MIRRORMASK SOUNDTRACK, COMPOSED BY IAIN BALLAMAY, TO BE RELEASED BY LA-LA LAND RECORDS ON SEPTEMBER 20

FROM THE JIM HENSON COMPANY AND THE MIND OF BEST-SELLING AUTHOR NEIL GAIMAN, MIRRORMASK IN THEATERS ON SEPTEMBER 30

(September XX, 2005- New York, NY) – From The Jim Henson Company, creator of THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, the mind of best-selling author Neil Gaiman (“American Gods”, “Neverwhere”, “Sandman”), and illustrator/designer Dave McKean, comes MIRRORMASK, a breathtaking fantasy/adventure motion picture event unlike any other. The original motion picture soundtrack, composed by jazz saxophonist Iain Ballamy, will be released by La-La Land Records on September 20. The soundtrack also contains two songs, a cover version of (The Carpenters’) “Close to You” and the new song “If I Apologised”, both performed by acclaimed Swedish jazz vocalist Josephine Cronholm.

Saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Iain Ballamy is an original and versatile musician. A supreme improviser, he is also an accomplished writer with numerous commissions to his name. Renowned in Europe as the “Fantastic Englishman”, Ballamy established himself playing alongside notables including Hermeto Pascoal, the late Gil Evans, George Coleman, Dewey Redman, Mike Gibbs and the New York Composers Orchestra. His distinctive saxophone voice can be heard in his improvisations for the BBC Radio 4 play “Signal to Noise” by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, the movie LEGEND, and the documentary “Joseph Losey – The Man with Four Names”. Ashley Slater (of 'Freak Power' and 'BigLounge') collaborated on the production and programming of the score, and contributed some interesting trombone playing and vocalizations.

MIRRORMASK is the first feature film score for Ballamy. It has been described by Cinescape as: “alternately circus-like, cabaret-like, and old fashioned European jazz-like – often in the same cue”, and “a sonic delight”. Science Fiction Weekly says, “Think Carl Stalling crossed with two Belas—Bartok and Fleck.”

Ballamy describes, “It seemed a natural progression when Dave [McKean] asked me to write the score for MIRRORMASK. I’ve always found Dave’s images fascinating and inspiring. He is a good musician in his own right and had some big ideas and aspirations from the start.”

MIRRORMASK is the story of Helena, a fifteen-year-old girl working for her family circus, who wishes-quite ironically-that she could run away from the circus and join real life. But such is not to be the case, as she finds herself on a strange journey into the Dark Lands, a fantastic landscape filled with giants, Monkeybirds and dangerous sphinxes. Helena searches for the Mirrormask, an object of enormous power that is her only hope of escaping the Dark Lands, waking the Queen of Light and returning home.

Sony Pictures Entertainment presents MIRRORMASK, in select cities beginning September 30 and opening wider throughout October. The La-La Land Records soundtrack will be in-stores or through www.lalalandrecords.com on September 20.

###