Bolden (Original Soundtrack)

Reviewed: 2018-04-18
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Bolden invites the viewer to experience a world fueled by passion, greed and musical genius―in early 1900s New Orleans. Witness the compelling, powerful and tragic journey of Buddy Bolden, the unsung American hero who invented Jazz. With little biographical information known and no found recordings of his music, the film’s narrative comprises of fragmented memories of his past, against the political and social context in which his revolutionary music was conceived.
If You Like: Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Scott Joplin
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Come On Children – horn makes train-like sound> big trumpet start, swings into uptempo ragtime jam> male chorus kicks in with repetitive song> uptempo ragtime jam> quick stop
2/ Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor – cello starts> midtempo song with female vocal> trumpet solo> midtempo song> fade
3/ Gone My Way – drums/horns start> uptempo jam with New Orleans vibe> horns swing> trumpet solos over the top> uptempo jam> quick stop
*4/ Creole Belles – horns start> uptempo ragtime jam with clarinet punctuation> swinging uptempo ragtime jam> quick stop
**5/ Bolden Jump – drums start> uptempo hesitating jam with different horns & clarinet taking the lead> quick stop
6/ Timelessness (short version) – horns start> mellow midtempo jam> clarinet/raunchy trumpet duet> mellow trumpet solo> fade
**7/ You Rascal You – trumpet starts> uptempo jam> uptempo song with male vocal> trumpet solo> uptempo song> trumpet solo> uptempo song> drums/horns swing> quick stop
8/ Russian Lullaby – muted trumpet starts> swinging midtempo song with male vocal> instrumental break with trumpet up front> trombone solo> quick stop
*9/ Stardust – horns/piano starts> midtempo jam> trumpet solo> midtempo song with male vocal> trumpet solo to fade
10/ Timelessness – piano starts> midtempo jam> clarinet solo> midtempo jam punctuated by clarinet riffs> trumpet solo> midtempo jam with clarinets out front> quick fade
**11/ Phantasmagoric Bordello Ballet – piano starts slow> midtempo jam> wild trumpet solo>
*12/ Shake It High, Shake It Low – horns start> fast tempo swinging jam with New Orleans vibe> trumpet solos over the top> quick stop
13/ Red Hot Mammas – trumpet starts> midtempo jam with New Orleans vibe> midtempo song with female vocal> horns jam> midtempo song> quick fade
*14/ Whoa You Heifer – horns start> uptempo ragtime jam> quick stop
*15/ Don’t Go Away Nobody – horns start> uptempo jam> horns trade off> quick stop
16/ All The Whores Go Crazy (About The Way I Ride) – horns start> midtempo jam> midtempo song with male vocal & chorus> trumpet solo> clarinet solo> quick fade
**17/ Basin Street Blues – piano starts> midtempo jam> trumpet solo> horns stroll> midtempo song with male vocal> scat singing> horns stroll> trumpet solo> clarinet solo> jam & song slow to fade
***18/ Dinah – fast tempo jam & song with male vocal> trumpet solo swings out> quick stop
*19/ Muskrat Ramble – horns start> uptempo jam punctuated by trumpet riffs> trumpet solo swings> quick stop
20/ Black And Blue – piano starts> midtempo jam with trumpet out front> midtempo song with male vocal> crescendo end
**21/ Tiger Rag – clarinet starts> lightning fast jam> clarinet solo> trumpet solo> fast jam> crescendo end
*22/ Making Runs – drums start> uptempo ragtime jam> quick stop
23/ Whip It – horns start> uptempo ragtime jam> quick stop
24/ Funky Butt (I Thought I Heard Buddy Bolden Say) - trumpet starts> slow jam> slow song with male vocal> horns jam> male chorus sings slow to fade
*25/ Didn’t He Ramble – trumpet starts> uptempo jam with New Orleans vibe> quick stop
26/ Buddy’s Horn – trumpet/guitar starts> slow duet> slow song with female vocal> full band kicks in, still slow song> quick trumpet riff e