the show, we thank you for listening, and hope you'll pardon the self-indulgence. Enjoy!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

After decades of writing about Jerry Goldsmith, author and film music historian Jeff Bond is preparing to deliver his definitive work on the subject: The Jerry Goldsmith Companion, a massive, two-volume set offering a thorough examination of the legendary composer's full career. In this Production Report, your humble hosts Yavar and David chat with Jeff about the process of creating the book, the degree to which the Goldsmith-themed liner notes he's written over the years informed the project, surprising discoveries made throughout the process, the different eras and defining traits of Goldsmith's career, and much more! It's a lively, music-filled conversation that we hope serves as a satisfying appetizer for the grandiose main course that lies ahead. Enjoy!Here's your Jerry Goldsmith Companion with Jeff Bond Production Report Track List! Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Another pair of Jerry Goldsmith re-recordings are right around the corner, and we're pleased to offer all of the exciting details in our latest Production Report. This time, Leigh Phillips is presenting two strikingly different Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: the bright, chipper “The Legend That Walks Like a Man” (previously covered by The Goldsmith Odyssey back in Episode 25) and the grim, militaristic "Hitler's Secret." Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark talk with Leigh about how those scores were chosen, the work that was involved in preparing them for recording, which passages in "The Legend That Walks Like a Man" required virtuosic soloists, the thought process behind making minor modifications to the "Hitler's Secret" sheet music, what we can expect from the next round of Kickstarter recordings, and much more! Additionally, this episode is loaded with exclusive behind-the-scenes excerpts from the recording sessions, giving you the opportunity to be a fly on the wall for a variety of key moments in the creation of these new recordings. Unlike certain notorious historical figures, we keep no secrets on this show, so give it a listen and get the inside scoop! Your The Legend That Walks Like a Man & Hitler's Secret Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

In the summer of 2022, your humble hosts David and Yavar had a conversation with Mike Matessino about his work on the Director’s Edition of Star Trek: The Motion Picture (both the original DVD presentation and the dazzling new 4K restoration). While some of the revelations Mike offered prevented us from releasing this show until now, we are pleased to finally share this extraordinary interview. Over the course of this bountiful conversation, Mike talks about the years he spent working alongside director Robert Wise, the circumstances that led to the creation of the Director’s Edition, the challenging aspects of the restoration process, the ways in which the many changes enhance the film’s storytelling, his discussions with Jerry Goldsmith about the project, and so much more. This is our longest show to date, but one we feel is well worth the time. It’s an essential supplement to The Director’s Edition, loaded with insights from a man who knows the film as well as anyone. It will startle your senses, challenge your intellect, and alter your perception of the future… or at the very least, provide an absorbing listen. Enjoy!Here is your handy track list! Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

A lot of unusual noises have been heard in Jerry Goldsmith’s score for The ‘Burbs, so we gathered all of the neighbors together to discuss them. In this very special Soundtrack Spotlight, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Jens, and Clark are pleased to welcome director Joe Dante, editor Marshall Harvey, recording engineer Bruce Botnick, album co-producer Neil S. Bulk, and album art designer Dan Goldwasser. You’ll hear stories about the creation of the film, discussion of the wide array of colorful elements in Goldsmith’s witty score, insights on the creation of the Morricone-heavy temp track, details on the improved sound and additional music offered by the new La-La Land release, and much more! In addition, we also take a little time to discuss the group’s memories of Goldsmith’s collaboration with Dante on the comparably spirited and eclectic Looney Tunes: Back in Action, which turned out to be the final score of the composer’s remarkable career. It’s a joyful, tuneful show with lots of music and memories, so open the trunk and see what you find!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

One fateful evening, your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark gathered together to record a new installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, focusing on the Playhouse 90 drama “Project Immortality”. The episode is a character-driven story with just a splash of sci-fi intrigue, starring Lee J. Cobb as a dying scientist who has agreed to let a team of researchers attempt to reproduce his brain using an advanced computer program. The accompanying Jerry Goldsmith score is frequently somber and sensitive, though it also contains some dazzling bursts of energy and color. If we're permitted to say so, it's a good conversation about a good episode of television. The only problem — and it's a sizable problem, to be honest — is that Clark's mic was having issues, and his audio sounds rather dismal as a result. An unfortunate turn of events, but we hope the conversation and analysis proves compelling enough to overcome this issue. Thanks for understanding, and enjoy the show!Track List - Episode 37 - Project Immortality - Playhouse 90Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

What's that mysterious sound coming from the room upstairs? Could it be the ghost of a murdered composer, playing a distinctly Goldsmithian melody on the piano? Mercifully, no. Upon closer inspection, it was just an audio clip featured in the latest installment of The Goldsmith Odyssey, which focuses on the Ida Lupino-directed Thriller episode "What Beckoning Ghost?" Your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark are joined by two special guests: director Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, both of whom have a wide variety of insights to offer on Goldsmith's playfully mysterious score. Also, if you want to get to know Amin and Panu a bit better and hear more about their Goldsmith fandom, be sure to check out our recent Odyssey Interview with them. Enjoy the show, and happy holidays!Here's your handy Thriller - “What Beckoning Ghost?” Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

While we've been honored to have both composers and directors appear on The Goldsmith Odyssey, it was a particular treat to welcome our first director-composer team to the program: filmmaker Amin Maltaqa and composer Panu Aaltio, whose new film 5000 Blankets is playing in theaters December 12 & 13 (and will be streamable in the months ahead). In this Odyssey Interview, Amin and Panu tell your humble hosts Yavar, David, and Clark about their deep and abiding film music fandom, their love of Jerry Goldsmith, their collaborative process, and much more! Naturally you'll hear plenty of excerpts from Panu's new score: a melodic, emotional work marked by memorable themes, striking orchestrations, and a welcome sense of old-fashioned romanticism. And stay tuned for our next regular episode, in which Amin and Panu will join us for an examination of Jerry's score for the Thriller installment “What Beckoning Ghost?” Enjoy!To hear Amin and Panu do a deeper dive into Panu’s thematic material and its development over the course of 5000 Blankets, check out this video featurette on YouTube!Mentioned in the show, Erik Woods' program, Cinematic Sound Radio has covered Panu's music a few times.  Here are those shows, Episode 37 being the one to which Amin refers:http://www.cinematicsound.net/tag/panu-aaltio/Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

On the record, off the QT, and not even remotely hush hush: it's a new Soundtrack Spotlight! Yavar is joined by liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving for a conversation about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's Oscar-nominated score for L.A. Confidential. You'll hear about how this score represents the culmination of Goldsmith's noir-themed work, why Tim didn't connect with the film, Tim's approach to the liner notes, the balance between source music and score in the film, Goldsmith's conservative approach to spotting, and more! Along the way, you'll hear plenty of excerpts from the new album, which adds over 15 minutes of previously unreleased music. So give it a listen! Life is good on The Goldsmith Odyssey... it's paradise on earth. Ha ha ha ha. That's what they tell you, anyway.Here's your Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - L.A. Confidential Track List!Even more helpful is this L.A. Confidential Comparison spreadsheet made by Jason LeBlanc.  The film versions and album versions can be quite different, with alternate takes and different blends of cues.  We couldn't have covered all of this in the show, and now, you don't need us to!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Want to hear some great Jerry Goldsmith stories? You could pay a major corporation to remember them for you wholesale... or you could listen to one of Jerry's most important collaborators remember them for free. In this Odyssey Interview, your humble hosts David, Jens, Yavar, and Clark are joined by a very special guest: legendary filmmaker Paul Verhoeven. Over the course of this conversation, you'll hear Paul talk about the pleasure of hearing Jerry's memorable music for Total Recall, the challenging (and ultimately rewarding) process of finding the right sound for Basic Instinct, why he was moved to tears by Jerry's music for Hollow Man, his admiration of Jerry's music for other movies, his attempt to reunite with Goldsmith and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the unrealized blockbuster Crusade, the classical composers who influenced the musical sound of his movies, and much more. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a lively hour of memories and music!Here is your handy, helpful, Odyssey Interviews - Paul Verhoeven Track List!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

One of Jerry's longest scores gets an appropriately substantial Soundtrack Spotlight! In celebration of Intrada's new two disc complete release of Jerry's alternately suspenseful, cerebral, and thrilling score for Paul Verhoeven's Hollow Man, your humble hosts Yavar, David, Clark, and Jens are pleased to welcome a quintet of special guests. Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records share details of how this album was assembled. Liner notes writer and film music historian Jeff Bond adds insightful commentary on the score and where it fits in Goldsmith's larger body of work. Plus we welcome two close Goldsmith collaborators who participated in the creation of this score: Recording engineer Bruce Botnick and synth programmer Nick Vidar join us to share their memories of the recording sessions and shed light on Jerry's approach to employing synths! You may not be able to see any of the participants, but we hope you'll enjoy hearing this wide-ranging, illuminating chat on one of the standout scores of Goldsmith's later years.This episode is even shorter than Intrada's new release - truly a remarkable achievement given our history.Here is your handy Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight - Hollow Man Track List!This episode contains clips from a radio program produced and hosted by Michael Moricz in January of 1988, The Audio Works Studio WDUQ.    It's one of the ones where Jerry really was forthcoming!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Good evening, and welcome to Odyssey World News. Our top story tonight: in September of 2022, Jerry Goldsmith's iconic score for Rudy was performed live-to-picture by the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Justin Freer. We sent two of our reporters, Jens Dietrich and W. David Lichty, to produce our very first Field Report. They had the opportunity to talk with Freer, who spoke at length about his love of Goldsmith, the process of preparing for a live-to-picture performance, which Goldsmith scores he'd most like to conduct next, and a host of other topics. The group was joined by noted film music enthusiast Ron Burbella, who had some fun and surprising anecdotes of his own to share. Additionally, David and Jens take a little time to share details of their own wonderful experiences surrounding the Rudy performance. Here's their report.Once you've completed the main program, why not take a look at at Lichty and Burbella's written reports?In case any future performances are arranged, keep an eye on the official Rudy in Concert website!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Confession: we meant to record this episode back in April, but failed to do so. If this were happening to some other show, a lesser podcast perhaps, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark suppose they might find this amusing. One expects ordinary podcasts to fail, to be betrayed by their own incompetence. We suppose we might even find a grotesque humor in our predicament if our failure were due to any lack of logic or skill on our part. But to be betrayed by this clumsy intrusion of scheduling... if one can call busy lives, varied work weeks, and unfinished prep work scheduling... well, no matter, we did the best we could, which is all any podcast of sensitivity and intelligence can do. What's it about, you ask? Why, it's about the Studio One episode "A Dead Ringer", which stars Gig Young as a man plotting the murder of his wealthy wife. It's a knotty hour of television featuring a compelling, Herrmannesque Goldsmith score, which features a variety of striking ideas and is largely built around a rising-and-falling ostinato. We're glad that we finally managed to get the recording done, and we hope you enjoy it. Still, all things considered, it does seem ironic that what was planned and eventually executed with such perfection, even artistry, should now be reduced to just another episode.Track List - The Goldsmith Odyssey covers Westinghouse Studio One - A Dead Ringer - (1958) Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Our latest Soundtrack Spotlight may be smaller than most, but it's got a lot of heart! Liner notes writer and film music journalist Tim Greiving joins your humble host Yavar to talk about Varese Sarabande's new Deluxe Edition of Jerry Goldsmith's beloved score for Rudy. Among the topics of conversation: Tim's personal connection to the score, why he took a less analytical approach to the liner notes, standout moments from the previously unreleased music on the album, Goldsmith's personal affection for this project, and more. Enjoy the show, and stay tuned for another Rudy-themed program in the near future!Edited by Wes DeckersPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

La-La Land's Goldsmith at 20th series continues with the most exciting volume yet, and we have a new Soundtrack Spotlight to commemorate the occasion! Film music restoration experts Mike Matessino and Chris Malone join your humble hosts Yavar and David to discuss the varied challenges of working on seven different Goldsmith television projects composed between 1968 and 1975: Anna and the King, A Girl Named Sooner, Nick Quarry, Only in America, Prudence and the Chief, Room 222, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. You'll hear excerpts from all of these scores, along with discussion of where certain elements were found, which projects required the greatest degree of restoration work, how Goldsmith's work fits within the musical conventions of the era, and much more! This is one of the most exciting Goldsmith releases in some time (boasting two premieres and two significant expansions), so tune in and get a taste while waiting for your copy to arrive!Edited by Wes DeckersPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

The Sound of Music. Dirty Harry. Airplane! The Simpsons. Edward Scissorhands. Rudy. The Sixth Sense. Finding Nemo. Deadpool 2. If you’ve seen any of these, you’ve heard the voice of Sally Stevens. Want to hear it again? Then join us for this special Odyssey Interview, in which the singer and vocal contractor shares stories from her remarkable Hollywood career. In addition to discussing her work with Jerry Goldsmith on films like The Secret of N.I.M.H. (for which she performed the tender song “Flying Dreams”), Congo, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action, you’ll hear stories of her work with legendary composers like Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Danny Elfman, James Horner, John Williams, and more! She also tells your humble hosts Yavar and David about her first film score experience (performing on Alfred Newman’s How the West Was Won), the complex work involved in being a vocal contractor, and offers some details on her forthcoming memoir. Given her staggering resume, Sally has a treasure trove of anecdotes to share, and the show is loaded with musical excerpts from a wide array of the scores she contributed to. It’s a warm musical journey down memory lane, and we hope you enjoy it.(Content warning: contains brief choral cussin’)Want to know what you just heard?  Just go to our Track List for Odyssey Interviews - Sally StevensWant to see James Horner's studio and toys? Here's an article with pictures.Sally's links:Sally Stevens PhotographySally Stevens WriterHollywood Film ChoraleHey, we recorded this almost a year ago, and, you know, things change.  Sally's memoir is now titled “I SANG THAT…From Sound of Music to The Simpsons, to South Park and Beyond - a Memoir from Hollywood”Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

New Goldsmith music is just around the corner, and we have a new production report to fill you in on all the details! With the aid of his Kickstarter backers, Leigh Phillips has created two new recordings of previously unreleased Goldsmith scores written for The General Electric Theatre: “The Bar Mitzvah of Major Orlovsky” (which foreshadows such Jewish-themed Goldsmith works as QBVII and Masada) and “Sarah’s Laughter” (a tender, yet surprisingly complex, score marked by striking harmonica passages). Leigh joins your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark to talk about the origins of the project, the fundraising process, the challenges of reconstructing “Major Orlovsky”, recording the music with members of the City of Prague Philharmonic, mixing the music, and much more! Naturally, you’ll be treated to some choice excerpts of the new music along the way. Whether you’re a Kickstarter backer who’s eager for more details on the project or simply a casually curious listener, we think there’s much to enjoy here. So give the show a listen, and get ready for the arrival of two wonderful television scores!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Hey, it's an Odyssey bonus feature! If you look at the average runtime of our episodes, you may have concluded that we like to talk. It's true. In fact, we like to talk so much that sometimes we even talk outside the sprawling boundaries of the program itself. Sometimes, that bonus conversation gets recorded. And this time, we've cobbled some bits and pieces of that bonus conversation together for your eavesdropping pleasure. Before and after recording the Caboblanco Soundtrack Spotlight, your humble hosts Clark and David spent some time casually chatting with guest Chris Malone about... well, about soundtrack stuff. If you like soundtrack stuff (and we have a feeling that you do), you might enjoy the conversation.Note: If you are planning to use this show as accompaniment to this year's holiday fireworks display, we recommend starting your grand finale near the end when Chris says, "It's an interesting time at the moment," as the grand display of colorful explosions will help subtly accentuate just how interesting the moment is.Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Trapped in a life that doesn't fulfill you? Struggling with the feeling that too many years have been wasted? Uncomfortable with being forced to confront your own mortality? If so, why not trade in your increasingly fragile body for a gloriously youthful one? With your vitality restored, you'll be able to participate in a host of high-energy activities, like painting, socializing, grape-stomping, and - best of all - listening to The Goldsmith Odyssey! This time around, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark place the Soundtrack Spotlight on Quartet's new release of Jerry's Goldsmith's haunting score for John Frankenheimer's Seconds! They're joined by returning guests Chris Malone, who restored and produced this new album, and John Takis, who wrote the liner notes. You'll hear about Goldsmith's assorted thematic ideas, the challenges of removing dialogue from certain cues, the key differences between this release and the previous one, the different ways the film strikes certain viewers, and more! Lots of good stuff here, so contact The Company at your earliest convenience, settle into your thrilling new life, and press play!Seconds is here:  https://quartetrecords.com/product/seconds/Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Yes, the atomic podcast is terrible. But more terrible still are the effects of atomic podcast mutation. Hello, we’re your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark, and we want to warn you about something that could happen… something that does happen in our latest podcast. Observe the Soundtrack Spotlight: a miniature marvel of focused conversation on a single CD release. But if a Soundtrack Spotlight and a large group of guests were exposed to radiation simultaneously, the result would be terrible indeed. What began life as a simple chat about Intrada’s expanded release of Jerry Goldsmith’s charming, intuitive score for Joe Dante’s “Matinee” was shockingly transformed into a wide-ranging conversation on the entire Goldsmith-Dante oeuvre. For this very special show, we’re joined by none other than director Joe Dante himself, along with Dante’s longtime editor Marshall Harvey, liner notes writer John Takis, and Douglass Fake and Roger Feigelson of Intrada Records. Suffice it to say this is a can’t-miss production. Presented in AtomoSound: the new podcasting miracle that puts you in the action!As ever, here is your Matinee Odyssey Soundtrack Spotlight -Track List!Get the new Matinee CD!  It's really good.Where can everyone be found?  Joe Dante's podcast: The Movies That made MeJoe and Marshall (and others!) can be seen talking over movie previews at Trailers From HellJohn Takis writes liner notes for  Quartet Records, La-La Land Records, Intrada and used to do the same for GNP Crescendo and Film Score Monthly Records.Roger and Doug can be found on Intrada's website (and the old one is kinda fun!)And here's a link to that Dick Jacobs CD</a

Your friends want you to go out with them, but you keep turning them down. Your mother wants you to go out on a date with one of your old high school classmates, but the idea doesn’t interest you. Everyone’s worried that if you don’t get more proactive, you’re going to end up alone. What they don’t know is that you’re already seeing someone. Three people, in fact: David, Yavar, and Clark, the humble hosts of The Goldsmith Odyssey. Every Tuesday and Thursday, you steal away to a secluded spot to listen for a little while, keeping the volume low. Their latest installment spotlights the Studio One episode “The Desperate Age,” starring Barbara Bel Geddes as a young woman whose situation mirrors your own. The melancholy Jerry Goldsmith score seems straightforward and simple, but contains surprising subtleties and complexities. So double-check to be sure no one is watching, and press play!And here is your friendly, neighborhood Jerry Goldsmith's The Desperate Age Track list!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

We’ll be back to our regular scheduled program momentarily. But first, a word from our sponsor!Leigh Phillips’s Kickstarter campaign:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/129592672/the-bar-mitzvah-of-major-orlovsky-jerry-goldsmithPlease send your correspondence to [email protected].

Hyah! Hyah! Odyssey Ho! In our first regular episode of 2022, we join the long-running western series Wagon Train to discuss the episode "The Ah Chong Story," featuring a lively Goldsmith score that fuses eastern and western elements. In this one, your humble hosts David, Yavar, and Clark discuss the painful stereotypes that hamper the show's effectiveness, the creative ways Goldsmith finds to blend his assorted thematic and textural elements, and much more! Before the episode analysis begins, you'll also be treated to an exploration of an early Wagon Train soundtrack album featuring music by the likes of John Williams, Laurindo Almeida, and Roy Webb. If you've got a little time to spare, why not join the wagon train for a while? Our direction is westward, our pace is slow, and someday we aim to reach the land of 1962. Enjoy!And here is The Goldsmith Odyssey's Wagon Train - The Ah Chong Story track list!Check out our friends at Settling the Score — their regular Jerry Goldsmith episodes at present include Episodes 8 (Planet of the Apes), 18 (Chinatown), 33 (The Omen), and 52 (Alien).And here is Settling the Score's Patreon page; support them here to get bonus episodes including Goldsmith’s Freud (1962).Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

We realize that we've been interrupting our Odyssey with a lot of Soundtrack Spotlights lately. To make up for that, this month we're interrupting the Odyssey with a new Odyssey Interview! Back in October of 2021, Yavar had an in-depth conversation with Retired Chief Master Sergeant Mike Davis, who served as chief arranger for the U.S. Air Force band for many years. Among Davis's numerous musical endeavors was a reconstruction of Jerry Goldsmith's "The Thunder of Imperial Names" (originally written for the 1957 radio production 1489 Words), which in turn inspired Goldsmith himself to re-examine his original piece. Over the course of this wide-ranging interview, Davis talks about his personal and professional encounters with Goldsmith, his own efforts as a composer and sole experience writing for film, his work with the U.S. Air Force Band, his role in the creation of Goldsmith's now-iconic "The Generals" Suite, the experience of working in Hollywood on a '70s Goldsmith recording, encounters with other legendary film composers such as Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, and Richard Rodney Bennett... and much more! Lots of great stories and great music in this one, so do your patriotic duty and give it a listen!Here is your Odyssey Interviews Mike Davis Track list!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].

Intrada's Kickstarter-funded re-recording of Jerry Goldsmith's Black Patch and The Man is almost here, and we've got something special for you to enjoy while you wait: the Odyssey's very first Production Report!"What’s that?"Glad you asked, ma'am. In this case, it means your humble hosts Yavar and David conducting an in-depth conversation with Intrada's Douglass Fake, Roger Feigelson, Jeff Johnson, reconstructionist Leigh Phillips, and conductor William Stromberg. You'll hear stories about how the project came together, details on how the recording sessions went, the financial realities of this sort of endeavor, and much more. Plus, you'll hear plenty of clips from the new album. It's not only an exciting update on this project, but an informative behind-the-scenes look at the many moving parts of re-recording a classic film score. Whether you're a Kickstarter contributor who's eager for new details or simply a film music fan who wants to know a little bit more about how these things work, this is a show you'll want to hear!Here's your handy Black Patch & The Man Production Report track list!Please send your correspondence to [email protected].