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A Scottish jazz pianist experienced a moment of disbelief when acclaimed film director Spike Lee contacted him with an offer to collaborate on a new project.
Fergus McCreadie initially suspected that the calls and messages from the director behind iconic films such as Do The Right Thing and Black KKKlansman might be fraudulent.
However, he soon found himself en route to New York, accompanied by his band, to contribute to the crime thriller Highest 2 Lowest.
The award-winning pianist, who received the Scottish Album of the Year award in 2022, described the entire experience, including Lee’s visit to Edinburgh to attend one of his performances, as surreal in an interview with BBC Scotland News.
McCreadie’s composition “Stony Gate” is featured prominently in the film’s score, integrated into the primary composition by Howard Dressin.
“I received a call from a New York number last July,” McCreadie recounted. “I assumed it was spam, and then I got an email claiming to be from Spike Lee – I thought that was also a scam.”
“Eventually, my manager suggested we verify its authenticity, and it turned out to be genuine.”
“Following that, he flew to Edinburgh that week to attend my gig, and the rest, as they say, is history.”
Joined by his jazz trio members, bassist David Bowden and drummer Stephen Henderson, McCreadie traveled to New York, where he attended an NBA game featuring Lee’s beloved New York Knicks.
He also persuaded Lee, who won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2019, to pose with a scarf from Glasgow football team Queen’s Park.
In the studio, the musicians performed “Stony Gate” while Lee showcased the corresponding scene, fostering the desired emotional connection.
McCreadie, originally from Dollar but now residing in Glasgow, explained: “It felt more like a performance than a composing session. Spike was keen to incorporate ‘Stony Gate’ into the score, so Howard orchestrated it, and we performed the music.”
“Typically, orchestral sessions are rushed, but Spike showed everyone the scene with demo music.”
“He emphasized the importance of understanding the music’s purpose and aligning it with the scene’s emotion.”
McCreadie, a 2022 Mercury Music Prize nominee, shared with BBC Scotland that involvement in film music had previously seemed unattainable.
However, he now hopes for further opportunities in soundtrack work.
He added: “It’s surreal, like a fever dream. It doesn’t feel real.”
“It’s honestly crazy, but it’s also a real honor to be amongst all the musicians that made this soundtrack happen.”
The film is currently released in the USA, with streaming availability on Apple TV+ slated for September.
It is a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, with Denzel Washington in the lead role.
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