SHANG-CHI

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was recorded with a 70-piece orchestra at Abbey Road Studios in London, and features the UK Chinese Music Ensemble. The score follows Shang-Chi's journey of self-realization by slowly intertwining several separate themes as he embraces the various aspects of his identity and family history.

Cheng Yu

Cheng Yu

Muqi Li

Muqi Li

Wang Xiao

Wang Xiao

Reylon Yount

Reylon Yount

Wenwu's music is rooted in his big emotions, and in his individualist approach of seeking fulfillment by being exceptional. It can be dominating and unhinged, but it is mournful at its core and stuck in a pattern of lonely melancholy. His music is cyclical and full of drama, inspired by European composers like Grieg, Pärt, and Wagner. His melody is always played on cello, an idea that came from Tony Leung (!).

Xialing's music represents the Xu family, as she is the only person who shares Shang-Chi’s childhood experiences and memories. It exists somewhere between nostalgia and grief, and is inspired by 20th Century Chinese Classical music with two harps serving as the backbone.

Li's music emanates directly from the land and ancestors of Ta Lo, and from her egalitarian approach of seeking fulfillment by knowing how she fits into the community. It is inspired by traditional Chinese folk music and methodology, endlessly flowing with no beginning or end and serving as a connection to the natural world. Li’s presence is always marked by the erhu, played breathtakingly by Wang Xiao.

Shang-Chi's initial music is rooted in his identity as a young American man, and expresses both his pounding anxiety and his powerful swagger. It is centered around the beat, most often played by a group of tanggu drums inspired by festival performances.

Hear more about the process and concepts in my episode of RIGHT ON CUE, and listen to some of the music that inspired the score below:

It was an honor to be invited into Destin's thoughtful and expansive vision for this film, and to be a part of a team who were all dedicated enough to make something powerful and iconic despite the pandemic. My goal was to echo the rich family narratives and the detailed celebration of Chinese and Asian-American cultures, and I was blown away by the depth that was added to each cue once it was turned over to our world-class orchestra and soloists (a few of whom are pictured above, sadly there aren’t many photos because our sessions were remote with minimal people in the building).

The final music is the product of a team of highly talented and hard-working people. They were all kind enough to serve as pillars for me to lean on, and they all invested so much personally while somehow maintaining a joyful calm even in the most demanding moments. The long list includes orchestrator Mark Graham, coordinator Celeste Chada, music editor Ramiro Belgardt, engineers Pete Cobbin and Kirsty Whalley, conductor Gavin Greenaway, Chris Hobson, and so many more — thank you all!

JUST MERCY

JUST MERCY In theaters this December. https://www.justmercyfilm.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JustMercyFilm/ https://www.instagram.com/justmercyfilm/ https://twitter.com/JustMercyFilm Michael B. Jordan ("Black Panther," "Creed," "Creed II") and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx ("Ray," "Baby Driver," "Django: Unchained") and Brie Larson ("Room," "The Glass Castle," "Captain Marvel") star in "Just Mercy," an inspiring drama that brings one of the most important stories of our time to the big screen.

The Just Mercy score started with a deep dive into the musical world of Bryan Stevenson, who is a musician himself and has always leaned on jazz, gospel, and soul music as fuel for his work and movement. It was a unique project to be a part of since the intent of the filmmakers was less about critical acclaim, and more about how to make something that could truly help audiences become aware of some of the daily atrocities happening in the shadows here in the US. So once we found some initial ideas that worked well against picture, the process became an open-ended collaboration with the filmmakers, other musicians, and the EJI team.

I wrote the rhythm parts as rough outlines, and they were brought to life over three days at Capitol Studios by Karriem Riggins (drums), Thomas Drayton (bass), Lynette Williams (keys), and Justus West (guitar). Although they had never met or played together before, they quickly locked into a really special sound and started feeding off each other's energy. We got to run takes and experiment with ideas like you would for a jazz album, and I found that the more I stepped away and let them put their collective stamp on the tunes, the better the music got.

Just Mercy - Karriem Riggins - Photo by Larry Mah.
Just Mercy - Thomas Drayton - Photo by Larry Mah
Just Mercy - Lynette Williams - Photo by Larry Mah
Just Mercy - Justus West - Photo by Larry Mah

Once the rhythm parts were finished, we spent a full day recording strings and had the treat of finishing our sessions with a lovely gospel choir. They brought so much joy and energy to the room, and put a really special finishing touch on the score -- hearing them sing over the scene of Johnny D saying goodbye to his friends on the way out of death row shook me. I was so honored to be a part of this project and I’m forever grateful to the long list of people who put egos aside for months and months to make sure that every corner of the film and the score was rooted in truth.

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THE GLASS CASTLE

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SHORT TERM 12

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GRANDMA

Directed by Paul Weitz and starring Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Marcia Gay Harden, Judy Greer, Laverne Cox, and Sam Elliott. Official Selection, Sundance 2015. Soundtrack available on iTunes via Lakeshore Records

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Directed by Joel David Moore and starring Frank Langella, Billy Crudup, and Christina Applegate. Official Selection, Tribeca 2016.

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BAND OF ROBBERS

Directed by Adam and Aaron Nee and starring Melissa Benoist, Kyle Gallner, Hannibal Buress, and Matthew Gray Gubler. Watch now on Netflix.

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I AM NOT A HIPSTER

Official selection, Sundance 2012. Watch now on Netflix, listen to supplemental CANINES album on Spotify.

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