THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA - MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA soundtrack (NINJA TUNE)
released 26 May 2003

Take an old Soviet realist film made in 1929 and add a group of adventurous jazzsters and you get this rather fascinating little project. By using contemporary production techniques, they have brought the film, a selection of vignettes of an idealised Soviet society, upfront to a modern-aged and sample-aware generation. The project is a broad tapestry of black and white near-thirties narratives to which TCO have overlayed their own soundtrack to it.

It is apparent that TCO have thought carefully about each piece in the way that the jazz-funk seems to lend a lucid, playful quality to the happy footage, whilst the sorrowful downbeat tracks fit the darker clips neatly.

To see whether the musical qualities of this project could survive without the film (its symbiotic partner) I watched it first then listened to it again, second. The effect is similar: symphonic, sophisticated and emotive. I particularly liked ‘Reel Life (Evolution II)’ and ‘Work It (Man with the
Movie Camera)’ with its imposing strings and piano. ‘The Magician’ seems to be a signature tune for TCO with Luke Flowers (drums) and Tom Chant (sax) doing their thing amply. ‘Theme De Yoyo’ (a cover of an Art Ensemble of Chicago track) and ‘Yoyo Waltz’ are variations of a style that is emblematic of TCO’s output.

I’m not a great jazz fan. For me there were one or two moments that tended to be self-indulgent in that kind of experimental way; because jazz-funk is meta-music, all cohesion is somehow a limiting factor. The result can sometimes go on a bit, become frayed and lose its way. But
despite these small self-awarded medals of jazzness, it is undoubtedly a very cool project with a big fanbase: TCO originally did this as an opener for a Portuguese film festival and have made it their ‘thing’ as headliners twice at Big Chill and played festivals in Edinburgh, as well as being
accustomed to a standing ovations from 3500 people –need I go on?

You feel as if you are deep inside the heads of TCO, and it makes for a very cerebral back-to-mine DVD to put on. The film itself is excellent anyway but is augmented by TCO’s grand cinematic gesture- I had to capitulate: their music does make the project.

It’s safe to assume TCO won’t be contributing an ironic jazz score to ‘Aliens’ next time. I think with this scope of ingenuity, whilst they are at risk of a strictly left-brain Barbican/Hoxton audience, their output is very clever and very relaxing. I look forward to their next project with great
enthusiasm - even for a non-jazz man.

words: Rufus Sanders