Christafari has made Billboard history this week! I have toured with them for many years. My final tour was the launch for this album, and we made it up to #3 on the Billboard reggae chart. Eight months later it made it up to #1!! Christafari is the first Christian reggae band in history to grab the #1 spot in this secular reggae chart. Congratulations guys! I’m glad to have been a part of it.
Vicente Fernandez film release
My latest movie opens this Friday in West Hollywood in a soft release that will begin at the Laemmle Theatres in LA and roll out to broader distribution after a few weeks.
The film is a family comedy called The Man Who Shook The Hand Of Vicente Fernandez, and it stars the late Ernest Borgnine. He was 94 during production and this film was his last in a celebrated career that spanned more than 6 decades. The film music was written by composer Ruy Folguera and orchestrated by myself. The movie was directed by Elia Petridis, and you can watch the trailer on the Indican Pictures website.
More Bugbaby screenings
Bugbaby, a horror comedy for which I was the film composer, has been a Halloween favorite two years in a row. It has won multiple awards, played at more than 30 festivals, and continues to get more screenings.
It will screen at the Sacramento Horror Film Festival on Oct 14th and at the PollyGrind Underground Film Festival on Oct 20. You can see all the awards and festivals on my credits page.
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra
On October 5 world percussion ensemble D’Drum and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra will be performing Gamelan D’Drum, a piece I worked on with Stewart Copeland. It was performed previously by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, where it was condcuted by Jaap van Zweden, and the Royal College of Music.
Bugbaby screenings
Bugbaby has two screenings this weekend. The first is tonight at the SoCal Independent Film Festival, just a little outside of Los Angeles. The second is tomorrow in Chicago at the Columbia Alumni Short Film Showcase.
Ernest Borgnine’s last film
Variety magazine just announced that Ernest Borgnine’s last role in a career spanning 6 decades will be released in October by Indican Pictures. At 95 years old he still did a fantastic job as the lead in this film, and I’m proud to have orchestrated the film score. Titled “The Man Who Shook The Hand Of Vicente Fernandez”, the release will begin in Los Angeles and roll out to other cities from there.
Magic Hourglass screenings
There are a handful of new screenings for The Magic Hourglass coming up:
Beginning August 19 you can catch it at The West Coast Film Festival at the Regency theatres in San Juan Capistrano. Beginning of September 1 it will be playing at the Orange County Film Festival.
I was the film composer and orchestrator for the film, and the film score continues to impress audiences everywhere it’s played. I’m very proud of this one!
Composer’s salon performance in Venice
Today I will give world premieres of some contemporary classical pieces for piano and voice at a composer’s salon in Venice Beach. Hosted by Kubilay Üner, the event is a European style salon in which composers can present and discuss the creation of music. The songs are new works by composer Mark Abel, with whom I produced the album Dream Gallery.
Mourning Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine, the tough but tender actor with a highly celebrated career spanning more than 6 decades, died today at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. I am honored to have orchestrated the music for the last film that he starred in, The Man Who Shook The Hand Of Vicente Fernandez. Even at 95 he was cheerful, easy to work with, and carried the leading role wonderfully. The film will be released later this year, and I’m glad to be a part of his final mark on the world.