Sunday’s 84th Annual Academy Awards ticked along the way most Oscar-watchers predicted, albeit with a few more technical awards to “Hugo” chipping away at the total tally of “The Artist.” if you missed the show, you can watch it Here Online. Both films, though, came away with 5 Oscars each. “The Artist’s” Best Picture win was, by a certain point in the awards season, undeniable: a love letter to old Hollywood made by Europeans with a gimmick and a sense of history and a modicum of self-seriousness. Still, its win took away from the long-shot chances of two far better films that never stood a chance, “The Descendants” and “Moneyball.” Yet Michel Hazanavicius‘ black-and-white, silent critical hit was the pre-ordained favorite going into the show, and emerged with Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Costume and Best Actor, along with top film.
Pharrell Williams joined composer and Oscar alum Hans Zimmer in the official house band of the 2012 Academy Awards. Superstar drummer Sheila E., best known for her tenure with Prince, and Oscar-winning Indian composer A.R. Rahman contributed some keys and vocals, that explains the picture at the rehearsal. The ceremony had the same regal, cinematic sound it always has, but with a little spice thrown in. For an awards show whose voters are 94 percent white and 77 percent male — and whose median age is 62 — any element of diversity is welcome.
Relegated to two of the Kodak Theater’s balconies, the interesting combination of star musicians played during the commercial breaks along with the orchestra below the stage. Sheila E. and Pharrell’s drumming (sometimes two kits at the same time) broke up the usual soft melodies with funky beats, giving The Oscars a much-needed sound update. Twitter was abuzz about the attractive violinist in the balcony neighboring Sheila and Pharrell’s setup. Her name is Ann Marie Calhoun, a half-Chinese, half-“hillbilly” native of Virginia.
She’s also an Oscar alum: Her work with Zimmer for the “Sherlock Holmes” score received an Oscar nod in 2009. Calhoun also plays violin for The Super Heavy, whose official membership includes Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, Joss Stone, Damien Marley, and Rahman. With the palpable lack of music performances at The Oscars this year, save Grammy-winner Esperanza Spaulding‘s lovely singing during the “In Memoriam” segment with The Southern California Children’s Chorus, beefing up the house band with some recognizable talent was a crucial move for the academy.
Fortunately the house band didn’t fade into the background like a long acceptance speech: In an endearing musician-to-musician gesture, the winner for best original score, Ludovic Bource, thanked the band, Sheila E. in particular, when he accepted the Oscar for his work on “The Artist.” With any luck, a fun musical lineup like this will join the awards ceremony again next year. Pharrell has been asked after the show if there is a chance if we could get the music from the show and he tweeted that there will be some music on iTunes later on, and indeed there is.
Pharrell is Kicking It On The Drums (16:45)
The compilation is called Celebrate The Music which features Various Artists including Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams, Esperanza Spalding, Giorgio Moroder, Junkie XL, Sheila E., A.R. Rahman and The Southern California Children’s Chorus and has a new Pharrell tune titled It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got Pharrell which is now available on iTunes but it looks like that we won’t get get any of the 120 to 140 pieces that Pharrell & Hans did for the ceremony yet, they probably gonna release them later this year, in the meantime, I have managed to edit some of the music they did from The Academy Awards, and of course there is a complete list of The Oscar Winners below, thanks to sandow & Borsboom for the info.
The 84th Academy Awards – Celebrate The Music (2012)
01 – Hans Zimmer – Celebrate The Oscars
02 – Pharrell Williams – It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got Pharrell
03 – Esperanza Spalding – Sunrise On Bleecker Street
04 – Giorgio Moroder – Giorgio’s New Dancing Shoes
05 – Junkie XL – D Generation
06 – Sheila E. – Bump The E.
07 – A.R. Rahman – Oscar Sangamam
08 – Esperanza Spalding & The Southern California Children’s Chorus – What A Wonderful World
*itunes.com
Hans Zimmer – The Introduction
Pharrell Williams – It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got Pharrell
Hans Zimmer & Pharrell Williams – The Gypsy Celebration
Pharrell Williams – Kickin’ It On The Drums
Esperanza Spalding & The Southern California Children’s Chorus – What A Wonderful World
*desitvforum.net
*itunes.com
*bbcicecream.com
*allhiphop.com
*yahoo.com
*twitter.com/pharrell
*rap-up.com
*promipranger.de
A Complete List Of The Oscar Winners
Best Cinematography – Robert Richardson, Hugo
Best Art Direction – Hugo
Best Costume Design – The Artist
Best Make Up -The Iron Lady
Best Foreign Language Film – A Separation
Best Actress In A Supporting Role – Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Film Editing – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Best Sound Editing – Hugo
Best Sound Mixing – Hugo
Best Documentary Feature – Undefeated
Best Animated Film – Rango
Best Visual Effects – Hugo
Best Actor In A Supporting Role -Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Original Score – Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Best Song – Man Or Muppet, The Muppets
Best Adapted Screenplay – Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, The Descendants
Best Original Screenplay – Woody Allen, Midnight In Paris
Best Live Action Short – The Shore
Best Documentary Short – Saving Face
Best Animated Short – The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Best Director – Michel Hazavanicius, The Artist
Best Actor In A Leading Role – Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Actress In A Leading Role – Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Picture – The Artist
