SoundCast Interview: Laura Karpman (Kung Fu Panda 2: The Video Game)

Interview: Laura Karpman "Ask Your Panda"

Composer Laura Karpman (Taken, Everquest II) talks about some of her most recent projects which include one of the most unique musical projects of the last few years, ASK YOUR MAMA, as well her most recent video game score, the tie-in-game to KUNG FUN PANDA 2. She also talks about the why there are fewer female composers in the USA compared to other countries such as the United Kingdom and Japan.


Episode Highlights

00:23 — Introduction and "Ask Your Mama"
08:29 — Writing music for multiple mediums
13:52 — Struggle of the Female Composer in the USA
18:57 — Kung Fu Panda 2: The Video Game

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)


00:00 — "Main Title" (Kung Fu Panda 2 VG) by Laura Karpman
03:49 — "Cultural Exchange" (Ask Your Mama) by Laura Karpman
07:44 — "Jazztet Muted - Show Fare, Please" (Ask Your Mama) by Laura Karpman
18:18 — "Komodo Dragon Bossfight Minions 2" (Kung Fu Panda 2 VG) by Laura Karpman
19:43 — "Cliffside Puzzle 2" (Kung Fu Panda 2 VG) by Laura Karpman
21:42 — "Main Title" (Untold Legend: Dark Kingdom) by Laura Karpman
26:46 — "Marina Combat 2" (Kung Fu Panda 2 VG) by Laura Karpman

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SoundCast #26 - Kung Fu Panda 2

Episode 26 - Kung Fu Panda 2
Marius, Tom, and Chris talk the Kung Fu Panda 2 original score and on how the effectiveness of music scores, in context, affect our overall opinions.

Episode Highlights

00:24 — Introduction and welcome
03:52 — What we've been listening to
12:42 — RJDJ - App for personal soundtrack
17:56 — Twitter: Composer Controversy
24:36 — Kung Fu Panda Discussion
37:52 — In Context or out? How do thy rate thee?
41:40 — Reviewing scores on soundtrack versus in context


Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)


00:00 — "Po and Shen- Face to Face" (Kung Fu Panda 2) by Zimmer, Powell
03:58 — "Cerebro" (X-Men First Class) by Henry Jackman
06:08 — "Toy Factory" (The Best Album) by George and Jonathan
07:07 — "Sludge Mansion" (The Best Album) by George and Jonathan
08:22 — "The Pursuit of Vengeance" (SOCOM 4) by Bear McCreary
09:55 — "Naval battle at St. Vincent" (Napoleon: Total War) by Richard Beddow et al
11:27 — "Motherhood" (The Tree of Life) by Alexandre Desplat
24:00 — "Ancient China- Story of Shen" (Kung Fu Panda 2) by Zimmer, Powell
33:03 — "Rickshaw Chase" (Kung Fu Panda 2) by Zimmer, Powell
37:20 — "Dumpling Warrior" (Kung Fu Panda 2) by Zimmer, Powell
55:10 — "Gongmen Jail" (Kung Fu Panda 2) by Zimmer, Powell

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Kung Fu Panda 2 (Soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer and John Powell - Review

Zimjitsu and Powellsanity!
Review by the Tracksounds Gang

It could be said that the film that elevated Dreamworks Animation from playing second-erhu to Pixar was 2008’s KUNG FU PANDA. Leaving behind the shallow humor of efforts like Out of Season and Madagascar, KUNG FU PANDA delivered a solid story, with compelling characters, top rate voice actors, and stunning visuals. And then there was HANS ZIMMER and JOHN POWELL’s epic score, which was ripe with both top-drawer action cues and emotionally memorable themes.

With the success of the first film, there was immediate talk of a sequel and three years later KUNG FU PANDA 2 made its debut. Now that Panda Po has reached new status among his peers, The Furious Five, and under his master, Shifu, it’s not only time to up the ante with a host of new kung-fu-fightin-characters, but to delve into Po’s mysterious past. The original voice cast is back, but this time under the direction of Jennifer Yuh Nelson (who was a story-artist on the original). Best of all, at least from the film music perspective, both HANS ZIMMER and JOHN POWELL return to deliver more musique de pandemonium.

Does the duo return to the heights set by the first? The Tracksounds review team gang-tackles that question...

READ THE FULL REVIEW

Kung Fu Panda 2 by Hans Zimmer and John Powell - First Listen!

To quote the Dragon Warrior, "I love Kung Fu......!"  or more appropriately, I loved KUNG FU PANDA both the film and score.  Still, believe it or not, I had some trepidation whether the duo of Zimmer and Powell could provide a fresh and exciting experience with the sequel, KUNG FU PANDA 2.  Well, did they?

If you weren't on twitter last Friday night, you can still join me on as I live-tweet my first listen through to Varese Sarabande's upcoming release of the official soundtrack.  Now, you'll forgive me for inaccuracies regarding certain theme names and motifs.  I've tried to make as clear of reference to the original themes presented in the first Panda score.

Here we go...


#kungfupanda2firstlisten 1: Ancient China/ Story of Shen - Beautiful, slow statement on erhu of original themes b4 intro of Shen theme?

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 2: Dumpling Warrior - Reverent title theme before funky upbeat interlude; village celebration motif; Po's theme.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 3: Inner Peace - Solo shakuhachi leads to harp; reflective performance title theme on flute and strings

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 4: Musicians Village - First action piece; rapid tempo; strings and brass battle before title fanfare is unleashed.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 5: Save Kung Fu - Oogway/master motif ; playful Po motif on woodwinds; new arrangement of training-montage music.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 6: Daddy Issues - Variation on Po's theme; builds to dramatic action cresc.; menacing low orch. vs. chorus & strings

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 7: Stealth Mode - Mischievous jazzy perf. of east/west instrumentation; new motif? w/ allusions to Po's motif;

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 8: Gongmen Jail - Ha! Shaft-like parody interspersed w/ big Powell orchestral accents. Oogway/master statement.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 9: Rickshaw Chase - Action piece; var. of training montage...but ever increasing tempo! Head spinning.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 10: Po and Shen/ Face to Face - Shen's dark motif; heavy percussion; low brass; var. east. strings; concl = wow!

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 11: More Cannons! - Action piece; barrage of familiar motifs; builds to full orch. title theme with bright chorus.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten - Let me just interject here that a tweet just can't contain all these tracks have! So far an amazing score.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 12: Fireworks Factory - Contemplative and moody start. Turns militaristic. Pizzicato Po. Orchestral eruption! Pow

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 13: Po Finds Truth - Reprise of motif from track 6? Much different feel to mid section. Wonder who wrote it? ;)

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 14: Invasion Begins - Menacing Shen's motif; percussion interjects then full chorus and orch. Battle is on...

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 15: Zen Ball Master - Climactic action setpiece; Motif-palooza! 9:12 of Zimjitsu and Powellsanity. Nuff said.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 16: My Fist Hungers for Justice - And the insane action continues; Slows w/ Oogway theme; Beautiful Po arrangement

#kungfupanda2firstlisten 17: Dumpling Warrior Remix - Po quote; Po's theme remixed; not great but at least you can still recognize it.

#kungfupanda2firstlisten - That's it folks. It literally wore me out...but in a good way. Great score! Get it. http://amzn.to/iI1NOi


So there you have it.  What your expectations for KUNG FU PANDA 2's original score are.  As you likely gathered, I found it a great first listen and am looking forward to the film all the more now.

SoundCast Ep. 24 - I Know What You Scored This Summer!

I Know What Your Scored This Summer!

Recorded April 21, 2011
Published April 22, 2011

Christopher, Marius, and Richard take a look at and talk about some of the big movie scores coming in the summer of 2011.

Episode Highlights

00:48 — Introduction
03:23 — What we have been listening to
12:37 — I Know What Your Scored This Summer Intro
13:51 — Thor
17:33 — Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
18:30 — Kung Fu Panda 2
28:30 — Super 8
32:49 - Transformers:  Dark of the Moon
37:10 - Captain America:  The First Avenger
42:33 - Cowboys and Aliens
47:00 - Rise of the Planet of the Apes
51:15 - Green Lantern, X-Men, Tree of Life, Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part 2, Cars 2, Priest

Music Clips (Select music clips contained in this podcast)

00:00 — "Summer In The City (2003 Remaster)" Lovin' Spoonfuls
03:51 — "The Sea Monster" (Sinbad: Legends of the 7 Seas ) by Harry Gregson-Williams
04:54 — "Container Park" (Hanna) by The Chemical Brothers
06:31 — "Theme from SOCOM 4" (SOCOM 4) by Bear McCreary
07:46 — "Emergence" (The Human Experience) by Thomas Bergersen
09:52 — "Heroic Age" (Heroic Age) by Naoki Sato
11:19 — "Insertion" (Crysis 2) by Hans Zimmer
17:46 — "Up is Down" (Pirate of the Caribbean: At Worlds End) by Hans Zimmer
21:40 — "Hero" (Kung Fu Panda) Hans Zimmer and John Powell
32:18 — "Theme From Cocoon" (Cocoon) by James Horner
33:33 — "Prime" (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) by Steve Jablonsky
45:45 — "Call of the Crystal" (Indiana Jones/ Crystal Skull) by John Williams
53:28 — "Snape to Malfoy Manor" (Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1) by Alexandre Desplat
60:02 — "Summer In The City (2003 Remaster)" Lovin' Spoonfuls

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