Elly Roberts reviews
The Aviator: Original Soundtrack
Distributed by
Columbia (Sony Music Soundtrax)
- Released: January 2005
- Rating: 10/10
Leonardo DiCaprio has definitely come of age as a an actor.
His portrayal of the eccentric billionaire in the Aviator, is well worth an
Oscar. Out now to accompany the bio-flick is this excellent soundtrack. You
can now grab a piece of the pop music scene from the late 1920’s to the mid
1940’s with a host of popular performers.
In addition there are contemporary versions of songs from that era.
Each track drops neatly into the relevant scenes,for example the first track
Shake That Thing by Vince Giordanno’s eleven piece band (who specialise
in resurrecting swinging Jazz of the '20s and '30s) relates to the scene
where Hughes tells his employee Johnny to find him some extra cameras for the
filming of Hell’s Angels. And so it goes on,with some real gems from the period.
Arguably the biggest group of the time was the Inks Spots, originally known as
King, Jack and the Jesters. They actually played the Cocoanut Grove, Park
Central Hotel New York (Howard Hughes’ favourite nightclub) for a month’s run
in late January-February 1939 as they supported Chick Webb, Ella Fitzgerald and
Boudon Ali – so chances are he would have seen them there. It was the only time
they appeared at the venue.
Their August 8, 1940 New York recording of Do I Worry? appears here,
with lead vocals by Bill Kenny and talking chorus by Orville‘Hoppy’Jones. From
the late 1930’s to early 1950’s they were one of the most popular and influential
groups,playing a mix of fast ‘jump’ tunes and ballads e.g. Whispering Grass.
Other big guns throw their weight behind the soundtrack such as The Original
Memphis Five, founded 1917 in Coney Island New York. They were the most
prolific early white Jazz bands, lead by vocalist George White with trumpeter
Phil Napoleon. Their July 13, 1929 recording of Fireworks is a great match-up
as Hughes demands more clouds for his filming. Belgian Jazz guitar maestro
Django Reinhardt’s 1947, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, with smooth
vocals by Freddy Taylor, is sublime, as Katherine Hepburn (Cate Blanchett) get
smoochy.
No soundtrack would be complete without Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Seranade
being run for the Hercules party.
Finally,the original rock icon Huddie Ledbetter aka Leadbelly’s strained
ballad Howard Hughes, recorded Washington DC, August 11, 1940 takes you
through the end credits.
Brilliant collection.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
