Get Carter/Roy Budd

 

A 20 page booklet produced for a single film release from Silva? I would have said impossible but this is included in the re-issue of Get Carter, a film dealing with Carter a small time mobster (Michael Caine) investigating the death of his brother. In addition to the usual suspects of information there is a nice retro addition by writer/director Mike Hodges, nice bio information on Budd, Karan, and Clyne, and an interview with the then unknown duo of Mickey Gallagher and Johnny Turnbull.This Roy Budd soundtrack is the first in a reissue series of his soundtracks on the Silva label. Titles down the road will include Wild Geese, Soldier Blue, Fear is the Key, and the Stone Killer. Also included are 13 short dialogue tracks in-between the 15 music tracks. In addition there are sound effects included on some of the tracks such as “Carter Takes a Train.” This is a track which features the main theme but an extremely upfront well played bass line which of course has background noise that is distracting and takes away from it. I’d rather not hear the sound of the train tracks and noise. “Goodbye Carter” is another good track of the main theme that unfortunately has wind noise, very distracting.

Roy Budd, whose career was tragically ended with a brain hemorrhage at the age of 46, is first class on the keyboards and the “Something On My Mind” track, my personal favorite on this CD, is a good example of the 60’s & 70’s jazz. When I heard this track I immediately thought of Bob James and some of the recordings he did for Creed Taylor. Nicely recorded to give sound from the drums and bass, the simple blues theme is introduced and then given a nice improvisational treatment by Budd. Put this one down as one that immediately went into the MP3 player! While I’m not a big fan of the vocal version of “Getting Nowhere in a Hurry” I am a fan of the instrumental and enjoyed the harpsichord sound keyboard solo from Budd and the guitar solo. Another track for the MP3 player! A third funky jazz track, “Plaything” has some Budd at his best keyboard work. Budd definitely had a feel for this music and his exemplary playing comes through loud and clear.

If you’re either a jazz buff or a fan of Roy Budd, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you hear. This is good funky jazz not the elevator stuff you hear so often. Definitely worth exploring.

Silva SILCD1300

Track listing

1. Intro

2. Dialogue

3. Main Theme – Carter Takes A Train

4. Dialogue

5. Looking For Someone

6. Dialogue – The Race Track

7. Something On My Mind

8. Dialogue

9. Getting Nowhere In A Hurry

10. Dialogue

11. The Girl in the Car

12. Dialogue

13. Love Is a Four Letter Word

14. Dialogue

15. Livin’ Should Be This Way

16. Dialogue

17. Manhunt

18. Dialogue

19. Goodbye Eric!

20. Goodbye Carter!

21. Hallucinations

22. Dialogue

23. Plaything

24. Dialogue

25. Goodbye Carter!

26. Dialogue

27. Hallucinations-Instrumental

28. Getting Nowhere In a Hurry-Instrumental

The release date is Tuesday August 10th as a CD or digital download in the US