TunePlay - TAXI (1978 - '83) Bob James
Ironically, while today considered one of the corners of a trio of "all time best workplace TV comedies" which established the genre (the other two being THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW and
CHEERS), the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning
TAXI (1978 - '83) limped through it's initial network run, the victim of fluctuating ratings which caused the show, after cancellation by
ABC, to leap to rival network
NBC during it's 5th and final season. Co-created by THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW's
James L. Brooks, who also gave TV audiences ROOM
222, RHODA,
LOU GRANT, THE SIMPSONS and THE TRACY ULLMAN SHOW (the last two as producer), and feature film audiences TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, BROADCAST
NEWS and AS
GOOD AS IT
GETS (all as director), TAXI followed the comedic (and at times poignant) trials and tribulations of a group of drivers for the fictitious
New York based
Sunshine Cab
Company, as they attempt to make ends meet and realize life dreams, while under the tyrannical (and more times than not, hilarious) reign of company dispatcher
Louis DePalma (
Danny DeVito).
Judd Hirsch's
Alex Reigert was the heart, soul and core of the series. A compassionate, dry witted pragmatist, who'd earlier in life lost an affluent office job (as well as a wife through divorce), his "school of hard knocks" became the university to which every other character would eventually come for advice.
Bobby Wheeler (
Jeff Conaway) was the shallow would-be actor who slowly develops a conscience.
Elaine Nardo (
Marilu Henner - upon whom every guy in
America between 12 and
112 had a schoolboy crush), was the single mother with aspirations of a career in art.
Tony Banta (
Tony Danza) - the kind hearted, if intellectually challenged, boxer who's license has been pulled by the sport commission as he's been knocked out one too many times. "
Reverend" Jim Ignatowski (
Christopher Lloyd), a burned out relic of 60's era drug culture, who from time to time displays amazing intellectual and artistic abilities. Mechanic
Latka Gravas (
Andy Kaufman), a shy immigrant from a (presumably)
Eastern European?
Nation. And
Simka Gravas (
Carol Kane),
Latka's eventual wife who, while just as shy, often displays more brio than her husband in standing up to Louis' verbal abuses.
TAXI's immensely popular jazz / funk score was composed by legendary keyboardist and producer
Bob James.
James' early career saw him as session musician for the likes of
Sarah Vaughn and
Stanley Turrentine before going solo in the mid
1970s. Since then (founding his own Tappen Zee label) he's become one of the founders of the "smooth pop jazz" movement; as well as the creative force behind a series of lps, and (among others) acclaimed team-ups with guitarist
Earl Klugh, saxophonist
David Sanborn, and leading member of
Fourplay - featuring
Nathan East,
Lee Ritenour and
Harvey Mason. He'd also be listed in music history as the artist who's work has been sampled by more hip hop artists than any other. "
Nautilus" (from his
1974 album "One") alone has found it's way into the musical warp and weft of songs by
Eric B. & Rakim,
Soul 2 Soul, Run-D.
M.C. and
Slick Rick; while others have become the breakbeats for popular tunes by
Crash Crew,
LL Cool J,
The Beastie Boys,
Missy Elliot,
Will.i.am and more.
Ironically his most recognizable piece - "
Angela", the theme to TAXI, was not James' original choice as the show's main title. He'd originally intended the more up-tempo "
Touchdown" for that purpose. The charmingly melancholy "Angela" was actually penned for the first season episode "
Blind Date". But at the last minute the producers felt it, more so than "Touchdown", was reflective of the vibe apropos for the tone of the series.
The selections on our TunePlay TAXI suite are from James'
1983 Columbia / Tappen Zee release THE GENIE: THEMES AND VARIATIONS FROM "TAXI". They are taken from an analog lp source, and as such there is, here and there, a bit of mild distortion.
"
Goodnight Mr. Walters!" "Hmmmmm!"
CEJ
1)
Brooklyn Heights Boogie (0:00 of 13:
46)
2)
Groove For
Julie (03:53 of 13:46)
3) "
Hello, Nardo!" (06:13 of 13:46)
4) Angela -
Theme from TAXI (11:15 of 13:46)
For more "TunePlay" mini movie music suites go to
http://www.gullcottageonline.com/TunePlay-ClarkeApril_12
.html
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