Is Cinemagic a good place to start with Dave Grusin?

Yes, Cinemagic is recommended as a starting point for new Dave Grusin listeners. Elegant jazz arrangements weave through iconic film themes, creating a lush auditory landscape that captures cinematic emotion. By the time Dave Grusin released Cinemagic in 1987, he had already established himself as a prominent film composer and jazz artist, with notable works like The Graduate and Tootsie. This album arrived in the midst of his prolific career, showcasing his ability to blend contemporary jazz with memorable film scores.

Who is Cinemagic for?

Cinemagic works well if you're into steady pacing for focused listening, lush orchestral soundscapes throughout and evocative themes for cinematic daydreams.

How many songs are on Cinemagic?

Cinemagic has 14 tracks, running approximately 56 minutes.

Cinemagic

Dave Grusin · 1987

56 min · 14 tracks · jazz

Elegant jazz arrangements weave through iconic film themes, creating a lush auditory landscape that captures cinematic emotion.

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Top tracks — play these first

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On Golden Pond: Main Theme Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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Heaven Can Wait: Main Theme — This track exemplifies Grusin's knack for marrying lush orchestration with emotional depth, making it a standout representation of his scoring style.
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Tootsie: It Might Be You (Love Montage) — The romantic thematic elements in this piece highlight Grusin's ability to capture complex emotions, serving as a quintessential example of his work in film scoring.
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Three Days of the Condor: Goodbye for Kathy (Love Theme) — This track encapsulates a poignant moment in the film, demonstrating Grusin's talent for creating memorable melodies that elevate cinematic storytelling.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

46 /100

Foothills

Higher than 10% of albums we've rated

Cinemagic offers elegant interpretations of film themes but lacks depth for repeated listening.

What we noticed

The album features a series of instrumental tracks that reinterpret well-known film themes, each lasting between two to five minutes.
Several tracks incorporate lush string arrangements and soft brass sections, creating a rich, cinematic soundscape.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 5/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 2/10

Little footprint beyond its audience. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

steady pacing for focused listening
lush orchestral soundscapes throughout
evocative themes for cinematic daydreams
gentle emotional depth and warmth

Maybe skip if you

seeking high-energy tracks
prefer standalone singles

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Fan Favorite — Beloved for its elegant arrangements of iconic film themes, appealing to dedicated jazz and film music fans.
Themes: cinematic nostalgia· romantic orchestration· film score elegance
Career context: By the time Dave Grusin released Cinemagic in 1987, he had already established himself as a prominent film composer and jazz artist, with notable works like The Graduate and Tootsie. This album arrived in the midst of his prolific career, showcasing his ability to blend contemporary jazz with memorable film scores.
Stylistic neighbors: Chick Corea· Herbie Hancock· Brad Mehldau