Meeting, composer, producer, musician and arranger, Stephen Endelman, was to say the least, effectively mysterious. The man has a deep love of humanity, which is undeniably creative, absorptive, and kind. This same depth resonates in his voice, the movement of his hands and in the sensitivity of his eyes. The tone and quality of his productions and his musicianship, is as reflective as are his compositions. His love of instruments hides beneath that boyish grin and shapes a confident style, which comes to him, as easily as, drinking a cool glass of water on a summer day.
Endelman, British born, spending his entire youth in London, somehow in 1992, found his way to New York. He had the opportunity to work with Robert DeNiro on an independent film, called, “A Bronx Tale.” If you know of Endelman’s work, DeNiro seized a sensitive love tale that outlined racial prejudice between Bronx born Italians and the Blacks in the hood. When two of the hood’s youth become emotionally entangled, they take an, against all odds, love conquers all, stance. Stephen’s re-uniting with longtime Miramax bud, “Rob the Mob” director, Raymond De Felitta, shows standard truths, that all hold equal sharing of back and forth ideas, between, composer and director. Endelman and DeFelitta often use Stephen’s Los Angeles based studio, rather than using the music-temping process. The decision to use the studio cuts down on production time and most of all helps to maintain a solid, yet reasonable budget. Scores by the magic duo, often share a soft and wistful side of Endelman. In the case of choosing action suggestive percussion, Endelman visited a prison cell, where he mixed authentic sounds from the flipping of a toilet seat , and the slamming of a cell door to the scraping of prison bars.
Much of that same musical, eclectic style translates into his current television ABC drama, “Chasing Life. Stephen chats up, the main character of the movie, 23 year old, April, played by Italia Ricci. IT seems that the Boston Globe’s new, journalist, hired takes a blood test and is devastated to find that she has a rare form of cancer. Using a clever mix of light-hearted sounds, some comedy and a bit of drama, Endelman’s scoring for this fun filled family dram-com, is sure to bring some serious attention to matters of the heart, mind and spirit of the matter. “Chasing Life” airs on ABC Family, June 10. 9/8c.
In addition to television and film, Stephen Endelman’s, mulit-layered personality, lends his talent and resources to helping young veterans learn film, and camera work. The skilled Clarinet player understands the need for mentors for the young, and strongly supports such community programs. His own brush with brain cancer, secures his place as an authority on how to merge music, images, and its spiritual fortitude to bend and shape destiny. He is of the opinion that music and sound, may in fact, offer an emotional shield against life’s often-harsh circumstances.
Judging from his very positive outlook on life, he could very well, in fact be right.
Other films by the talented composer include, “The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain”, Household Saints”, David O’ Russell’s, Flirting with Disaster, David Mamet, Redbelt and Bruce Beresford’s, Evelyn.
His soundtrack produced, compilation of Cole Porter tunes, earned a Grammy nomination, for the Irwin Winkler directed, De-Lovely.
For more information on Stephen Endelman , www.stephenendelman.com and contact Albert Tello, Costa Communications, Inc., 8265 W. Sunset Blvd. Ste.201, Los Angeles, CA 90046, (323) 650-3588 www.costacomm.com.
