Now Playing Dave Grusin GRP Records, 2004   Reviewed by Tony Buchsbaum	The whole subculture of film music is populated by composers whose styles differ vastly: there's the tempered tension of Jerry Goldsmith, the majesty of John Williams, the kooky style of Thomas Newman. These great and talented men are as different as can be. Dave Grusin, who's been around for a good long time, is different from all of them -- but is no less talented or accomplished. I am always amazed how much Grusin can do with a small, intimate orchestra, even just a few pieces. His work is often as tense as Goldsmith, as emotional and majestic as Williams, and sometimes even as kooky as Newman. Grusin is also a well-known jazz musician, and he's been a dependable fixture on that scene, as well, for a long time. Now Dave Grusin has released a new CD of film work, all performed by him on solo piano. Now Playing is a superb collection. It gathers some of the best and most well-known of Grusin's work, from films such as On Golden Pond, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, The Firm, Havana, Tootsie and Heaven Can Wait. Grusin's film music career is linked to a few directors who use him consistently, most notably Sydney Pollock, who used him on The Firm and Random Hearts to wonderful effect. In particular, The Firm is a virtuoso piece of scoring, and its score CD is priceless. The cues on this new CD -- "Memphis Stomp" and "Mud Island Chase" are both action-oriented. I'd have opted, perhaps, for a more subtle, melodic choice, such as the love theme for the Tom Cruise character and his wife. But these are terrific pieces of music and a great testament to what fun can be had with a piano. The Pond cues, the main theme and "New Hampshire Hornpipe" are highlights of the film soundtrack and, while the first here is more or less a stunning, delicate replay of the theme as composed, the second is performed in a new way, bringing it a fresh intimacy. "Se Fue" and "Hurricane Country," the cues from Havana, are gorgeous, and the themes from Random Hearts and Heaven Can Wait hold their own. If I'd been putting this CD together, I might have chosen some of Grusin's lesser-known pieces, from films like The Fabulous Baker Boys and Reds and The Goonies and Three Days of the Condor. Solo piano on any of this material would have been brilliant -- if you're reading this, Mr. Grusin, how about a sequel? There is an incredible confidence that flows through all the tracks on Now Playing. Though Grusin's piano work is filled with stylistic flourishes, it's hardly overdone. The opposite, actually: He knows he has great material here, material that will stand up, and he's not afraid to step back and let it do the work for him. To me, that's the sign of a mature and powerful performer, as well as the sign of thoughtful, expertly-composed music. You'll find both in abundance on this highly-recommended CD. | December 2004   Tony Buchsbaum is the author of Total Eclipse. He writes advertising for a large marketing firm and is building a small book publishing company in Lawrenceville, NJ, where he lives with his wife and sons.	There is an incredible confidence that flows through all the tracks on Now Playing. Though Grusin's piano work is filled with stylistic flourishes, it's hardly overdone.