I Am Big Bird

VARÈSE SARABANDE RECORDS TO RELEASE I AM BIG BIRD – ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK Featuring the Original Score Composed By Joshua Johnson

Varèse Sarabande will release the I AM BIG BIRD – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack digitally June 30 and on CD July 31, 2015. The album features the original music composed by Joshua Johnson (WE MUST GO, additional music THE MAZE RUNNER).

“Though Big Bird exists on Sesame Street, this film is not a Sesame Street film; it is a film about Caroll, the character Big Bird, and the love between Caroll and his wife Deb,” said Johnson.

This heartwarming doc chronicles the life of Caroll Spinney, the man who has been Sesame Street’s Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch since 1969. For over 4 decades, Caroll’s characters have been cherished by generations of children. At 81 years old, the tenacious and enthusiastic performer has no intention of slowing down.

“The music is the perfect accompaniment to the emotions throughout the movie,” said Spinney. “My wife Deb and I listen to the soundtrack on our travels.”

I AM BIG BIRD features incredible footage of Spinney’s earliest collaborations with Jim Henson as it traces Caroll’s journey from bullied child to celebrated performer. This loving portrait peels away the instances that inspired his creation of Big Bird and as the yellow feathers give way to grey hair, it is the man, not the puppet, who will steal your heart.

“There was a big emphasis put on making themes for both Caroll and Big Bird, and I remember trying a handful before we settled into the two main themes of the score: Caroll’s theme (Prelude/Main Titles) and Big Bird’s theme (Rise To Fame, Big Bird Peaks),” explained Johnson. There are aspects of the themes that are interchangeable, and that is intentional; Caroll and Big Bird are, essentially, the same.”

Joshua Johnson most recently scored WE MUST GO, a feature documentary chronicling the journey of the Egyptian Nation Soccer team and coach Bob Bradley as they fight to reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Johnson’s additional music contributions can be heard on THE MAZE RUNNER, MARVEL’S DAREDEVIL, DREAMWORKS DRAGONS: RIDERS OF BERK, the forthcoming sports drama, MY ALL-AMERICAN, and the forthcoming drama SAME KIND OF DIFFERENT AS ME, based on the New York Times best-seller, starring Greg Kinnear, John Voight, and Renee Zellweger.

“In the film, Frank Oz mentions that Caroll gives Big Bird’s character a ‘child-like innocence,’” Johnson explained. “This was particularly apparent to me throughout the scoring process, and I was careful to infuse that sense of wonderment, emotion, and sentimentality into the music of the film. I only hope I did Caroll and Big Bird justice!”

I AM BIG BIRD is currently available on iTunes, and will be in theaters across the US this summer. I AM BIG BIRD – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack on Varèse Sarabande, will be available digitally June 30 and on CD July 31, 2015.