A Trio Of Interpretations - The Danube Incident

Lalo Schifrin - The Danube Incident
taken from Mission: Anthology (One Way Records, 1994)

Portishead - Sour Times
taken from Dummy (Go! Beat, 1994)

Heltah Skeltah - Prowl
taken from Nocturnal (Priority, 1996)

Rawcotiks - Live Your Life
taken from Live Your Life 12'' (First Try, 1997)

As with David Axelrod, Lalo Schifrin was one of the first names I came across when beginning to develop some understanding of sample sources, largely because I read a feature on him in Nottingham's now defunct b-boy magazine 'Big Daddy'. An Argentine pianist, composer and conductor, Schifrin's music has seeped into the popular conscience via the medium of the soundtrack, perhaps most notable for his work in composing the theme tune for the original 'Mission: Impossible' television series and for scoring films such as 'Bullitt' and 'Enter The Dragon'. His work has been sampled by numerous artists within hip hop circles including De La, Heltah Skeltah and Big Pun amongst many others as well as more 'beats' orientated outfits such as Cinematic Orchestra and the Herbaliser. His prolific output and musical originality led to many a Grammy and Oscar nomination and his influence on popular culture has been acknowledged with his own star on Hollywood's 'Walk of Fame'.

'The Danube Incident' is one of his most easily recognisable and often used samples, taken from the television series of the same name. Lightly skipping snare hits form the percussive backbone of the break and are teamed up with a descending bass guitar riff and a cimbalom, a Hungarian instrument that is played by striking two beaters against a set of strings. Both the Rawcotiks and Portishead cuts also incorporate what I think is a french horn section which does not appear until later in the track (the two bars in question start at the 1.33 mark). The end result is a moody and haunting break that feels understandably cinematic, and it is easy to see why it has been incorporated into the brooding soundscapes of the tracks by Portishead, Rawcotiks and Heltah Skeltah.

Of the three, there is little doubt that 'Sour Times' is the most sophisticated musically, using elements from another Schifrin composition in the construction of the beat and featuring the incredible vocal performance of Beth Gibbons whose voice soars with a paradoxical sense of both power and vulnerability. Here it is performed live for Portishead's legendary gig at Roseland, NYC:



Both the Rawcotiks and Heltah Skeltah joints are great, but I would opt for the latter with its slightly meatier drum track and the menacing vocal deliveries of Rock and Ruck. I also feel a little lukewarm about the chorus hook on the Rawcotiks cut that takes Junior's 'Mama Used To Say' as its source of inspiration, but it manages to work in this context (just). What remains constant throughout all three selections is that they are all heavily indebted to the imagination and creativity of Schifrin, and it really is 'The Danube Incident' that gives these tracks their flava and atmospheric quality.

As you will know, one of the things I have particularly enjoyed of late is unearthing whole worlds of music as a result of a bar or two that has been used in hip hop, and Schifrin is a prime example of this, with a prolific career that has spanned close to 60 years. Make sure you check out some of the links below for a more comprehensive overview of his work and pay your respects to a man who has been an inspiration to rap artists as well as making a significant contribution to popular culture as a whole. You gotta give the credit y'all, where it's due...

Links to check out:

Lalo Schifrin official website
Lalo Schifrin @ Wikipedia
Recent interview with Lalo Schifrin
Lalo Schifrin @ The Breaks