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Frank Fitzpatrick (born April 13th, 1961 in Detroit, Michigan) is best known as a composer and music producer for film. He has also worked extensively in other areas of music and entertainment as a record producer, songwriter, and filmmaker. He has focused much of his recent work on socially conscious media ventures.

Film Music

Fitzpatrick created the soundtracks for over two-dozen films including: Disney's teen hit Jump In!, the animated The Proud Family Movie, Anne Rice penned Queen of the Damned, David Zucker’s record-breaking^[1] Scary Movie 3, the Bill Gates-Steve Jobs’ docu-drama Pirates of Silicon Valley, George Harrison’s British comedy Nuns on the Run, Miramax’s In Too Deep, and Ice Cube’s & Chris Tucker’s Hip Hop classic Friday.^[2]

Fitzpatrick was named one of the “Top Music Supervisors of the Decade” (1990’s) by Variety Magazine. He has contributed to the sale of over 6 million soundtrack albums.

Television Music

Fitzpatrick was the composer and music director for HBO’s hit TV series The Larry Sanders Show, creating the theme and all the original music. He also composed themes and scores for other series including ,The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Muddling Through, and High Society.^[3]

Songwriter/ Record Producer

Fitzpatrick’s songwriting and producing credits include Jill Scott, Dave Hollister, K-Ci & Jojo, Les Nubians, Fat Joe, Jazz (Dru Hill), Akil (Jurassic 5), Slimkid3 (The Pharcyde), Brownstone, Public Announcement^[4], Anthony Hamilton, Lina and Siren. His song Jump to the Rhythm (performed by Jordan Pruitt) was released on both Pruitt’s debut album, No Ordinary Girl, on the Jump In! Soundtrack, and is featured as the opening song in the 2007 High School Musical Tour^[5]. The Sasha & Shawna duet single and Fitzpatrick produced version of Fields of Gold (written by Sting) was featured in the 2007 PBS special Heavenly Voices.

Filmmaker

In 2001 Fitzpatrick directed and produced the short film Jungle Jazz: Public Enemy #1. Created in the style of a ‘50’s propaganda film, Jungle Jazz incorporated rare Soundies film footage from the 1940’s into an original story, accompanied by Fitzpatrick’s own soundtrack mixing Big Band + Drum and Bass. Jungle Jazz premiered at the 2001 Berlin International Film Festival, winning The Silver Bear Award for best Short Film^[6]. The film played at several festivals around the world, winning additional awards in Sydney, Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Kansas City and Santa Cruz.^[7]^[8] In 2007, Fitzpatrick completed his first animated short film The Rebel Angel^[9].

Socially Conscious Media

Founder of the non-profit arts organization EarthTones, Fitzpatrick has created themes and music campaigns for many socially conscious and charitable media projects. These include, Reflections, (directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood) an AIDS awareness film which premiered on BET and was distributed to high schools throughout the U.S.^[10], Just Like You, a song and video collaboration with Middle Eastern rapper Rayess Bek broadcast as part of a United Nations sponsored peace initiative^[11], and Scenes In Jazz, a compilation CD and arts awareness campaign which features different artists performing original jazz compositions to support music and arts education programs.

Early Career

Fitzpatrick’s professional career began in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan. While attending the University of Michigan’s music and business schools, he worked for Eclipse Jazz and Major Events, producers of live shows for the likes of Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Al Jarreau, Sarah Vaughn, Ray Charles and Prince. Fitzpatrick also performed as a musician (guitar) and hosted his own radio show, Jazz ‘Round Midnight on WCBN-FM.

Fitzpatrick relocated to Los Angeles in 1983 to work for record producer Richard Perry of Planet Records’ and Studio 55. Productions included the Pointer Sisters’ Multi-Platinum Break Out album. Fitzpatrick expanded into film music by working as a music editor for the film composer Georges Delerue, going on to co-produce a 3-CD orchestral retrospective of Delerue’s film scores entitled, The London Sessions^[12]. Recorded at Abby Road studios, the collection included “Between You and Me” performed by Carl Anderson and co-written by Fitzpatrick and Delerue as the original title track for Bruce Baresford’s Her Alibi.

In 1989, Fitzpatrick formed the studio group Hidden Faces with writing/producing partner David Kitay. Even though Kitay soon left the group, Fitzpatrick continued to create some of his original soundtracks and recordings under the name Hidden Faces. Hidden Faces can be heard on soundtrack releases for Nuns on the Run, Highway to Hell, Breaking the Rules and Friday, as well as the score collection Pictures in the Dark and on the more recently released Best of Hidden Faces.

Yoga

Fitzpatrick has studied the healing arts and yoga for over 20 years. He is a certified yoga instructor, specifically in the Hatha and Tantric traditions, having trained with teachers Shiva Rea, Max Strom, Jeffrey Armstrong, Saul David Ray and Rod Stryker.

References

External links

[1] ttp://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/10/26/box.office.reut/index.html

[2] ttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0280519/

[3] ttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm0280519/

[4] ttp://www.variety.com/profiles/people/main/38502/Frank+Fitzpatrick.html?dataSet=1&query=Frank+Fitzpatrick#Main

[5] ttp://www.dcmedianet.com/web/showpage/showpage.aspx?program_id=3112311&type=fact

[6] ttp://movies.nytimes.com/movie/304672/Jungle-Jazz-Public-Enemy-1/details

[7] ttp://www.fest21.com/blog/editor/kc_jubilee_awards

[8] ttp://www.documentary.org/content/awards-may-19-26

[9] ttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0982918/releaseinfo

[10] ttp://www.kff.org/hivaids/phip012407nr.cfm

[11] ttp://www.incognito.com.lb/store/node/3

[12] ttp://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=1178

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@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 Fitzpatrick’s professional career began in [[Ann Arbor]] and [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]].  While attending the [[University of Michigan]]’s music and business schools, he worked for Eclipse Jazz and Major Events, producers of live shows for the likes of [[Miles Davis]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Al Jarreau]], [[Sarah Vaughn]], [[Ray Charles]] and [[Prince]].  Fitzpatrick also performed as a musician (guitar) and hosted his own radio show, Jazz ‘Round Midnight on [[WCBN-FM]].
-Fitzpatrick relocated to [[Los Angeles]] in 1983 to work for record producer [[Richard Perry]] of [[Planet Records]]’ and [[Studio 55]]. Productions included the [[Pointer Sisters’]] Multi-Platinum ''[[Break Out]]'' album. Fitzpatrick expanded into film music by working as a music editor for the film composer [[Georges Delerue]], going on to co-produce a 3-CD orchestral retrospective of Delerue’s film scores entitled, ''The London Sessions''<ref>http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=1178 </ref>. Recorded at [[Abby Road]] studios, the collection included “Between You and Me” performed by Carl Anderson and co-written by Fitzpatrick and Delerue as the original title track for Bruce Baresford’s ''Her Alibi''.
+Fitzpatrick relocated to [[Los Angeles]] in 1983 to work for record producer [[Richard Perry]] of Planet Records’ and Studio 55. Productions included the Pointer Sisters’ Multi-Platinum ''[[Break Out]]'' album. Fitzpatrick expanded into film music by working as a music editor for the film composer [[Georges Delerue]], going on to co-produce a 3-CD orchestral retrospective of Delerue’s film scores entitled, ''The London Sessions''<ref>http://www.soundtrack.net/albums/database/?id=1178 </ref>. Recorded at [[Abby Road]] studios, the collection included “Between You and Me” performed by Carl Anderson and co-written by Fitzpatrick and Delerue as the original title track for Bruce Baresford’s ''Her Alibi''.
 In 1989, Fitzpatrick formed the studio group Hidden Faces with writing/producing partner David Kitay. Even though Kitay soon left the group, Fitzpatrick continued to create some of his original soundtracks and recordings under the name Hidden Faces. Hidden Faces can be heard on soundtrack releases for ''[[Nuns on the Run]]'', ''[[Highway to Hell]]'', ''[[Breaking the Rules]]'' and ''[[Friday]]'', as well as the score collection ''Pictures in the Dark'' and on the more recently released ''Best of Hidden Faces''.