Seasoned composer Mark Isham (pronounced I-sham) has one of the most diverse and prolific careers in film and television. With a background in jazz, and proficiency with trumpet and piano, Isham has scored innumerable titles and given a incredible flair to each of his projects.
His latest works graced with his musical muscle is Hulu’s familial drama Little Fires Everywhere. Taking inspiration from the narrative, Isham’s themes mirror the duality of the interweaving characters (from two vastly different worlds).
Even the main theme represents the delicate and sometimes violent interactions between lead characters played by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington – what starts out prim and proper soon segues into artsy and chaotic. Much of the show’s music is like that, and it’s as exciting to listen to as it is to watch the heightened drama unfold on screen.
In a way, that’s very much jazz. The music was co-written by Isabella Summers (of Florence + the Machine). Together, the two fuse their musical sensibilities and the result is some really bold and dynamic music which underscores the beats of the show to perfection.
We were excited to speak to Isham about his film work as well. He’s taken already great films and pushes them over the top with sensational and affecting compositions. Remember the end of The Mist, and the pivotal action in Warrior? Well, I for one don’t think they would have the same impact without Isham’s masterful contributions. Same goes for dozens of others you’ll find on his dizzying resume.
Once again we joined our good friend Bryan Kluger of BoomStickComics to speak to Isham about all the above and more. We even got a little bit of what to expect from Dean Parisot’s latest film, Bill & Ted Face the Music. Excellent!!
Check out Little Fires Everywhere on Hulu. You can learn more about Mark’s current and future work on his website, and follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
And don’t forget to visit iTunes , Stitcher , I Heart Radio, and Spotify to subscribe to our podcast.
