Hollywood Reporter
“Alan Williams’ music [The Last Dance] is charming and romantically appropriate.”

The San Diego Tribune
“Alan Williams’ musical score for ‘Cab to Canda’ sounds pleasantly pastoral.”

Music from the Movies
by Andrew Keech

Released as a promotional CD by the composer, Alan Williams, under the rather unassuming title of 'Television Suites', this collection is one the most magical set of themes that has ever been released. The music from five American Television dramas have been arranged into suites and are played delightfully on woodwind, guitar and piano with a small orchestra giving just the correct amount of depth. The dramas are obviously sentimental, thought provoking and gentle (with stars like Maureen O'Hara, Jason Robards and Debbie Reynolds they could hardly be anything else) and this is reflected delightfully in the sentimental, romantic and at times somber scores.

'The Last Dance' is slow is a wonderful tender piano piece that uses woodwind instruments to harmonize and develop the complex themes. 'Going Home' was Jason Robards’ last role and the fabulous sentimental acoustic guitar is fitting tribute to the great actor. The piece has some incredible themes which echo through the solos and are instantly creates an image of tranquil barmy days. The music is typical of the style popularized by the guitarist, John Williams, in the Seventies and is simply gorgeous. 'The Christmas Wish' uses a combination of flute and piano to generate magical images of Christmas, mixed with somber reflective moments of a widow questioning her late husband's past.

'Cab To Canada' is a charming cross between Driving Miss Daisy and American Beauty. The story of wealthy women who takes a cab 3100 miles to Vancouver gives Alan Williams to create a score full of humor and energy, a score which seems to be continually changing with the passing miles. The woodwind seems to anticipate the exciting miles to come while the piano reflects on the journey already completed. Perhaps a true reflection of life in general. The CD ends with 'Silk Hope' again uses an acoustic guitar, set against a solo violin, but the music has a mood of the American homestead, reflecting the film's North Carolina setting. In places the mood graduates towards a hoedown and becoming the liveliest portion of the collection. The cue ends by turning the lovely theme into an Irish lament.

In this collection of suites Alan Williams has demonstrated a mastery of scoring for the piano and produced some brilliant music, which has a fascinating American edge that Aaron Copeland often built into his music. It is amazing that a collection of this quality and appeal should not be widely available, but any difficultly in tracking it down will be well rewarded. I feel I need a spare copy in case I wear mine out! A thoroughly enjoyable CD.