Track List:

CHECKMATE
01. Theme from Checkmate
02. The Isolated Pawn
03. Cyanide Touch
04. Far Out Place
05. Hassle in the Castle
06. En Passant
07. The Black Knight
08. Fireside Eyes
09. The Bishop's Retreat
10. Queen's Sacrifice
11. Shy Youth
12. The King Swings

TOTAL TIME 34:17

RHYTHM IN MOTION
13. Fascinatin' Rhythm
14. The Varsity Drag
15. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
16. Let's Do It
17. Put on a Happy Face
18. Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)
19. Johnny One Note
20. An Occasional Man
21. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
22. Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries
23. Sunny Disposish
24. Buckle Down Winsocki

TOTAL TIME 34:21

View CD Page at FSM Site (More Details)

Film Score Monthly brings to CD more outstanding early work from the legendary John Williams: the classic "crime jazz" soundtrack to Checkmate plus the big-band showtunes collection Rhythm in Motion, both dating from 1961, when the composer was known as "Johnny" Williams.

John Williams began his career as a Hollywood pianist, performing in the Columbia Pictures orchestra and on various projects like Henry Mancini's Peter Gunn. Williams moved into composing primarily on television, before his eventual reign as the most successful feature film composer of modern times. Checkmate—a crime thriller series in the tradition of Peter Gunn—was both Williams's first series as primary theme and episode composer, and his first album as a featured artist for Columbia Records.

Checkmate starred Anthony George, Sebastian Cabot and Doug McClure as the members of "Checkmate Inc.," a private firm that specializes in preventing crime before it happens. Williams wrote a sizzling main title theme with a beguiling electric guitar ostinato and big-band brass. Like similiar albums of the time, the Checkmate LP (which was entirely re-recorded) features a studio rendition of the main title theme, adapted underscore and source cues, and original compositions in the same style. Smoky, moody, melodic and cool, the the Checkmate record is a classic from the Peter Gunn and Staccato -era of TV crime jazz.

Unlike past FSM CDs, Rhythm in Motion does not feature Williams compositions—or even film music at all. Rather, it is comprised of 12 popular showtunes arranged by Williams into upbeat instrumentals for enhanced big band. Even at this early point of his career, Williams was a master of orchestral color—imagine Broadway's famous melodies orchestrated like the Lost in Space theme, and you have a sense of the delights of this album.

These two vintage Columbia LPs are remastered from the original stereo master tapes for sterling sound quality. (The LPs at the time were meant to show off first-rate stereo imaging.) The booklet features a lengthy essay by Williams expert Jeff Eldridge, including new insight from original LP producer Jim Harbert.