AllMusic

Elmer Bernstein / Chico Hamilton

Smell of Success: Jazz Themes from the Movie Sound Track

October 7, 2008

Cool

Elmer Bernstein's jazz orchestra performed the noir-styled score for this 1957 classic concerning New York City social life and the publicity racket. On this combined soundtrack, Chico Hamilton's quintet represents about a third of the selections, including music from scenes where they appeared on-screen. Instrumentalists represented include such heavyweights as Conte and Pete Candoli, Herb Geller, and Shelly Manne.

- Marcy Donelson

Barry Goudreau

Barry Goudreau

1980

After the band's rocket to fame in the late '70s, Boston mastermind Tom Scholtz became inevitably tied up in legal battles with his manager and label, leaving the rest of his band idle. During the downtime, guitarist Barry Goudreau enlisted almost the entire band to record nine very Boston-sounding tracks. It feels almost as if Scholtz left every amp and microphone as-is after Boston's second record, and Goudreau and company just stepped in and recorded the band's third record while Scholtz wasn't looking. The album's clear highlight is the minor hit "Dreams" which channels a familiar guitar tone and anthemic chorus.

- Zac Johnson