But I just love Oliver Nelson as a composer. One of those jazz musicians with a real flair for pinpointing drama, all bathed in his unmistakable big band sound. Interesting melodic lines too, with obsessively repeating phrases over swinging rhythms.

All those elements came together beautifully on a number of occasions - on his scores for TV's NIGHT GALLERY and COLUMBO, but particularly on the movies ZIGZAG (aka FALSE WITNESS) and DEATH OF A GUNFIGHTER. The former had George Kennedy as an innocent man in prison, and just listen to the tension created by the composer with his inexorably mounting brass phrases in the scene on the steps outside the courthouse (awesome piano playing by Artie Kane on the score release). Brilliantly throbbing car chase music too, all double bass and shifting low string textures (again, re-recorded and expanded on the LP/ CD).

DEATH OF A GUNFIGHTER was partly directed by Don Siegel (though he ended up as Allan Smithee on the credits - not a good sign). The film may have had its problems, but Oliver Nelson's scoring wasn't one of them. Anyone remember the title sequence, with the child walking along the railway track? That was a REAl long-line melody! Charming and instantly memorable (well, I remember it anyway).

Oh, and who can dislike anything written by the composer of the theme from THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN?

His jazzy Bach albums are great (though some would say sacrilegeous), and I've often thought that those were a direct influence on Jerry Goldsmith's scores for SEBASTIAN, BROTHERHOOD OF THE BELL and A STEP OUT OF LINE. Maybe someone knows when those Loussier/ Bach albums first appeared - it would add fuel to my suspicions (or completely disprove them).