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John Barry

John Barry, the Academy Award-winning film composer whose idiosyncratic and iconic compositions over the course of a lifetime in the movies -- including some of the best known James Bond music and the themes to "Midnight Cowboy," and "Out of Africa," among dozens of others.

The British-born composer not only helped define the feel of the Bond films but crafted music that served as a 1960s soundtrack to a new kind of jet-setting lifestyle. With his wildly adventurous arrangements and instrumentation, his music's devil-may-care feel will forever be connected to fashionably mod cocktail lounges of the era.

With its seductive strings and grand melodies, "You Only Live Twice" captures the sound of sexy adventure, both smooth and pleasantly casual but somehow filled with tension. The pluck of an acoustic guitar sits alongside the flutter of a harp; an underlying rhythm sounds like Phil Spector's wall of sound as filtered through a cocktail shaker.

Though the authorship of the original theme song for the James Bond films has been in dispute (Monty Norman is credited as sole writer), there's no denying that regardless of who thought up the melody -- the crux of the authorship claim -- it's Barry's arrangement that pushes the song over the edge. Witty and sharp, his use of brass as de facto exclamation points helped define James Bond.

One of the most profoundly moving theme songs in film, Barry's 1969 score to "Midnight Cowboy" won the 1970 Grammy for best instrumental composition. Barry oversaw both the score and soundtrack, which also featured Fred Neil's song, "Everybody's Talkin'" as performed by Harry Nilsson. That won the Grammy for best male pop vocal performance.

Barry's genius was on full display for his Academy Award-winning score to "Out of Africa." The theme was somehow both epic and gentle, a patient, moving hymn that takes its time unfolding, but whose open spaces are filled with majestic grandeur. The score offered evidence of a composer who was settling down from decades providing energy and action to thrilling narratives, and moving toward a contemplation that felt less tense but no less urgent.

Barry's father was in the cinema business running eight cinemas in York, which first sparked his musical interests. Although originally a classical pianist Barry also decided to learn the trumpet and started growing an interest for composing and arranging music. But it was during his National Service that he began performing as a musician.

After taking a correspondence course (with jazz composer Bill Russo) and arranging for some of the bands of the day, he formed The John Barry Seven, with whom he had some hit records, including "Hit and Miss", the theme tune he composed for the BBC's Juke Box Jury programme, and a cover of the Ventures' "Walk Don't Run".

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Obituary

John Barry - R.I.P.

John Barry - R.I.P.

Source: Sound Insights by Doug Payne

The film world lost one of its greatest composers with the death of John Barry, who died yesterday in New York at age 77. Barry, who had long lived in New York, is said to have died of a heart attack. But official details have not yet been released. John Barry, born November 3, 1933, in York, England, composed the scores to dozens of films and TV shows over the past half century, a period known as film music's “silver ...

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Award / Grant

Barry to Take Soundtrack Award

Barry to Take Soundtrack Award

Source: All About Jazz

BRUSSELS -- Composer John Barry is being honored with a lifetime achievement award from the World Soundtrack Academy. The four-time Oscar winner will receive the award on Oct. 21, during the Ghent Film Festival in Belgium.

Ceremony will be followed by a performance of Barry's work by the Brussels Philharmonic. Program will include selections from “Goldfinger," “Out of Africa," “Dances with Wolves" and “Midnight Cowboy."

Past recipients of the WSA's highest honor include Ennio Morricone, Maurice Jarre, Elmer Bernstein and ...

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