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Various Artists
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Lackawanna Blues [Soundtrack]
Vanguard Records
Release: 2/08/2005
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Rated:
Review by:
Jason Warner
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I love HBO. I pay the fee for cable television every month
just so I can have this one channel. In addition to popular
feature films, HBO has grown increasing popular in recent
years for their production of original series. You may have
heard of a couple of them: Sex In The City and
The Sopranos. There are many others, but
these are probably the most popular to the general public.
My favorite HBO original series is Six Feet
Under, a drama focused on the every day life of a
family that runs a funeral home. Another favorite is
Curb Your Enthusiasm, a comedy loosely based
on the real life capers of Seinfeld co-creator,
Larry David. In addition to season length series, HBO also
produces original films, many of which are received very
favorably by critics and the average home viewer
alike.
One thing I have always loved about the HBO shows is the
music always seems to set just the right atmosphere for the
particular scene. It almost seems as though as much
thought goes into the music as to the visual presentation of
their shows. The soundtrack for the recent HBO film,
Lackawanna Blues is no exception. Released
by Vanguard Records in conjunction with the debut of
Lackawanna Blues, the soundtrack is brimming
with the same feeling and honesty as the film.
Lackawanna Blues is a film set in the time just
prior to desegregation in upstate New York, and is based on
the autobiographical one-man show by Ruben
Santiago-Hudson (who wrote the adaptation and appears in
the film). Halle Berry acts as co-executive producer. The
film is expertly cast and the actors' performances are honest
and believable. Lackawanna Blues is about a
young boy who forms a bond with his would-be surrogate
mother, the proprietor of a boarding house. The boy learns
important life lessons from the many colorful tenants of the
boarding house and surrounding neighborhood. But this
review is not about the movie, which I thought was
excellent, by the way.
The music chosen for this film followed the HBO formula of
fitting like a glove with the story. Standout tracks include
the opener, "Boogie Woogie Country Girl," by Big Joe
Turner, a toe-tapping ditty full of energy and life,
reminiscent of the tenement in the movie. Another great
track is Tommy Tucker's "High Heeled Sneakers," an upbeat
classic blues. Other classic blues tracks are included by T
Bone Walker and The Blind Boys Of Alabama. In addition to
the vintage blues numbers are some modern recordings
from Mod Def, Ricky Fante, and a nice duet featuring Robert
Bradley and Macy Gray (who also appears as a character in
the film). My favorite track on the album is an instrumental
blues number entitled "One Dime Blues" by Etta
Baker.
One must really see the movie to understand how perfect
these musical selections fit the mood of the film, but this
soundtrack is strong even independent of the onscreen
accompaniment. It's a good combination of classic blues
and modern blues, and any fan of the blues genre will
appreciate the album. |
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