• Legacy Conversations: Laurent Bouzereau
    Nov 18 2024

    Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden Featuring Mike Matessino

    As part of its ongoing podcast series, The Legacy of John Williams presents an exclusive interview with Laurent Bouzereau, the director of Music By John Williams, the documentary film dedicated to the life and career of John Williams, now available for streaming on Disney+. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard among others, Music By John Williams presents the life's story of the legendary composer, who himself sits in front of the camera to recollect and reminisces the numerous highlights of his incredible career, with many of his closest friends and collaborators offering stories and insight about his timeless music.

    Laurent sits down with The Legacy of John Williams for an in-depth talk about the honour and the responsibility of creating the first documentary film on John Williams, his lifelong love for the Maestro's music, the challenges he faced throughout the production and why he made the film thinking about future generations. Joining the conversation is archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino, who also worked as Music Consultant on Music By John Williams.

    Special Thanks to Rebecca Bass and Raegan Cutrino at Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures for their kind help and assistance.

    Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/11/18/laurent-bouzereau-podcast/

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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • L.A. Studio Legends #22: Remembering Tommy Tedesco — with Denny Tedesco
    Jul 19 2024

    Tommy Tedesco (1930-1997) was an American guitarist who worked for almost 40 years and had one of the greatest careers as a studio musician in Los Angeles and Hollywood. He performed on a gazillion of recording dates, including thousands of film and television scoring sessions for virtually all the major film composers in Hollywood. Tedesco was part of an unofficial collective of studio musicians labeled as "The Wrecking Crew," who performed (often uncredited) on an impressive amount of recordings for pop and rock artists between the late 1950s and the early 1980s, including such big stars as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & The Papas, Sonny & Cher, Barbra Streisand, Nancy Sinatra, The 5th Dimension, The Byrds, and many others.

    In this episode of the "L.A. Studio Legends" series, producer and director Denny Tedesco talks about the extraordinary career of his father Tommy, from his early days as a young guitar player to the peak years of The Wrecking Crew, going in detail about his many experiences playing for John Williams on numerous projects, including such film scores as Conrack, The River and Indiana Jones. Denny also reflects on his father's unique legacy and how he celebrated it through his own documentary film The Wrecking Crew.

    For more detailed information, go to https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/19/tommy-tedesco-podcast/

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    2 hrs and 3 mins
  • Soundtrack Spotlight: The Sugarland Express 50th Anniversary
    Jul 3 2024

    Soundtrack label La-La Land Records has announced the world premiere release of the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of the 1974 Universal Pictures film The Sugarland Express, the very first collaboration between John Williams and Steven Spielberg. The esteemed director/composer duo celebrates this year the 50th anniversary of their legendary collaboration.

    Released by La-La Land Records and produced in association with Universal Studios as part of their Universal Pictures Film Music Classics Collection, this world premiere limited CD release is edited, mixed and mastered by archival soundtrack producer Mike Matessino under the composer's supervision and approval. The album presents the original score composed and conducted by John Williams, freshly remastered from original multi-track session elements and includes also cues not heard in the final film.

    In this new "Soundtrack Spotlight" episode of The Legacy of John Williams podcast, producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss the long-awaited premiere release of The Sugarland Express. Together with hosts Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden, Matessino chronicles the journey that led to the 50th anniversary soundtrack album, also commenting on the virtues of both Steven Spielberg's stunning debut film and John Williams' gentle, blues-y score.

    More information at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/07/03/soundtrack-spotlight-the-sugarland-express-50th-anniversary/

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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • L.A. Studio Legends #21: Phil Ayling
    May 30 2024

    Oboe and English Horn player extraordinaire talks his career as one of the most prominent double reed soloists in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams on such scores as Jurassic Park, Schindler's List, The Patriot, Memoirs of a Geisha and many others.

    For more information, go to https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/05/30/phil-ayling-podcast/

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    1 hr and 48 mins
  • L.A. Studio Legends #20: Bruce Dukov
    May 10 2024

    Renowned violinist talks about his career as a studio musician in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams. Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto

    More info at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/05/10/bruce-dukov-podcast/

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • Legacy Conversations: A Century Of Film Music, with David Newman
    Feb 2 2024
    Composer & Conductor David Newman talks conducting classic film music live and the program curated by John Williams for the LA Phil concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on February 2-4. Featuring Writer and Journalist Tim Greiving Hosted by Maurizio Caschetto and Tim Burden

    Film music is now a staple of the concert hall experience, with countless performances across the world by orchestras and ensembles of all kind, from local community symphonies to major historical institutions. Music from the movies is performed on the same stage where only the established canon of classical repertoire was once allowed, bringing a new audience to the concert hall and reinvigorating the live experience with innovative formats like the live-to-picture concerts. If this is now an accepted reality of the classical music landscape, a huge part is owed to John Williams and his 45-year activity as a champion of conducting film music in concert halls.

    On February 2, 3 and 4 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, David Newman is conducting the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program called A Century Of Film Music. The concert is part of a series curated by John Williams and it features an exciting selection offering a journey through several decades of great film music with pieces by some of the finest composers who ever wrote for the movies. This is the starting point of this new Legacy Conversation podcast episode, a lively discussion with David Newman about the challenges and the opportunities of performing film music in the concert hall, while also reflecting on how crucial John Williams has been in making film music more widely accepted and recognized. Joining the discussion is writer and journalist Tim Greiving, who has followed the film music industry closely for almost 20 years and witnessed the transformation of how music from the movies is perceived by the audience.

    Read more: https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/02/02/legacy-conversations-a-century-of-film-music

    Listen to "A Century Of Film Music" playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1blGRnjBOFUA4xfGZiX08O

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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • L.A. Studio Legends #19: Bill Booth
    Jan 19 2024
    Renowned trombonist talks his career as a studio musician in Hollywood and his many years playing for John Williams as Principal Trombone on such scores as Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Star Wars films

    William “Bill” Booth is one of the most respected veterans of the Los Angeles music scene and one of the most appreciated orchestral trombonists in the world. In a career spanning five decades, Bill Booth has performed on thousands of recording sessions, including a staggering amount of film and television soundtracks in Hollywood, thus becoming the leading trombonist in town. He has been the Principal Trombone for John Williams for all of the Maestro’s recordings in LA since 1991, performing on such legendary scores as Home Alone, Hook, Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

    In this conversation, Bill Booth reflects on his career as a studio musician, chronicling the path that led him to Hollywood and becoming the leading studio trombonist for film and television. He talks at length about his many years playing for John Williams on dozens of his legendary film scores, reflecting on the special quality of the Maestro's music and his affinity for the instrument as shown in many of his film scores including Hook, Jurassic Park and the Star Wars series.

    Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2024/01/19/bill-booth-podcast

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    1 hr and 28 mins
  • Return To Neverland: HOOK The Ultimate Edition - Part 2
    Jan 8 2024
    Part 2 of the podcast special dedicated to La-La Land Records’ magnificent 3-CD set of John Williams’ masterful score for the 1991 Steven Spielberg fantasy epic

    Hook – The Ultimate Edition is a 3-CD collection with a newly restored and expanded presentation of the magnificent score composed by John Williams for the 1991 film directed by Steven Spielberg. Assembled, mastered and produced by Mike Matessino in full cooperation with the composer, the new release presents this seminal Williams’ work in a truly definitive and loving treatment, with the complete score presented in the film’s narrative order on disc 1 and 2, and a third disc featuring for the first time all the songs by John Williams and Leslie Bricusse for when the film was supposed to be a musical.

    In Part 2 of the Hook - The Ultimate Edition podcast special, producer Mike Matessino returns to discuss more of the musical contents of La-La Land Records' magnificent release, together with associate producers and co-writers of the liner notes John Takis and Jason LeBlanc. During the conversation, the trio of special guests dissect all the riches found in the treasure chest of this John Williams' score, analyzing the score's main themes, how the songs' melodies were reworked into the thematic fabric of the piece and offering their own thoughts and reflections on the film and its score.

    Read more at https://thelegacyofjohnwilliams.com/2023/12/27/hook-podcast-special

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    1 hr and 55 mins