Easy melody, rock and new age is the name of the game. To continue to play, Goldsmith might have to change his game. After gleaning another fine issue of your magazine, I have to comment on a few things, most notably the obit on J. J. Johnson. I'm not aware of any other articles on film composers who are Black. Besides the usual racism that permeates most American institutions, the film business typecasts all types of talent, so if a composer scores a horror film that does well, all of a sudden he's the go-to guy for the next big horror film.
Black composers are in a worse predicament.
He said the execs at Columbia thought a black musician couldn't be qualified to do dramatic underscoring. Brooks knew better and insisted on Jones, and got his way, and we are left with a great score to a great film. For that matter, black directors, writers and actors are similarly pigeon-holed. It's a serious issue that I can't possibly do justice to in such a short space. I think this is a little disappointing because Don Davis is capable of writing his own original score even if it is not of Williams caliber or style.