Jazz in video games

For some reason unknown to anyone, jazz music is rarely found in the soundtracks of video games. Especially recently, most often we hear Hollywood orchestral scores written in the manner of heroic hymns. To make sure of this, just listen to the latest performances of the orchestral troupe at the annual award ceremony The Game Awards. I don’t write that it’s bad, don’t think. For the most part, these same scores are also very good in its own way. Nevertheless, I, and, probably not only me, is a little upset by such monotony in the approach in creating game soundtracks today. Surprisingly, one of the oldest musical directions of America is now not popular and not in demand. However, this does not mean at all that video game soundtracks are deprived of bright representatives of jazz jazz.

Three years ago, there was a topic about jazz on blogs. By the way, blogs about jazz can literally list on the fingers. One hand. So that topic, entitled “Jazz, whiskey and freedom, is the melody of the life of the New Orleans of the 20th century” She was not so much about jazz in terms of discussing the genre, but about the era of its origin and its performers. I advise you to read it too if you missed it.

In my blog, I set myself the goal of telling about different interpretations of jazz, which you can hear in video games. I’ll start with the question. What is your jazz associated with you? Swinging long passwords on small drums. The muffled roar of pipes. A musty layer of cigarette smoke over the tables of the club visitors. Short phrases of scatter in a microphone. So called jazz vocals, if that. If jazz in your view is seen only by this, then you are mistaken. Jazz is different, it is always different – this is its meaning! Jazz is an improvisation and since it is improvisation from an experienced jazz musician requires extensive knowledge in the field of chords theory and tonal modulations, as well as strict and constant practice on the tool chosen by him. If jazz never existed, then the exciting change of chords and melodies that we hear today in popular music would not have been. It would be sad to live, agree?

Only you don’t think that in this blog I just randomly threw the soundtracks from different games from different games, so that later a person enters the blog with thoughts: “So here we have … what a mess!?»I won’t have it like that! No-no. I have a clear division into licensed and original soundtracks here, I will sign every composition to what kind of jazz it belongs. If you were never interested in jazz, then perhaps after reading this blog you will change your attitude. For my part, I will try to make all my efforts for this.

Licensed soundtrack

First I want to admit to you that in fact I am not a big fan of jazz. To be fully frank, I do not understand how the music works in details. I’m nothing more than just a listener. Although I have at home such musical instruments as Kalim and a guitar, but I play them only for myself because of serious problems with low self-esteem in fact, but not about that. Perhaps I’m not the most suitable person in order to talk about music, but since we are talking about video games, I could not resist and not try to write about it. Moreover, jazz is an amazing genre that includes just a huge amount.

Jazz style: CALIPSO passing to swing.

My first love for jazz performers was these three charming girls depicted on a perennial video above. Group Sisters Andrews. The work of Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and the Beautiful Ella Fitzgerald is also amazing, but I learned about them later, it so happened. Songs of the Endryus sisters were licensed by the video game for soundtracks. You could hear them in Bioshock, Mafia 2, L.A. Noire and in the games of the Fallout ¾/76 series. But for the first time I heard the Endryus sisters not in the video game, but in the 1947 Rio Rio movie with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope on the main roles. He was shown on the TV channel „Culture“ on a day off. Some time after that, having heard the song “Rum and Coca Cola” in Mafia 2, I recognized the vocals of these girls who appeared in a scene with a musical number from that very half-forgotten white film.

Jazz style: Ragtaym.

From the list of games where the songs of the vocal trio of the sisters of Andrews I would like to highlight the games of the Fallout and Bioshock series, because they are largely similar. They use jazz music in a very similar way. And there and there, one can observe the contrast of the “old-fashioned” youth of popular music of the beginning of the 20th century with wild violence of the post-apocalyptic world. Jazz songs of that time are placed in a new context-the world of devastation and pain, where terrifying psychopaths-mutants rule. That is why they begin to be perceived differently. Songs acquire nostalgic sadness after the past time.

But most of all I was impressed by how it was done in Bioshock Infinite . For example, this ragtime-jazz version of the song Tears for Fears „EVERYBODY WANTS To RULE THE WORLD“ – Absolutely beautiful composition. The composer took a melancholy synth-pop song and remade it for the setting and the era of the game. I can’t remember someone else to do something like that. The reinforced cover of this song from Albert Fink in the context of history in Bioshock Infinite played with new colors. In the context of the game, the text hints at the main antagonist and his accomplices, who literally wanted to rule the world, and in the end destroyed both his and his own lives. But at the same time, in combination with a musical accompaniment, the song seems to be very gloomy at the same time and at the same time very cheerful (?) Maybe I am the only one who feels that way, I don’t even know … Be that as it may, many in the comments note that just such things do Bioshock Infinite phenomenal and unique video game, who would not say any nasty things on it, and I am completely jointly joint.

Elena Nogherra herself looks like Bayonetta. You just look at what beauty she is!

Jazz style: Swing + synth-pop (technopop)

I previously wrote that I can’t remember someone else to do something like that, but this is not quite true. There is a composition Fly Me to the Moon (φ Climax Mix) From the soundtrack of Bayonetta, when the composer did the same just the opposite. Initially, sung by Frank Sinatra, the song was melancholy and smooth. In the cover of the Climax Mix version Hiroshi Yamaguti Connected swing and cheerful techno with sensual female vocals Elena Nogherra. That is, literally as it was with the composition of Tears for Fears for Bioshock Infinite only exactly the opposite. And at the same time ‚Climax Mix‘, the version of the jazz music, as well as most of the other compositions from the soundtrack of this video game, can still be considered a version.

Bayonetta’s soundtrack has its own unique charm. The style Casinomrpunter.co.uk of compositions can probably be called Gothic jazz to match the atmosphere of the game itself. They mix gloomy string progression with piano, organ, electric piano, xylophone and synthesizer.

Jazz style: Jazz-Manush (Gypsy Jazz) or as it is also called gypsy jazz.

Since I mentioned the second mafia, it would be a sin not to mention the first in the context of the amazing licensed jazz soundtrack for video games. Moreover, I love Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven since school. In fact, I was the person in the classroom, who went with a carved page from a game magazine and told everyone about what a cool game he was and that everyone was obliged to play in it.

The scene when Tommy Angelo runs away from two gangsters of the Morello family under the composition Latcho Drom – La Verdine It is rightfully considered one of the most striking examples of the extremely successful use of licensed soundtrack in video games. In this scene, I am still surprised by how much everything is happening around the player while he runs along the strict route through the courtyards to Bar Salieri. I am especially mixed by a man and a woman who stand in different passes and complain about each other for the fact that he/she did not come/did not come to a meeting in a pre -agreed place at a certain time. At three in the afternoon, to be precise. This nuance in this ingenious scene is just comedy gold!

Soundtrack Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven in general is simply wonderful and includes many hits of the 30s of performers such as Django Reinhardt, brothers Mills, Louis Prima and Lonni Johnson. Moreover, all these jazz performers made a great contribution to the violently developing musical direction. In turn, the undeniably great Mafia video game: The City of Lost Heaven perpetuated their works among then young people at the beginning of the 20th century zero at the beginning of the 20th century.

Jazz style: traditional jazz, blues, swing.

The largest number of licensed jazz compositions in the soundtrack from those video games that I know can boast of l.A. Noire . Her soundtrack has 32 songs from very popular and talented performers of the last century. They sound in the game on the radio in cars or in rooms. Most of the licensed songs, oddly enough, are almost in no way related to a criminal theme. I even mean the song „Murder“ He Says from Dina Shor. Although it would seem “murder” – the murder is the main character of the game investigates the murder, it does not fit? But in fact, she is singing about a failed novel by a woman with a man who has a very poor vocabulary. The only “criminal” song in the playing radio repertoire is the “Stone Cold Dead in the Market” from Louis Jordan and Ella Fitzgerald, which literally talks about the murder and the lines “I have not killed anyone except her husband/she did not kill anyone except her husband”.

Most of the songs in the soundtrack l.A. Noire reflect human experiences from unrequited love, dreams of love or failed love. That in general, it also fits into noir culture and topics reflected in the game.

It’s a pity only that l.A. Noire as a game from the point of view of the gameplay is quite fresh and monotonous. Most of the passage. Alas. Half of the investigations are predictable, the finale is some kind of crumpled and unlike Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven Licensed soundtrack is almost in no way beaten and is not tied to what is happening on the screen. But jazz songs and atmosphere of the 40s in l.A. Noire is still very good.

Despite the shortcomings, L.A. Noire many loyal fans. Many players in their reviews write that the game has become special for them. Some of them dream of going out to continue in the same era or already in another. If „l.A. Noire 2 „someday announced, I will only be happy. I would really like that in the sequel or spiritual heiress there is more unpredictable investigations with a truly exciting story from beginning to end.

Here I describe licensed music from video games, which, by the way, have composers, and you may have the impression as if I have understated their labors without writing a word about them. Of course, this is not so. The work of composers Harry Shuman, Andrew Hale, Vladimir Shimunek and some others, including the mentioned Hiroshi Yamaguti, deserve no less attention than licensed songs in these games. In particular, I really like the title theme of Andrew Hale in L.A. Noire. I listened to her several times on repetition. Harry Schumann musical compositions for all three Bioshock and Vladimir Shimunek for Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven sincerely love with all my heart. It just so happened that I had to choose the style of the story on my blog, and I decided to divide video games into those that use licensed jazz music and those in which players hear only original jazz music. It was done for convenience.

Original soundtrack

Jazz style: Tango nuevo in a jazz accompaniment.

It would be wrong if I started the story of the original jazz soundtracks in video games not with Grim Fandango, but with some other. Not only because the game has one of the brightest better soundtracks in this genre of music, but also because it came out before everyone else. The soundtrack consisting of 32 compositions for authorship Peter McConnella received a huge number of positive reviews from critics and players in 1998.

Grim Fandango takes place in the country of dead from Mexican folklore in the style of noir. The obvious parallels with the Casablanca movie of 1942 will not notice only … Let us be honest – the current visitors of the gaming portals of the Black -Balm Cinema of the last century are not interested, so the majority will really not notice. Be that as it may, Peter McConnell, working on musical compositions, was inspired by Mexican folklore and a film with Humphrey Bogart. The composer and producer talked about this in documentary, which you can easily find on YouTube Channel Channel Tim Schafer Doublefineprod. For example, listening to the composition „Manny And Master“, You can feel it. The feeling of something very sad and turning point, but at the same time bringing satisfaction. Just like a story in Casablanca! Even if you did not play the game, you will understand that we are talking about a sad love story between a man and a woman.

If you believe the stories that I read on the network, when creating the soundtrack, MacConnell found a group of musicians from San Francisco, who, at his request, interpreted his score with little freedom performed. The composer wanted to achieve a jazz atmosphere in music and, so to speak, followed traditions. The Soundtrack was also attended by the Mariachi group from the Mission area, which Macaconell found in the same San Francisco. The area is known for the fact that many Mexican and Latin American immigrants live there. All this in order to give music to the South American flavor in order to match its visual design inspired by Mexican folklore.

Jazz style: Eisid-jazz

This would be a crime if I, after the story of Grim Fandango, would have started talking about some other game, and not about Persona 5 . In their significance, they are very similar. Officially, this is one of the best video games of our time with one of the best jazz soundtracks. Dot. In principle, one could finish this and go further to make reproaches to all those who for some reason passed this amazing video game.

Jazz in Persona 5 soundtrack Amazingly different. There are compositions in the suck jazz rock. As a rule, these are combat topics, but there are exceptions. There are compositions in the sucene of Esid-jazz like „Whims of Fate“. Most often they sound during the study of palaces and preparation for robbery. There are compositions written in the style of Bibop Jazz. They sound at relatively calm moments in the game when the protagonist of the game is engaged in everyday business. He goes to school, for example.

There is such a term as Jazz-flu. In fact, a whole popular musical direction, which has gained popularity, including in Japan. In America, where it originated in the 60s of the last century, they don’t really like it. Jazz-fluzhn is when jazz elements and music of other styles are connected in a musical style. In fact, the entire Persona 5 soundtrack can describe this term. It is funny by the way and the fact that in the game itself, the player also has to engage in the fussion of different demons in the velvet room, combining their abilities and opening access to the new more powerful types of demons. In the series Persona, these creatures are called shadows, and in SMT demons, but in fact these are the same mythical creatures with their own unique characters and abilities.

Composer Shoji Meguro Together with the vocalist Lin Inidzumi Like a player in a velvet room during the next fusion rite, they also boldly experimented, mixing jazz music with other styles when writing soundtrack for the game. The result of their joint efforts came out incredibly impressive.

Jazz style: Big band, dixiland.

In the colloquial audio feedstock „Music Respawn! Swingin ‚with Kris Maddigan & His Big Band Score for Cuphead »Composer Cuphead Christopher Maddigan talked about what he tried very hard when he wrote compositions for the soundtrack. The developers of the game is his friends and they in a friendly manner asked him to help them. That is, it was by no means a large monetary fee. Christopher even admitted that he tried so hard that he went too far with the quantity (and with the quality too!) the music that he wrote for this game. Cuphead soundtrack includes as many as 56 compositions! Plus 30 for complement „The Delicious Last Course“.

I know that many of you have not played Grim Fandango because it is very old and the Point-And-Click Adventure game process scares off with its slowness and places even frank boring. I also know that many of you have not played Persona 5, because many Russian players grew up on crooked Gothic, where more than half of the gameplay was built on cooled Sevskaming. Convenient and pleasant jrpg, even if done three million times better literally in everything does not seem to be something for you. I can understand this. Is it true. But in Cuphead I have the feeling that almost everyone played. And the majority of the players passed the whole original and its addition.

As I understand it, no one is indifferent to the video game in the classic genre “Run and Shoot”, and even stylized to the cartoons of the Fleisher and Walt Disney brothers and Walt Disney 1930s? Apparently it is. Reviews of players on all Internet resources are extremely positive. Judging by the frantic popularity of Cuphead, the people sincerely love jazz music, even if they themselves did not realize this before. It may very well be! Be that as it really, I am very happy about this, sincerely approve and support the love of the creation of the MDHR studio.

You know, I must admit to you that I can’t remember more games at all, where the soundtrack was at least half consisted of jazz compositions. Either I am such a little -educated gamer, or it is a jazz really a very rare guest in video games. When I wrote this blog, I literally walked around the room in circles, sometimes from side to side like a convict, breaking my head, which other soundtrack could be written. Yes, apparently I have nothing to do, or I just caught fire, it is not clear from where the desire to write a blog on this unpopular topic. Well, I remembered about Policenauts 1994 from Hideo Kojima. A wonderful game that no one has played in. I, including, of course. But in her soundtrack, only 3-4 compositions can be attributed to the Jazz-Fewjn genre, namely jazz-rod and synth-pop with a jazz accompaniment, all other tracks in the album pure synth-pop. In addition, it turned out that the two jazz compositions that I liked did not enter the game itself and spread on a separate CD-disk. I mean Just Who I NEEDED to See and Nobody Knows. Not suitable it turns out? Not suitable. There was another Gran Turismo. There are jazz compositions, one or two for each of the albums, but everything else is a team of a hodgepodge. It doesn’t fit either! Super Mario Odyssey? Except for the amazing Jump up, super station!, which almost every of us seems to have heard, the rest of the soundtrack for playing jazz music is in no way connected. IN Super Mario Zdw Vold I, unfortunately, did not play. Here they say almost the entire soundtrack jazz and amazingly creative. Grand Theft Auto? Yes, there is jazz music on radio stations, but there is no special accent on it. Of those games that are currently in this series, none of them is directly related to jazz culture. Finally The Saboteur 2009 years. Well, here it suits! – You write. But in the game itself there is nothing particularly interesting or original and it would be frankly boring to me about her. I passed it completely at the time of the exit and I can hardly remember at least something remarkable. In „Disruption of Flights“ she is the very place.

Jazz can be different. Pacifying, energetic, inspiring. Cause a variety of emotions and moods. Use a variety of musical instruments and styles. However, many composers working in the video game industry pass by him. Maybe they are afraid of him, or maybe he is not interested in him? Who knows. But when a talented composer takes to write a jazz soundtrack, and even to an interesting video game, a bomb is obtained! Preventive awards, extremely positive reviews, high marks and most importantly it acquires a great and sincere love from players pour in the game. Nevertheless, I am glad that there is jazz music in video games. Until the industry finally drowned in monotony – everything is in order and everything is fine.