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If you saw The Irishman or Killers of the Flower Moon, there may be a melody you cannot get out of your head. As Martin Scorsese’s epic stories of corruption unfold, one instrument resonates clearer than the rest: a harmonica. These are not blues songs or the soundtrack for a spaghetti Western like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The music is mournful and piercing, less wobbly than you typically hear from the instrument. That melody, from both films, is not performed by Scorsese’s longtime musical collaborator and composer Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and songwriter for the Band who died in August. Robertson recruited Frédéric Yonnet, a harmonica virtuoso who was born in France but today calls Capitol Hill home.
In an interview, Yonnet explains how he impressed Robertson and Scorsese with his musical approach. “They needed a chromatic harmonica player, but I also sent samples of what I do with a diatonic harmonica, which is a more dumbed down version of what you normally hear,” Yonnet says. “It only has half the notes, and by sending them that demo, they were able to hear how I torture the harmonica to create the missing notes.”
After hearing these demos, Robertson and Scorsese gave Yonnet the freedom to play the pre-written score for 2019’s The Irishman the way he wanted. He was given the same freedom this year with Killers of the Flower Moon, which was released nationwide on Oct. 20.
What’s remarkable about Yonnet’s contribution to Scorsese’s latest film is how, unlike many other composers or session players who can interpret early footage, he and Robertson started with even less background for Killers of the Flower Moon. “[Robertson] never shared any images with me. We spoke about the story, some feelings and emotions about it. From there, he targeted the emotions he wanted to convey through the harmonica. [The harmonica] was attributed a role, almost a spirit.”
The idea of his instrument as a character is potent, and well-deserved. Throughout both films, Yonnet’s harmonica complements feelings of greed or loss. But Killers is a quieter film—especially by Scorsese’s often bombastic standards—and therefore the role of an instrument is a careful guide for our feelings, offering a sonic way to process how we relate to the film.
To learn more about Yonnet’s music, read WCP contributor Alan Zilberman’s full story on our website. (NOTE: The full story contains spoilers for Killers of the Flower Moon.)
—Caroline Jones (tips? jcones@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- Winter weather is coming, whether we like it or not, but according to a new analysis from NOAA, temperatures are likely to be warmer than average. [Axios, Post]
- Student debt significantly diminishes the rate of home ownership among young borrowers, especially young, Black borrowers, according to a study from the Washington Interfaith Network’s Black Equity Through Homeownership Initiative. For every $10,000 in student debt, the chances of owning a home decrease by 8 percent. [Informer]
- A 58-year-old Maryland man who received a transplanted pig heart has died. Lawrence Faucette underwent the highly experimental procedure Sept. 20 and died six weeks later. The team of doctors at the University of Maryland School of Medicine performed the procedure—the second of its kind. The first patient, David Bennett, survived for two months. [WTOP]
- Greyhounds are quirky dogs and those quirks have brought together D.C.-based dogs and owners. The community celebrates the dogs’ birthdays, takes turns caring for one another’s pets, and shares stories about the creatures’ strange traits. [DCist]
- Mayor Muriel Bowser is launching a pilot program that will give digital tracking tools to drivers in areas where carjackings are rising. [WUSA9]
By City Paper staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)
- The overhaul of the Rock Creek Park Golf Course is stuck in limbo after environmentalists and politicians teamed up to object to plans to remove more than 1,200 trees there. The course’s backers, including influential attorney Mark Tuohey, claim that the trees are merely dead wood that need to be cleared, but Casey Trees and other leading conservation groups believe the plans could have “profound negative effects” on the local ecosystem. [Axios]
- The Council’s transportation committee, helmed by Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen, will hold a hearing on several bills aimed at ensuring there are more consequences for dangerous drivers. In a news release, Allen cites data showing that drivers are issued tickets for going 20 to 30 mph over the speed limit 150 times per day in D.C. [WUSA9, WTOP]
By Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)
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