Overt fairy tale The most difficult decision Grant Kirkhope had when it came to musicalizing this unambiguously good natured fairy godmother was a matter of choosing between the harp or the celesta (same goes for… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Brentilda’s Theme
The importance of musicality for a banjo and a kazoo A new success, a new fanfare. And not any success but one of the great successes on the game since you are either actually getting… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Musical Notes / Note Door Fanfare
Feeling kind of blue “The blues is a low-down, aching chill; if you ain’t never had ’em, honey, I hope you never will” Following on the steps of the other mascot platformers from Rareware, Grant… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Lose Life / Game Over
Echoes of a previous theme The troops are marching, marching to the rhythm of the blues, a very creepy blues indeed. One of the few remaining vestiges of the original musical direction for the game,… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Inside Ticker’s Tower
Jinjo! Da Dun Din The fair folk of the Banjo-Kazooie series, the pixie-like creatures known as Jinjos (alongside their mean counterparts, the Minjos) cohabit this wonderland with the bear, the bird and the witch. Just… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Collect Jinjo
Bluesy chant “Oomenacka” And so ritual complete. Bear and bird transfigured. As Grant Kirkhope also says: when in doubt, use marimba. The thing just works; cartoonish, tribal, primitive, exotic, spooky, caribbean…doesn’t matter, it has you… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Mumbo’s Hut
Eekom Bokan The ground shakes, drums… drums in the deep We cannot get out They are coming The natives are getting restless and that means big, deep, ominous, relentless drums pounding that capture the most… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Mumbo’s Mountain (Variations)
Eekum Bokum As the very first gameplay level, Mumbo’s Mountain brings the zany tritone and cartoon influences at the forefront. This world serves as a simple introduction level in the game, being fairly small and… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Mumbo’s Mountain
A portal to new harmonies Another event, another overture commemorating the occasion. But since the opening of a new world is a one time special event seldom heard, the standard success cue is extended and… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – World Door Open
Three more pieces collected Just like Super Mario 64 has its power stars, the bear and the bird have their own core collectibles in the figure of puzzle pieces known as jiggies. These are the… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Collect Jiggy
The Sorceress’ Picnic ‘Spiral mountain and the opening might be the main themes but Grunty’s Lair is where the true game begins accustomed to this song you’ll be since it has the most repeats’ Anyway.… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Gruntilda’s Lair
Campy October As the bear and the bird make their way to the entrance of the castle, the tried and true Halloween tropes keep pilling as we are treated to a new cutscene involving the… Read More »Inside The Score – Banjo-Kazooie – Grunty’s Beauty Steal Machine