The Princess and the Frog (Original Songs and Score)

Acerbic L.A. singer-songwriter cum Hollywood’s most beloved composer of animated film scores Randy Newman finds the New Orleans setting of The Princess and the Frog a welcome complement for the Louisiana half of his own family’s roots. If the contemporary-R&B sheen of Ne-Yo’s opening “Never Knew I Needed” handily showcases the timeless, genre-crossing breadth of Newman’s song craft, Crescent City legend Dr. John quickly anchors “Down In New Orleans” to an earthier musical tradition that is the soundtrack’s focus. Anika Noni Rose’s showcase “Almost There” and actor Keith David’s delicious comic read of “Friends On the Other Side” continue that savory groove, while Spike Lee musical collaborator Terence Blanchard returns to his own Dixieland roots via the trumpet work of the joyous “When We’re Human” and the more reflective “Gonna Take You There.” The final seven tracks showcase an impressive Newman orchestral underscore with an even wider axis of influences, encompassing both Dixieland strains and Randy’s longtime affection for the Copland-esque Americana of The Natural.