Press Release from Dragon's Domain:
Dragon’s Domain Records presents FALLEN ANGELS VOL. 1, featuring music composed by Peter Bernstein for the anthology series created by William Horberg (A RAGE IN HARLEM, MILK, THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT) and featuring a large cast that included Miguel Ferrer as the prologue narrator.
In 1993, prolific producer Steven Golin (RED ROCK WEST, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, THE L WORD, BERLIN STATION, MR. ROBOT) developed a neo-noir anthology television series called FALLEN ANGELS. The series ran for two seasons on Showtime, with 15 episodes between 1993 and 1995. Sydney Pollack served as the executive producer. Each episode was based on a story by a noted hardboiled crime writer, such as Raymond Chandler, Jim Thompson, Cornell Woolrich, Mickey Spillane, Dashiell Hammett, and the like. The episodes were helmed by such directors as Peter Bogdanovich, John Dahl, Phil Joanou and Steven Soderbergh, as well as noted actors getting their first or second opportunity to direct. The series also aired in Europe and France under the title PERFECT CRIMES.
Renowned composer Elmer Bernstein was brought in to compose the series’ main and end themes, while his son, composer Peter Bernstein, would write each of the episode scores. FALLEN ANGELS VOL. 1 features music from all six of the first season episodes. Bernstein’s musical palette for the series would range from full orchestra to various band combinations. One had a piano, drums, bass, slide guitar, trumpet, and trombone; another had a double-string quartet, two horns, and a flute. One was all synth.
The son of Academy Award winning film composer Elmer Bernstein (THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, GHOSTBUSTERS), Peter Bernstein grew up around recording stages, watching his father work and absorbing as much as he could. His musical education began with piano lessons. He eventually decided he wanted to be a bass player and studied bass with Carol Kaye, a member of the legendary ‘Wrecking Crew’ group of LA studio musicians. Around the same time, Peter was also studying with pioneering electronic music composer Morton Subotnick. He began his professional career as a rock n’ roll bass player at age 14 and worked in the record business as a touring bass player, band member, session player, arranger and record producer for the next 20 years. As time passed it became clear that there was going to be more opportunity for him as a composer and Peter began by working for other composers as an orchestrator and arranger. He orchestrated all or part of almost all of his father’s scores from 1974-1986, while still working in the rock n roll record business. Orchestration credits from the era include ANIMAL HOUSE, TRADING PLACES and GHOSTBUSTERS, as well as the scored portions of Michael Jackson’s THRILLER video. His credits as composer include HOT DOG… THE MOVIE, BOLERO, THE EWOK ADVENTURE, MY SCIENCE PROJECT, EWOKS: THE BATTLE FOR ENDOR, THE ALAMO: THIRTEEN DAYS TO GLORY, CANADIAN BACON and PUPPET MASTER VS DEMONIC TOYS. For television, his credits include 21 JUMP STREET, BOOKER, FALLEN ANGELS, CHICAGO HOPE, ROUGH RIDERS, MOWGLI: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE JUNGLE BOOK and HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS: THE TV SHOW.
Dragon’s Domain Records presents FALLEN ANGELS VOL. 1, featuring the premiere release of music composed by Peter Bernstein for the anthology series. The music has been mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland and the liner notes have been written by noted author Randall Larson, with the participation of the composer.
