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The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story

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The Greatest Ears In Town: The Arif Mardin Story
Directed byDoug Biro
Produced byJoe Mardin
Release date
  • June 15, 2010 (2010-06-15)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story is a 2010 documentary about the Grammy winning music producer Arif Mardin.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The documentary was produced by his son Joe Mardin and was directed by Doug Biro.[8][9][10] It was made in the years prior to Arif's death in 2006 from pancreatic cancer.[11]

Synopsis

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The documentary goes behind the scenes in the recording studio with Arif Mardin. It shows him working with artists such as Norah Jones and Jewel. The documentary also features artists such as Aretha Franklin and producers such as George Martin reflecting on his life and career. It also explores his personality and humorous nature.

Release

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For Arif Mardin's All My Friends Are Here album and The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story companion documentary released in 2010, Seeman wrote lyrics for Mardin's composition So Blue.[116] featuring Chaka Khan and David Sanborn.The documentary was released on June 15, 2010. Upon its release, it was screened at several chapters of the Recording Academy. It was first screened in New York City on the day of its release. After its premiere screening, a discussion about Arif Mardin followed. It was hosted by the Recording Academy's Producers and Engineers Wing. The discussion was moderated by Joe Mardin and panelists included Phil Ramone, Russ Titelman, Doug Biro, Jimmy Douglass, Michael O'Reilly and Frank Filipetti. It later premiered at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, which featured a panel discussion with Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan. It also premiered in Miami, which featured a panel discussion with Barry Gibb.

Soundtrack

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The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story filmed the making of Arif Mardin's All My Friends Are Here album, documenting his life's work.[12][13]


No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."The Greatest Ears in Town"Bette Midler, Marc ShaimanArif Mardin feat. Bette Midler & Barry Gibb4:40
2."So Blue"Arif Mardin, Roxanne SeemanArif Mardin feat. Chaka Khan & David Sanborn4:58
3."No Way Out"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Nicki Parrot5:31
4."Goodbye to Rio"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Raul Midon4:15
5."No One"Margo Guryan, Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Dianne Reeves3:21
6."So Many Nights"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Danny O'Keefe4:13
7."Calls a Soft Voice"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Carly Simon5:41
8."Longing for You"Arif Mardin, Michael MarguliesArif Mardin feat. Norah Jones6:49
9."Dual Blues"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Amy Kohn5:31
10."Chez Twang’s"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Dr. John5:38
11."Willie’s After Hours (Lone Star Blues)"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Willie Nelson & Katreese Barnes5:58
12."All My Friends Are Here"Arif MardinArif Mardin feat. Members of the Average White Band, The Bee Gees and the Rascals, Phil Collions, Hall&Oates, Lalah Hathaway, Boy Meets Girl & Randy Brecker4:32
13."Wistful"Arif MardinArif Mardin1:25

Reception

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Randy Lewis of the LA Times wrote: "Mardin “was more responsible than he has ever been given credit for many of the successes that we’ve had,” Ertegun himself says in The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story, an illuminating documentary filled with as much humor as pathos that received its first L.A. screening Monday night at the Grammy Museum as part of the facility's "Reel to Reel" film series."[14]

Howard Dukes of Soultracks wrote: "By pursuing his American Dream, Mardin made the dreams come true for scores of great artists by creating music that became part of our musical soundtrack. This loving documentary reminds us not only of the scope of Mardin’s accomplishments, but also of the indelible mark he has left on the lives of music lovers of the past half century. It is a fitting tribute to a musical giant."[15]

Wesley Britton of blogcritics.org wrote: "The Greatest Ears in Town should certainly appeal to any participant in the music business whether as a recording artist, producer, or composer. Further, anyone interested in the history of modern popular music from jazz to pop to R&B to rock should be aware of the work of Arif Mardin, as he personified many of the changing trends from the mid-’60s until the early years of the 21st century. If you want the insider’s perspective, well, actually many insider perspectives, The Greatest Ears in Town is as enjoyable a music lesson as anyone can expect."[16]

References

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  1. ^ Cartwright, Garth (2006-06-27). "Obituary: Arif Mardin". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  2. ^ "Arif Mardin". NPR.org. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  3. ^ "Arif Mardin | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  4. ^ "Arif Mardin: Producer". www.soundonsound.com. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  5. ^ Sullivan, James (2006-06-27). "Arif Mardin, 1932-2006". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  6. ^ Holden, Stephen (2006-06-27). "Arif Mardin, Music Producer for Pop Notables, Dies at 74". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  7. ^ The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story, retrieved 2019-10-23
  8. ^ "Doug Biro - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  9. ^ "Hudson River Films – Director: Doug Biro". Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  10. ^ "Doug Biro". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  11. ^ "Producer Arif Mardin celebrated in documentary 'The Greatest Ears in Town'". LA Times Blogs - Pop & Hiss. 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  12. ^ "All My Friends Are Here - Arif Mardin | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  13. ^ "Arif Mardin's Son Talks About the Grammy-Nominated Doc 'Greatest Ears In Town'". The Hollywood Reporter. 3 December 2010. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  14. ^ "Producer Arif Mardin celebrated in documentary 'The Greatest Ears in Town'". LA Times Blogs - Pop & Hiss. 2010-06-29. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  15. ^ "The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story (2015)". SoulTracks - Soul Music Biographies, News and Reviews. 2015-03-01. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
  16. ^ "Music DVD Review: 'The Greatest Ears in Town: The Arif Mardin Story'". Blogcritics. 2013-10-11. Retrieved 2019-10-23.
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