Search - Ray Martin :: Favourite TV Themes 1 & 2

TV Themes - Ray Martin

D.L.J.Mann | UK | 02/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Vocalion have been releasing some mighty fine stuff of late - Favourite TV Themes Vol 1 & 2 by The Ray Martin Orchestra, originally released on Decca in the seventies, is just one of them. Over the years I've heard a lot of TV theme albums by the likes of Jack Parnell & Geoff Love (back in the 70's if you had an orchestra, or just a friend who played a musical instrument, you recorded an album of TV Themes)and this is one of the finest. Reason being is (a) Ray covers a lot of themes every one else ignored and (b) he adds his own distinctive style to the themes which makes it more than just a bunch of covers that you can pick up in your charity shop for 50p.



Rare themes include the magnificent theme for 'General Hospital', 'Caine's Theme' from Kung-Fu, 'Grandstand' (not that version) and the super funky 'Wheelbase' which in specialist shops made an original copy of Vol 1 pricey.



A lot of the usual suspects are also on show: 'Match Of The Day', 'The Big Match, oh and 'Crossroads' & 'Emmerdale Farm' (thank you Tony Hatch). Mission Impossible, always a treat, gets jazzy in the middle which Schifrin, being the jazzer that he is, would have applauded. Other cop themes, Kojak, Hawaii 5-0 and Ironside receieve the same jazzy interlude which makes a refreshing change if like me you've heard them a hundred times before, all done in the same way. Ray even gets jazzy on 'Upstairs Downstairs' which might upset the purists amongst you. You're so right, Mrs. Bridges would not like it. 3 bonus tracks, not included on the original releases, are thrown in - 'Film 74', 'Sale Of The Century' and 'Star Trek', so in total you get 28 tracks.



Good stuff!"