On Monday, TCM is airing the rarely seen James Garner film "Mr. Buddwing" (1966), with a killer score by THEE GREAT KENYON HOPKINS.
Hopefully, it will inspire at least one of you to consider reissuing Kenyon Hopkins' music, as he is woefully underrepresented within the digital realm.
On Monday, TCM is airing the rarely seen James Garner film "Mr. Buddwing" (1966), with a killer score by THEE GREAT KENYON HOPKINS.
Hopefully, it will inspire at least one of you to consider reissuing Kenyon Hopkins' music, as he is woefully underrepresented within the digital realm.
Hi, Onya.
While I share your interest in film music by Hopkins, I think you should realize by now that most of the people currently buying soundtracks simply do not care for jazzy music.
I don't think the paucity of Kenyon Hopkins on CD is a situation caused by record producers. There is not enough detectable consumer interest in Hopkins to warrant reissues of his LP albums such as MR. BUDDWING.
The 'bigger picture', if you will, is how to increase awareness and appreciation of Kenyon Hopkins' music amongst the folks born over the past 30 years or so ...
There is not enough detectable consumer interest in Hopkins to warrant reissues of his LP albums such as MR. BUDDWING.
With all respect, there is no less consumer interest in Kenyon Hopkins than there is in many of the other has-beens who routinely receive 1000-unit releases. Trust me; I've known these people for decades, both virtually and in the flesh. Demand for Kenyon Hopkins releases has been big worldwide in exotica/lounge/space-age-bachelor-pad circles. He has been sampled by artists such as the Thievery Corporation. Kenyon Hopkins' Verve albums are spun by DJs; Stephen Spielberg scores are not spun by DJs.
Trouble is that many soundtrack producers do not understand markets outside of their own incestuous little universes.
A producer once said, on these pages, "There is no interest in Les Baxter." This was before the release of "Master of the World" and about a dozen other Les Baxter soundtracks, nearly all of which sold out.
I know nothing about these exotica / lounge / bachelor pad circles.
I refer to soundtrack collectors when I remark about lack of consumer interest.
Do any folks from these circles you mention also collect soundtracks? Do any of them post here@ FSM?
Some do, some don't. A Buddwing release would sell at Dusty Groove.
Not looking for any favors, but I know that I helped to sell LOTS of Les Baxter units by getting the word out to the right folks who otherwise may not have known.
Watching Buddwing now and it sounds like there was music in the film not on the album. Maybe an expanded CD is possible.
Watching Buddwing now and it sounds like there was music in the film not on the album. Maybe an expanded CD is possible.
I'd be perfectly content with straight reissues of Hopkins' LPs/45s at this point. I don't know who owns these labels now, but if albums could be batched together like the Bernstein/Ava set, even better. All very unlikely, I know, but never say never...
VERVE : MR. BUDDWING - LP THIS PROPERTY IS CONDEMNED - LP YELLOW CANARY - LP
COLUMBIA : EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE (TV) - LP THE REPORTER (TV) - LP
Two of those titles listed as Capitol were actually on Columbia, which was Sony, last time I checked.
Oops, sorry about that. Yes, EAST SIDE/WEST SIDE and THE REPORTER were both Columbia LP releases (now corrected). That would make a nice single-disc CD release!
If all the Universal-owned material could be bundled together I'd dance a jig.
And thanks Bob DiMucci for the label-ownership info, despite my errors!
It was a very cool, arty mid-60s "New York" movie. If you like "Mickey One," "Who Killed Teddy Bear," John Cassavetes' "Shadows," you would probably like this film. The message was a little heavy handed, but that's not unusual for the time period.
And Nichelle Nichols plays a minor role!
The LP by Kenyon Hopkins is not only a re-recording, but lots of tracks are re-arranged. Assuming the film music tracks exist, this would make a great CD, pairing the LP with the film tracks.
