I’m not qualified to review Cuphead the Game, but it looks fun and is certainly popular as an alternative to gory shoot ’em ups. Many of our standards launched out of mediocre Broadway productions and took on a life of there own. In the early days of motion pictures music was made for accompaniment and some of it also rose above. All the tracks are crafted to suit their purpose as an aural enhancement to certain scenes on a screen, but they are crafted so well that they rise above it. They won’t be mistaken for originals but a trained jazz ear will recognize what he is emulating. But he has produced scores of tracks reminiscent of various specific times and styles from Sousa marches to early bop. It would be something if he were only able to emulate that cartoon feel of the early 40s small bands. Creating convincing new music in old styles is no mean feat and he makes it look easy. This soundtrack is only his second major work as a composer.Ĭoming from that classical background this music crashes like a creative bolt of lightning.
He works with numerous orchestras and opera companies, and is the principal percussionist of the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra. Kristofer Maddigan graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Music from the University of Regina in 2005 and has continued his formal education ever since. I especially enjoyed the piano solo and trio numbers. The only oddity being how very much of it there is, a whole afternoon worth of music.
You can easily enjoy this as an album without ever seeing the game.
Yes, jazz improvisation on a video game soundtrack. The more than 30 musicians involved are all quality players and a sense of individuality comes through, especially on the solos. Cuphead – Original Soundtrack by Kristofer Maddigan