Film composer and trumpet player Terence Blanchard has completed the score for Miracle at St. Anna, director Spike Lee’s upcoming feature film based on author James McBride’s critically-acclaimed World War II novel of the same name. Featuring over 140 minutes of music and 42 separate cues, the score for Miracle at St. Anna was recorded at Sony Studios in Los Angeles with a 90-piece orchestra as well as members of Blanchard’s band.
Said Blanchard, “I’m inspired by the story itself. Growing-up in New Orleans, I remember the Buffalo Soldiers marching in parades and never realized the significant role they played in fighting for our freedom. It’s an honor to be a part of a project that helps to relive and tell a small segment of what those soldiers dealt with in our history.”
Miracle at St. Anna marks the 12th feature film that Lee and Blanchard have worked on together. Others have included Mo Better Blues, Malcolm X and Inside Man, along with the Emmy-winning HBO series When the Levees Broke: A Requiem In Four Acts. Blanchard’s Grammy-winning CD, A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem For Katrina), is based on the music that Blanchard wrote for the series and included new music written by his band members.