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Rustin (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
Soundtrack album by Branford Marsalis
Released	November 3, 2023
Recorded	2023
Genre	Film score
Length	50:19
Label	Netflix Music
Producer	Branford Marsalis
Branford Marsalis chronology
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) Rustin (2023)
Singles from Rustin (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film)
"Show Me the Ideas" Released: October 13, 2023 "The Knowing" Released: October 27, 2023 "Road to Freedom" Released: November 2, 2023

Rustin (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) is the soundtrack to the 2023 film of the same name directed by George C. Wolfe based on the life of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin and starred Colman Domingo as the eponymous character. The album consisted of 33 tracks, the majority of which were cues from the film score composed by Branford Marsalis, and the remaining four original songs. The album released on November 3, 2023 by Netflix Music. Three singles—"Show Me Your Ideas", "The Knowing" and "Road to Freedom"—accompanied the soundtrack.

Development

The film marked Marsalis' second collaboration with Wolfe following The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2017) and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020). Most of the music he had written for the film is inspired from his roots in the music he had listened to as well as the interests of Wolfe's own music interests as a fan of blues music and its variations—jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues. According to Marsalis, the music is kind of a traditional R&B writing to start with the bass, drums and followed with other instruments. However, he approached a "big band" style of jazz music with brass and woodwinds to effectively capture the emotions of the sequences and fluctuate between a single and collective sound, which speaks within the larger reality of Rustin's work within Civil Rights Movement.

The song "Show Me Your Ideas" was served as the byproduct of the scene that required, he "create a sound that delivered enthusiasm sonically". The inspiration derived from the works of jazz artists from Blue Note Records—Lee Morgan, Hank Mobley, Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock to name a few—helped him give a sonic template that he felt best fit the scene. Wolfe also instructed Marsalis in shaping the film's soundtrack, with decisions to feature one instrument more heavily than others or playing with the instrument versus a chorus of them, with Marsalis said that cues with singular instruments were written with a full rhythm section or orchestral accompaniment, and those were removed as Wolfe felt that those scenes were more effective with single instrument.

Lenny Kravitz penned and recorded the original song "Road to Freedom" for the film. On approaching Kravitz, Wolfe said that he gave a one note that needed him to deliver audiences from feeling to action. Suggesting the use of trombones after being fascinated by using it while filming Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Wolfe brought in Trombone Shorty to contribute to the song.

Track listing

Reception

Nick Schager of The Daily Beast, Barry Levitt of /Film and Linden Sheri of The Hollywood Reporter called the music as "scintillating", "kinetic" and "vibrant". Jonathan Romney of Financial Times wrote Marsalis' "bristling jazz score helps blow away some of the dramatic dust". Tomris Laffly of TheWrap called the score "at times, as great an asset to Rustin as Domingo's performance". David Ehrlich of IndieWire wrote "Branford Marsalis’ jazz score maintains the buoyancy of a man who refused to be kept down".

Accolades

Kravitz's original song "Road to Freedom" was poised to be in contention for Best Original Song category at the 96th Academy Awards, as well as Marsalis' score in the Best Original Score category.

References

1. Sgammato, Greg (October 7, 2023). "Rustin with Branford Marsalis". The Society of Composers and Lyricists. Archived from the original on November 12, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
2. "Branford Marsalis on making music with 'Rustin' director George C. Wolfe". KCRW. November 4, 2023. Archived from the original on November 5, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
3. White, Abbey (October 12, 2023). "Composer Branford Marsalis on His R&B Approach to Writing 'Rustin' Score and Big Band Sound of "Show Me Your Ideas" (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
4. Tangcay, Jazz (August 17, 2023). "Lenny Kravitz Writes and Records New Song 'Road to Freedom' for George C. Wolfe's Film 'Rustin' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
5. Rosen, Christopher (November 2, 2023). "Hear Lenny Kravitz's original song 'Road to Freedom' from Netflix's 'Rustin'". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
6. Schager, Nick (September 12, 2023). "Bayard Rustin Gets the Spotlight He's Been Owed for 60 Years". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
7. Levitt, Barry (September 18, 2023). "Rustin Review: Colman Domingo Dazzles In This Satisfying Biopic [TIFF 2023]". /Film. Archived from the original on October 25, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
8. Linden, Sheri (September 1, 2023). "'Rustin' Review: Colman Domingo Brings an Underappreciated Civil Rights Hero to Passionate Life in George C. Wolfe's Rousing Feature". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
9. Romney, Jonathan (November 2, 2023). "Rustin film review — focus on a forgotten civil rights activist". Financial Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
10. Laffly, Tomris (September 2, 2023). "Rustin Review: Colman Domingo's Searing Performance Rises Above". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
11. Ehrlich, David (September 3, 2023). "'Rustin' Review: Colman Domingo Shines in Staid but Excitingly Stage-like Biopic About Unsung Civil Rights Hero". IndieWire. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
12. Grein, Paul (August 29, 2023). "'I'm Just Ken,' 'Peaches' and More Front-Runners for 2024 Oscar Nods for Best Original Song". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
13. Davis, Clayton (November 7, 2023). "Oscars Predictions: Original Score – Will Thomas Newman Garner His 16th Career Nom for 'Elemental?'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
14. Grein, Paul (November 2, 2023). "Songs from 'Barbie' Pace 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations (Full List)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
15. Brew, Caroline (November 2, 2023). "Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo Nominated for 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.

• 2023 soundtrack albums
• Branford Marsalis albums
• Netflix Music soundtracks