Graeme Stephen Music

The Skye Swing Jazz Festival kicks off with an Oscar-winning film, accompanied by an innovative musical score, played live by one of Scotland’s most exciting and prodigious musical talents. Graeme Stephen’s score for F W Murnau’s visual masterpiece Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans won him the innovation award at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2012. The film won the Unique and Artistic Picture Award at the First Academy Awards in 1929. Harnessing influences from various musical styles including folk, classical and jazz, Graeme will be performing with a world-class band featuring, Pete Harvey, cello; Phil Bancroft, saxophone; and Tom Bancroft, drums/percussion. The show involves the projection of the classic silent movie accompanied by the quartet performance of Graeme’s specially written soundtrack. The event will take the form of a fancy dress Hallowe’en-themed evening to get the festival going with a swing. There is a prize for the best costume and the bar will be open from 7pm. “Murnau’s Sunrise is a compelling story full of drama, with storms both emotional and meteorological, private moments, bustling public scenes, a twisting plot and a not easily reached happy ending. It calls for a detailed score, and it got one here as Stephen set the scene with hypnotic guitar work that gave way to a veritable harvest of beautifully written vignettes.” The Herald