ZIGZAG / THE SUPER COPS

Label: FSMCD Vol.9 No.2
Dates: 1970 / 1974
Tracks: 56
Time = 152:12

2 CD set

Big treat for seventies soundtrack fans! Original soundtracks from two MGM thrillers. ZIGZAG is Richard A. Colla movie with George Kennedy plotting insurance scheme. Oliver Nelson scores for orchestra with emphasis on big-band style popular during sixties: large jazz ensemble with orchestral strings on top. Central idea is small motif built from complex, shifting chords. Nelson also creates longer theme with interesting shape: instead of easily discernable line, melody winds considerably, unfolds at length. FSM CD offers both original film recordings (26:06), MGM LP re-recordings (28:47) plus Anita O'Day source vocals (17:13). THE SUPER COPS (38:47) is Gordon Parks police actioner with Ron Leibman, David Selby. Jerry Fielding tosses stick of dyn-o-mite, gets blazing score back with doses of humor, wacky antics, over-the-top funk, wild and crazy stuntwork, you name it! Powerful highlight: late in semi-comic action, composer steps on brakes, delivers serious string writing in stark manner for "After Shoot". But there's more. Generous presentation also gives away three episode scores (27:15) from HAWKINS TV series. Fielding invokes numerous big-scale film projects via imaginative use of reduced TV-sized orchestration, makes obscure show about easy-going attorney feel comfortable to fans. Another gift: Jerry Goldsmith series theme makes appearance - clothed in Fielding garb. Cool! Jerry Fielding epitomizes intellectual composing, spends as much time with vertical writing (harmony, texture, density) as he does horizontal writing (melody, rhythm, structure). Result is intriguing, complicated stuff without pretention. Fielding was known to have high standards, his music shows it. Massive FSM production from Lukas Kendall offers incredibly informative notes about project origins, respective composers, recording details, so forth. Neat treat: display front cover, get intense George Kennedy artwork. Flip over, get outrageous police stuntwork instead! Oliver Nelson conducts his score, Jerry Fielding conducts his. All persons combined deliver a knockout!