Podcast Summary: “Law & Order Composer's First Album in 30 Years (Listening Party)”

Podcast: All Of It
Host: Kusha Navadar (for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Mike Post, Grammy Award-winning composer, producer, and creator of the “Law & Order” theme
Date: April 4, 2024

Episode Overview

This episode of All Of It celebrates the release of Mike Post’s first solo album in three decades, Message from the Mountains and Echoes of the Delta. The discussion covers Post’s storied career as a composer (including his iconic work for "Law & Order"), the American music themes behind his new orchestral album, and the role of cultural synthesis in his artistry. Listeners are treated to a “listening party” introducing samples from the album and new perspectives on bluegrass, blues, and what it means to make music that embodies America’s spirit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why This Album, Why Now?

• A Pandemic Byproduct:
  Mike Post explains that COVID downtime provided space for creative reflection, leading to new standalone compositions for the first time in 30 years (03:16).

  “My shows were put on hold, as everybody else’s were, and so I had nothing to do except sit around and think … I realized it had been a very long time since I had done any standalone music that wasn’t connected to a TV show.” (Mike Post, 03:16)

• Fusion of Bluegrass and Orchestral Music:
  • Post wanted to see if an orchestral suite could be paired with a bluegrass rhythm section—a unique combination driven by his dual background in bluegrass and classical orchestration.

2. Mike Post’s Bluegrass Roots

• Learned piano as a child, but guitar and American folk music captured his impetus.
• Cut his teeth as a studio guitarist, notably with The Wrecking Crew in Los Angeles, playing on major records in the ’60s–’80s.

  “As soon as I picked up a guitar, I was a folky right away and I finger picked ... I was, you know, transported by Flatt and Scruggs like all the rest of my generation.” (Mike Post, 04:44)

3. Bluegrass & Blues: The American Story

• Post draws parallels between bluegrass (the story of immigration) and blues (the story of struggle), celebrating America’s cultural melting pot.

  “It’s a story of immigration on the bluegrass side of it and struggle on the blues side of it … All of our ... parents coming from every part of the globe ... and using this country ... they brought their music with them.” (Mike Post, 06:03)

• References Dvorak’s “New World Symphony” and Aaron Copland as inspirations for engaging with “American” music.

4. Showcasing the Music: Album Listening Party

• Excerpts from both themed suites are played:
  • Message from the Mountains (bluegrass-inspired): “Onward” (01:50) and “Sunrise Special” (08:38)
  • Echoes of the Delta (blues-inspired): “John the Revelator” (12:49), featuring Amy Keys on vocals

5. The Art of Conducting & Arranging

• Post discusses learning conducting “backwards”: starting with popular music, then doubling back to formal musical literacy.
• Credits the mentorship of orchestra librarian Ted Dale for shaping his conducting skills:

  “I’ve never seen anybody that knew so little accomplish so much.” (Ted Dale, quoted by Mike Post, 10:41)
  “[Ted Dale] said, you know, you need some lessons, and I’m the guy to teach you … He hung in there with me.” (Mike Post, 11:11)

6. The Meaning of the Blues & Collaboration

• Echoes of the Delta honors the pain and resilience stemming from the Black American experience:

  “The entire piece speaks to the horror of slavery. It speaks to the joy and triumph of overcoming that—not that we’ve overcome it even 50% because the ripples from that boulder in our pond ... keep resonating.” (Mike Post, 13:52)

• Emphasis on respectful collaboration:

  “The second thing I wanted was the guys that … played on and sang on it, I wanted them to like it.” (Mike Post, 16:04)

7. Stories Behind the “Law & Order” Theme

• Post recounts Dick Wolf’s challenge: create a theme that “signs the signature of New York City” after Gershwin (17:18).

  “Dick, I hate to tell you this, but that’s already been done. There was a guy named George Gershwin ... called Rhapsody. And Blut signs the signature in New York City ... ‘Well, yeah, just do that.’” (Mike Post, 17:18)

• The theme was the result of experimentation with a new Stratocaster and a desire to evoke "New York toughness."
• Use of clarinet as a deliberate nod to Gershwin.

8. Hopes for the Album’s Impact

• Post wants listeners to feel something—entertained, inspired, but above all, moved by the musical “difference.”

  “The quote is, if you’re not doing something different, you’re not doing hardly anything at all … So I’m trying to do something different, you know.” (Mike Post, 19:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Music as American Storytelling:

  “I want to celebrate some of the stuff that we got right, especially the music.” (Mike Post, 07:42)

• On Conducting:

  “I’m the first generation of people raised on the radio, raised on television ... a rock and roller that learned how to read, write, orchestrate and conduct. That’s sort of backwards.” (Mike Post, 10:41)

• On The Blues:

  “I don’t know how the blues does what it does … it’s magic. It’s just magic.” (Mike Post, 13:52)

• On Audience Takeaway:

  “I want them to feel something ... if you’re not doing something different, you’re not doing hardly anything at all.” (Mike Post, 19:57)

Key Timestamps

• 03:05 — Mike Post on creating standalone music during the pandemic
• 04:44 — Bluegrass roots and early session work
• 06:03 — Bluegrass and blues: the American experience
• 10:41 — The accidental conductor
• 12:49 — “John the Revelator” excerpt and blues origins
• 13:52 — On the depth and pain behind the blues
• 16:04 — The collaborative process and intent
• 17:18 — The making of the iconic “Law & Order” theme
• 19:57 — Hopes for what listeners feel after hearing the album

Conclusion

The episode is a compelling reflection on American music and culture, as seen through the eyes of a legendary composer. Mike Post’s journey—from Wrecking Crew guitarist to orchestral innovator and TV icon—anchors a wide-ranging conversation about heritage, collaboration, and the ambition to do something “different.” The listening party format offers a rich introduction to the sounds of Message from the Mountains and Echoes of the Delta, making it essential listening for anyone interested in the roots—and future—of American music.