Five years after its final episode aired, the soundtrack to Lilyhammer has been released. Scored by Steven Van Zandt — who starred as mobster Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano who flees to Norway under the Witness Protection Program — the expansive soundtrack has been released in two volumes. The first is comprised of jazz compositions from the show as well as standards, while the second is a lengthy collection of various songs and cues.
Van Zandt provides vocals on the soundtrack, including a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “My Kind of Town.” He’s backed by the Interstellar Jazz Renegades, a group he founded with the help of E Street Band bandmate Max Weinberg. The Renegades consist of pianist Lee Musiker, saxophonist Stan Harrison, Raul Agraz and Adam Hochstatter.
“I figured I’ve got some of the most talented musicians in New York City so why waste them on 15 second cues,” Van Zandt said in a statement. “We decided to have some fun. I’d meet Lee about an hour before the session and give him the top line melodies, basic chord changes and structure and talk about the overall mood of the piece. I wanted to try something different and get the musicians creative input and let these guys who were used to always reading their parts express themselves for a change. We would basically arrange it on the spot. I’d suggest a harmony, Lee would suggest an idea and the musicians would begin to orchestrate themselves. It was wild and extremely fruitful. After the success of the first session I knew we had a legitimate jazz album in addition to an incredible score.”
Van Zandt is currently on tour with his band Disciples of Soul in support of his new album Summers of Sorcery. He’ll head to Europe in August, then return to the U.S. for a fall tour that runs through November. He’s scheduled to perform at New York’s Beacon Theater on November 6th.
Lilyhammer: the Score Track List
Volume 1: Jazz
1. Lilyhammer Nocturne (Theme from Lilyhammer)
2. My Kind Of Town (vocal)
3. The Night Before
4. Rumble Island
5. Sorceress
6. I’m a Fool to Want You
7. All Of Me (vocal)
8. Blue Midnight
9. The Thief
10. City Lights
11. Gloomy Day
12. Ring-A-Ding Ding! (vocal)
13. The Morning After
Volume 2: Folk, Rock, Rio, Bits and Pieces
1. Lilyhammer Nocturne (Theme from Lilyhammer – Broadcast Version)
2. Revelation
3. African Dawn
4. Lillehammer Mourning
5. Baptism
6. Toboggan Negotiation
7. Curiosity
8. Sunset
9. Sunrise
10. Gregorian Papyperm
11. Elegy for Sally Boy
12. Grampa Lento’s Song
13. Tandoori Epiphany
14. Out of the Darkness
15. Wolf Hunt
16. Dance of the Persian Serpent
17. The Minstrel Boy (vocal)
18. Painted Angels
19. Espresso Martini
20. Stevie Colada
21. Mojito
22. Sex Ghost
23. Wired
24. Bliss
25. Jobim Paranoia
26. Out of the Clouds
27. Sylfast is Dead
28. Alex and Johnny
29. Lonely Girl
30. Killer Surf
31. Favella
32. Tommy’s Run
33. Bond of Brothers
34. Sigrid Kills
35. Ibsen Interrupted
36. Massage Tattoo