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Review of Eve's Bayou (Terence Blanchard)
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
NOTES & QUOTES:
The insert includes the following note about the score and film from director Kasi Lemmons:
When Terence Blanchard's name was mentioned to compose the score, I was immediately interested. He is, of course, an internationally known musician, but he has also distinguished himself as a versatile composer of film scores. Because Terence is from Louisiana, it was clear that he related to the story and the characters when we talked. Not being musical at all I struggled for words to describe the score I imagined. I said something like "Epic Black Southern Gothic." I was relieved when he seemed to understand. Terence's idea was to use a jazz quartet (piano, bass, guitar, drums) along with the orchestra, mixing regional folk and jazz accents with traditional orchestration. When I first heard Terence's score, I burst into tears, as I did many times during the recording of it. While we were mixing the film, every time a cue came up that I particularly liked, I would announce excitedly, "This is my favorite cue," and everyone would agree, "Oh, yeah, mine too. It's incredible!" We said it so many times that it became a joke. I felt as if he eavesdropped on my soul, as I've often felt that my director of photography peers into my dreams. We were in love with the whole score. Each time I watch the film there are particular moments where the marriage of the music and picture makes me shiver. One such cue is "Mozelle in the Mirror." Mozelle is telling her niece, Eve, about a tragic night in her past when her lover came to the door of her house and confronted her husband with his love for her. As Mozelle tells the story, her memories become more vivid until Eve is able to see the fateful night reflected in a mirror. The cue starts simply with a beautiful romantic melody introduced by piano and clarinet. As Mozelle tells her story, the instrumentation builds gorgeously to full orchestra. I feel like Mozelle's whole life is captured in this one beautiful, passionate and tragic cue. Another one of my favorites is "We're Going To Elzora's." The child, Eve, has decided to take fate into her own hands to solve the problems in her family. She consults an eccentric voodoo practitioner named Elzora and is led down unknown bayou roads to Elzora's house in the swamps. The music brings to mind the classic tale of a child's adventure into an unknown land; conveying mystery and danger through the use of low strings, all the while expressing the innocence of a ten year old in the playful melody that is Eve's theme. The main theme of Eve's Bayou weaves through the drama seamlessly, sometimes epic and haunting, sometimes quiet and reflective and other times lush and romantic. It hints at secrets that can never be told and emotions that lurk beneath the surface. Mr. Blanchard's gorgeous score captures the essence of Eve's Bayou. It is as rich, darkly beautiful and mysterious as a bayou in a summer's moonlight. I hope you enjoy it."
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The reviews and other textual content contained on the filmtracks.com site may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of Christian Clemmensen at Filmtracks Publications. All artwork and sound clips from Eve's Bayou are Copyright © 1997, Sonic Images Records and cannot be redistributed without the label's expressed written consent. Page created 2/9/98 and last updated 3/12/06. |
