Interested in Jerry Goldsmith, Lalo Schifrin and John Williams television music that is not only obscure, but borders on being unheard?
From the Warner Bros. archives of vintage M-G-M television material and Norman Felton's Arena Productions comes this doubleheader of rare projects: Jericho (1966), a short-lived CBS action-adventure series scored by much of the staff from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (also an M-G-M/Arena show); and The Ghostbreaker (1965), a busted pilot that aired once on NBC and disappeared into the studio vaults.
Jericho was a WWII adventure series following three Allied specialists on secret missions throughout Europe. The theme and second episode were scored by Jerry Goldsmith in his military-suspense mode, replacing a theme by Lalo Schifrin who had scored the pilot. Goldsmith's theme and complete episode score are included on this CD, as are Schifrin's unused theme and a suite from his pilot score, significantly foreshadowing his music to Mission: Impossible.
The remainder of Jericho was scored by Morton Stevens, Gerald Fried and Richard Shores, and suites from all of their episodes are included. The music recalls the style of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. but perhaps more grim.
The Ghostbreaker was a one-hour pilot starring Kerwin Mathews as a parapsychologist investigator; although foreshadowing such television series as Kolchak: The Night Staker and The X-Files, it did not proceed to a series.
The theme and pilot score to The Ghostbreaker were by none other than John (then "Johnny") Williams, who wrote a dynamite theme that compares favorably to his TV work for Irwin Allen, and a creepy score including harpsichord and solo soprano. The totality of Williams's score is included here—a forgotten jewel by one of the world's most famous composers.
The entire CD has been mastered from the original 1/4" monaural tapes. Liner notes are by television authority Jon Burlingame and Williams expert Jeff Eldridge.
Jericho
Theme Composed by Jerry Goldsmith
Main Title 1:04 A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread, and Pow! (Goldsmith) 10:52 Upbeat and Underground (Lalo Schifrin) 8:47 Dutch and Go (Morton Stevens) 4:38 Have Traitor, Will Travel (Stevens) 2:29 The Big Brass Contraband (Richard Shores) 3:41 Wall to Wall Kaput (Shores) 2:07 Eric the Redhead (Gerald Fried) 5:33 One for the Mountain (Shores) 3:16 Two for the Road (Shores) 4:49 Four O'Clock Bomb to London (Shores) 4:29 Alternate Main Title (Schifrin) 0:45 Total Time: 52:56
The Ghostbreaker
"Ghosts in Glass Houses"
Music Composed and Conducted by Johnny Williams
Main Title 1:01 Teaser 3:39 Act I: The Spooked Skyscraper Strikes Again 2:08 Men of Unitran 1:44 Act II: Accent the Supernatural 3:00 Greensleeves 1:24 Act III: Don't Trip Over Diablo 3:57 Organ Piece 2:31 Act IV: To Outspook a Spook 6:25 End Credits 0:49 Total Time: 26:50
Total Disc Time: 79:55 |