Five-time Grammy winner Mike Post joins The Film Scorer podcast! A lot of you will probably be familiar with Mike already, who boasts one of the most impressive tv resumes of all time. For those of you that aren’t, Mike’s responsible for the two-note “dun-dun” sound in Law & Order, as well as themes and scores for shows like The Rockford Files, Hill Street Blues, The A-Team, Magnum P.I., NYPD Blue, L.A. Law, various Law & Order shows, and many, many more. He’s also played for and with tons of classic artists, like Sonny & Cher and Kenny Rogers, and has produced albums for a number of artists, including Van Halen. Frankly, it’s one heck of a career. Despite all that, Mike and I focus our conversation on something a bit different: his new album, Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta (though of course we still talk a bit about some of those other pieces too – they’re too intriguing to pass up!).
Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta marks Mike’s first non-tv album in something like 55 years. I assumed that would be particularly exciting, releasing music that’s his, but he surprised me by saying “[t]he music I make for TV is my own music, it’s just attached to somebody else’s art.” It’s a very cool mixture, with half of the album being an exploration of an orchestra and bluegrass rhythm section and the second half exploring orchestra and the blues. He’s also pulled in some of the heaviest hitters in each respective genre to make up the rhythm sections – highly recommend looking up each player!
You can find out more about Mike on his website. Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta is currently available on all major platforms here.
Have a listen to our conversation below or wherever you get your podcasts (including Spotify and Apple Podcasts). Enjoying these interviews? Show the love by subscribing and leaving a rating or review!
More About Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta
“The way composer Mike Post simply describes himself now – “I’m an American musician” – is as grateful and respectful as it is limitless in its compass and its ambition. His new solo album, Message from the Mountains & Echoes of the Delta, emerged as his own celebration of the music of the American people that has inspired him in a career spanning six decades. Presented as a pair of original works, the album combines the sounds of a bluegrass band (Message from the Mountains) and a blues band (Echoes of the Delta) – joined by two “dream teams” of soloists who are his longtime friends and colleagues – with the rich palette and expressive power of a full orchestra.
The first in a pair of original works encompassing the album, Message from the Mountains features nine multifaceted movements utilizing the sounds of bluegrass to celebrate the mingling of tradition and diverse cultural experience in American music. The immensely talented and decorated members of these rhythm sections are as follows: Herb Pedersen (5-string banjo); Gabe Witcher (fiddle); Mike Witcher (dobro); Patrick Sauber (acoustic guitar/mandolin); and Amy Keys (orator). Echoes from the Delta, meanwhile, reflects and explores the exuberant joy and the well of anguish that forged the blues in 14 short, expressive movements. Joining Post and the orchestra as soloists are Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Eric Gales (electric guitar); Abe Laboriel Sr. (bass); Abe Laboriel Jr. (drums); Robert Turner (organ/piano); Jon O’Hara (keyboards); and Amy Keys (vocalist).” Courtesy of Sony Masterworks
