You’re Not Alone: Mason Lieberman gives to charity by getting back to his roots in anime fandom and selecting five modern, iconic soundtracks to check out.
"We went from what basically started as a random Facebook post that I made on my wall, asking if anyone wants to join me for a track, to releasing internationally,” says Mason Lieberman, about the surprising success of “The Real Folk Blues” seven-inch vinyl crowd-funding campaign via Qrates in May.
The special charity arrangement of the theme from cult Japanese sci-fi series Cowboy Bebop was put together by the composer, recording artist, arranger and orchestrator to raise money in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdown in Los Angeles.
As senior Game Audio coordinator for the US department of the world's largest video game vendor Tencent, Lieberman is usually a very busy person. The pause from his usual schedule during the global coronavirus crisis meant he could turn his attention to doing something constructive with this period. “The entire music industry had already shut down pretty rapidly and it occurred to me that there were probably a lot of people who I normally like to work with who might have free time to donate and spare for a charitable cause.”
That simple seed of an idea sprouted one of Qrates’ most successful campaigns to date, where Lieberman’s modest expectations for the “The Real Folk Blues” release was exceeded by 2,700 more. “We hit our goal of 100 Records in the first 32 minutes, or something, he says with a chuckle, “I have to be honest. I didn't expect that.”
With over forty special guests, including original Cowboy Bebop cast members and other big names from the game and anime industries, Lieberman couldn’t believe his luck when the original composer and performer of “The Real Folk Blues” herself offered to make an appearance.
“I got contacted through my email, through my website’s contact form by Yoko Kanno and the president of her company saying, ‘Hey, this is Yoko Kanno. We have a message for you. Thank you for covering this song. We like it. Also, would you be interested in featuring her original band that she created for this show, The Seatbelts. We were thinking maybe eight bars, let us know if that would be acceptable to you,” he says, with a still lingering sense of disbelief. “I was just like, ‘These are the people who made the music in the first place. They're the ones who influenced me to go into my career. I work as a composer in the anime industry.’ It was a mind-boggling, ‘wait, what the fuck?’ kind of moment. Of course, I said yes.”
Lieberman has been so encouraged by this first campaign—with its proceeds going to CDC Foundation and Doctors without Borders (MSF)—that he’s already completed a successful follow-up for UNICEF, while there’s even another one planned in October. “The Real Folk Blues”, though, holds a special place in his heart.
“When I was a kid, this is one of the soundtracks that first got me into anime music, and in particular, first got me into jazz music,” he says about his personal relationship to the material. “I wasn't really educated on jazz as a kid or anything. I think it's pretty fair to say this is one of the soundtracks that got me to want to attend Berkeley for my undergrad, and to pursue more of a jazz education.”
Considering Lieberman’s esteemed career and teaching in game and anime music production, it’s fair to say he knows what he’s talking when it comes soundtracks. Here he shares five of his favourite modern, iconic scores with Qrates.
“God, what can you say about this soundtrack that hasn't already been said? The leitmotifs are spectacularly developed, the vibe is stellar, and Sawano's hybrid production chops are firing on all cylinders.”
Check out: “Blumenkrantz”
“I have a profound respect for Takahiro Obata as a composer. His music is itself a character in this tense drama's growing mystery, and I am a huge fan of his orchestral skill. He is also a magnificent pianist!”
Check out: “Isabella's Lullaby”
“Tzboguchi-san is an exceptionally-accomplished jazz artist in Japan. His odd-meter-infused harmonic virtuosity comes together to form a truly unique listening experience that I simply cannot recommend enough.”
Check out: “Ketsudan”
“Akira Senju's score to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is equal parts haunting and inspiring, serving as the perfect underscore for the adventures of two of the anime fandom's favorite protagonists in recent memory. As a cellist, I love artful string writing, and Senju-san evokes his best "Merry Go Round of Souls" with the stirring waltz at the core of this entire soundtrack.”
Check out: “Lullaby of Resembool”
“Come on!”
Check out: All of it.
By Steph K
December 16, 2020