April 30 is International Jazz Day, and a recent release by Jazz musician Randy Waldman titled “Superheroes” consists of wild and inventive jazz arrangements of the best superhero themes from film and television.
There are two Superman tracks on the album, the “Superman: The Movie” theme featuring legendary musician George Benson, and “The Adventures of Superman” TV theme featuring Randy Brecker and Eddie Daniels.
Andy Waldman says, “Although I’ve released three prior jazz records, my new one, SuperHeroes, is something really special – the result of five years of work! Joining me in the rhythm section are ace bassist Carlitos del Puerto and legendary drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, plus guest appearances by some of the biggest names in jazz, including Chick Corea, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Gadd, Randy Brecker, Eddie Daniels, George Benson, Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Arturo Sandoval and the vocal group Take 6.”
“With this amazing cast of characters in mind, I rearranged some of my favorite superhero movie and TV themes, turning them into fun, exciting vehicles for jazz improvisation. We took on Batman, Superman, Spider-man, X-Men, The Hulk, Mighty Mouse, Underdog, The Six Million Dollar Man and of course, Super Chicken. There’s definitely something on the album for every jazz (and superhero) fan!”
You can purchase the “Superheroes” CD from Amazon.com.
This was a fantastic Jazz rendition of the theme from “Superman The Movie.” I like the pianist Randy Waldman, but I was most impressed by living legendary Jazz guitarist GEORGE BENSON. He played some excellent guitar chops. It’s fitting that my favorite guitarist, George Benson, plays the Jazz version of “Superman The Movie.” As a Superman-Fan and Jazz enthusiast myself, this album is a dream come true. I recommend also checking out the Spider-Man theme song with Take Six. It’s very well done!
Definitely! The AoS theme didn’t do much for me, but the S:TM theme in jazz is fantastic (as is George Benson in general, but I’m preaching to the choir there, lol). 🙂