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| Courtesy of the Artist |
As we’re now in an era where distinction is finding a platform to be heard with some of the best creatives collaborating and releasing their works through media outlets that facilitate the development of independent artistry, this can certainly be said about the MACRO feature film, Really Love, whose equal distinction – amongst its co-writers, Felicia Pride and Angel Kristi Williams; director, Angel Kristi Williams; and its A-list actors – is the original jazz score, by film composer and cellist, Khari Mateen.
Adding another alternative to a select
list of black love stories – as Really Love’s contemporaries, Beale
Street and The Photograph, (whose writers, directors and film composers collaborated their talents to offer
mature films with rich undertones) – composer Khari Mateen, who has collaborated
on Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning projects, has created an emotive
jazz score that’s the mural beneath Really Love with pieces as “Isaiah’s Paint,” “Black Complexities,” to the last memorable scene-track, “The
Paint Dries.”
Graciously extending his time between
major projects, Khari discusses his music, career journey, and scoring Really Love, in this special interview feature on Interiors.
Interiors of Man: Before we discuss the score that you created for the film, Really Love, please guide us through your musical career and how you have built an impressive filmography as a music composer.
Khari Mateen: I began my career in Philadelphia, when I was fresh out of high school and knew I wanted to pursue music full-time. I connected with The Roots and learned the ins and outs of studio engineering and producing first. In between working on their albums, they were kind enough to let me use the studio to hone my craft. While I worked my way through the Philly scene on the artist and music production side, I met a lot of creative people. The first person to ever give me a shot on the film side was Seth Scher (film producer) and Mark Webber (actor and director). The film, Explicit Ills was also shot in Philly. That film was seen by another NYC-based director by the name of Marc Leven. He reached out, and I started creating music for a series called Brick City on the Sundance Channel. Those two projects really jump-started and set a spark under my whole film career up to this point. Through these interactions, I have continued to work with many people born from these two camps. Word-of-mouth and maintaining good working relationships have been important for generating new opportunities, and as a result, I have been fortunate to work with some amazing directors and editors over the years.
IOM: In composing the music for Really Love, you created a visible score that stands out and evokes a tender maturity with jazz strings and horns steering the tone of the film. What was your visionary process in creating such a score that synergized with the voice of Really Love?
KM: Thank you. I must give huge credit to Director, Angel Kristi Williams' vision. Early on in working together, we had conversations exploring the complexities of Black Love – the unique (yet culturally shared) struggles, joys, and situations. From there, we were able to get very clear on the feelings we wanted to evoke and designed a tone the film should carry. We landed on using Cello and Trumpet to complement the characters on screen. Each instrument is meant to represent the emotional state of Isaiah (trumpet) and Stevie (cello). In our opinion, Jazz and R&B is synonymous with love, intimacy, and Black culture as a whole.
IOM: And this type of offering – mature black narratives with scores to match – will hopefully become more of an option with like films such as The Photograph and Beale Street, along with writers, directors and composers, such as yourself, who are bringing excellence to the table and meeting standards demanded from an intelligent audience.
KM: It is our responsibility as Black creatives to show as much diversity and creativity as the Black community has to offer. Pushing beyond the usual type-casted and tokenized characters in films is so important in continuing to break down stereotypes.
Beyond creating new narratives that are grounded in depth and authenticity, producing these kinds of films also requires support and belief from every person with a stake in getting the films made and in front of audiences. The collaborative effort from everyone involved in this film cannot be emphasized enough. I’m sure this is the same type of effort that was given to The Photograph and Beale Street, and I look forward to being part of more films like this.
IOM: Last, your filmography is expansive, spanning from artistic films, as Really Love, to sports and political documentaries, and the forthcoming NRA piece, The Price of Freedom. Having an eclectic portfolio can make a great impact on one personally and professionally. How has this diversity informed your talents as a composer and a multi-instrumentalist?
KM: Diversity in subject matter is truly what I seek because it encourages my growth and plays to my innate curiosity. Pushing the boundaries of my music knowledge, sharpening my studio skills, and adapting styles to complement the variety of artists and films I work on are all passion points. Despite the variety, there is some line though as the projects I say yes to are most often those showcasing social justice, activism, and/or pulling back the curtain on some pop culture phenomena. Even with these core themes, I stay open to stories that move me, like Really Love. My greatest hope is that I'm demonstrating to young people who may be looking to get into composing/music that your path doesn't have to follow a straight line. Say yes to projects that make your heart happy and keep you growing, and let those instincts be your guide.
IOM: Great advice.
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To listen to Khari's music and learn more, visit the following:
The Really Love Original Soundtrack