Category Archives: Music

FILM REVIEW: Hilary Swank in ‘Amelia’

Posted on October 19, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Freckle-faced, prairie-voiced and fiercely independent, Hilary Swank’s depiction of aviator Amelia Earhart in Mira Nair’s biographical film “Amelia” is of a high order. It ranks with recent real-life portrayals of Ray Charles by Jamie Foxx … Continue reading →

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World Soundtrack Awards: Wins for Desplat, Rahman, Hamlisch

Posted on October 18, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett GHENT, Belgium – French Golden Globes Award-winner Alexandre Desplat (above right) was a double honouree at the 9th World Soundtrack Awards on Saturday as he was named film composer of the year and picked up the prize … Continue reading →

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An ‘Ishtar’ treat from Paul Williams at the ASCAP awards

Posted on October 15, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett I know quite a few songwriters and one of their guilty secret favorite movies, and mine too, is the colossal flop 1987 movie “Ishtar” in which Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman play inanely bad songwriters caught up … Continue reading →

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McCartney, Coldplay winners at ASCAP London awards

Posted on October 15, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Paul McCartney was named songwriter of the year at the 29th annual ASCAP Awards in London on Wednesday night, as Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” won song of the year and Universal Music collected the publisher … Continue reading →

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Donovan, Natasha Bedingfield win BMI London Awards

Posted on October 7, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – “Pocketful of Sunshine” performed by Natasha Bedingfield, written by Bedingfield and Danielle Brisebois and published by EMI Music, won the Robert S. Musel Award for song of year at the annual BMI London Awards Tuesday … Continue reading →

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MUSIC REVIEW: Cliff Richard and the Shadows reunion

Posted on September 30, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – It seemed like a good idea to catch Britain’s evergreen pop star Cliff Richard as he kicked off his big 50th anniversary reunion tour with his original band the Shadows, who went separate ways 20 … Continue reading →

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THEATRE REVIEW: ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’

Posted on September 29, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – There is much to admire in the National Theatre production of Tony Kushner’s translation of “Mother Courage and Her Children” Bertolt Brecht, especially Tom Pye’s dynamic set design and Duke Special’s inspired music. But it … Continue reading →

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George Fenton Q&A to kick off LSO concert at Barbican

Posted on June 6, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Director Stephen Frears will join composer George Fenton for a conversation with film music expert Tommy Pearson ahead of the London Symphony Orchestra concert of Fenton’s movie scores at the Barbican on Sunday. The Q&A begins … Continue reading →

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THEATRE REVIEW: ‘Sister Act” the musical

Posted on June 3, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett LONDON – Brash and sentimental but witty and tuneful, the stage musical version of Whoopi Goldberg’s 1992 comedy film “Sister Act” is a foot-stomping, hand-clapping success with great songs by multiple Oscar-winner Alan Menken and a star-making … Continue reading →

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MUSIC REVIEW: ‘Filmharmonic’ at the Royal Albert Hall

Posted on May 10, 2009 by admin

By Ray Bennett The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual Filmharmonic concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday night kept a large crowd of film music enthusiasts entertained with scores by top composers including John Williams, Maurice Jarre, John Barry, Lalo … Continue reading →

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