Filmtracks Recommends:
Buy it... if you're curious about Terence Blanchard's film scores and want to start with one of his most culturally precise and elegantly engaging entries. Avoid it... if black, Southern Gothic sounds, and the jazz quartet at their center, hold no interest for you. Filmtracks Editorial Review:
Eve's Bayou: (Terence Blanchard) It is rare for an outstanding treatment of a Southern Gothic film in Hollywood, but for the debut of its writer and director, Kasi Lemmons, Eve's Bayou was one such achievement. Critically praised across the board but unfortunately forgotten by the masses, Eve's Bayou tells of the history of a successful family in Louisiana in 1962, and the challenges they face within themselves and their relations, moreso than with the surrounding culture. The rich setting of the film beckons for repeat viewings, for its authenticity in capturing the universal essence of family regardless of race or location is remarkable. When attempting to think of a score that would be appropriate for the film, the name of internationally recognized black musician Terence Blanchard was mentioned, and his ability to write for the Lousiana setting from the heart was essential. When describing the score that she wanted for the film, Lemmons described the project as an "Epic Black Southern Gothic" and left Blanchard to fill in the blanks. It's a rather odd genre to compare to any other, for there are so few that exist in it. John Williams' score for Rosewood at about the same time required many of the same treatments on the serious side, but Eve's Bayou would deal with a more intimate (and upbeat) subject matter that happened to only overlap with the Williams' score in era and setting. Blanchard chose wisely when constructing his score; he began with a jazz quartet ensemble of piano, bass, guitar, drums, and mixed their regional folk and jazz performances with a traditional orchestra. A strong influence on Blanchard's score would be the shadowy photography of the film, in which even the sunniest of days has dark places of mystery both physical and metaphorical. This visual darkness parallels misinterpretations between characters, and Blanchard responds with an equally varied score. Restrained, but beautiful, the music for Eve's Bayou builds, more than anything else, a bridge between the Southern Gothic sounds and those of the traditional orchestra that could define any American family, regardless of race or region. Oddly romantic, secretive, and mysterious, Blanchard knows this genre well, and the authenticity of Blanchard's music is undeniable. The intimacy created by the individual elements of the quartet is often accompanied by deep rumblings of the full ensemble, constantly reminding of the ominous actions within the story's family. In a few places, Blanchard allows the ensemble's dark rumbling to explode, as in "Elzora and the Strange," with brutal force in the form of strong minor key progressions. Many of these heightened cues include a wash of ethnic percussion along the folk lines, turning over what sounds much like Craig Armstrong's brooding line of writing for The Bone Collector and rooting it strongly in the region. Where Blanchard really excels is in his ability to swing in a few comedy and "spirit" cues, in which the quartet dances with delight or a light woodwind bounces with Rachel Portman-like whimsy. Sparing performances by a harmonica are mixed at a hazy distance, helping to blur the distinctions in the film. The title theme has the solitude of one of Elmer Bernstein's more intimate character themes, and while the theme isn't a particular strong point in the score, its consistent development through the different sections of the ensemble is commendable. In "Mozelle in the Mirror," Blanchard allows the orchestra to slowly overtake the quartet element in an extended interpretation of the theme, and the simple harmonies in this cue are attractive and classically informed. The overall impression that Blanchard leaves you with in Eve's Bayou is one of somber, cultural elegance, and while it may not be snazzy enough to capture your attention at first, its long-lasting effect is gripping. A score album released a few months after a widespread song album is still available (a decade later) at incredible discount prices, and will not disappoint. **** Track Listings:
Total Time: 52:50
All artwork and sound clips from Eve's Bayou are Copyright © 1997, Sonic Images Records. The reviews and notes contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Filmtracks Publications. Audio clips can be heard using RealPlayer but cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 2/9/98, updated 3/12/06. Review Version 4.1 - PHP (Filmtracks Publications). Copyright © 1998-2013, Christian Clemmensen. All rights reserved. |
