WaterTower Music is excited to announce the release of Chimp Crazy (Soundtrack from the Series) with music by composer Jonathan Sadoff. The HBO® Original four-part documentary series CHIMP CRAZY, produced and directed by filmmaker Eric Goode (“Tiger King”), debuted August 18 on HBO and is now available to stream on Max. The album is out on digital platforms now.
The soundtrack is also available to pre-order now on vinyl, courtesy of Diggers Factory. This is a limited edition, hand-numbered 12″ black vinyl record with a printed inner sleeves and gloss-varnished jacket.
On the score, Sadoff shares, “Within minutes of seeing early footage of Chimp Crazy I was struck by this truly unique, unconventional story that was at once absurd but empathetic, heartbreaking but hilarious, terrifying, and captivating. I eagerly accepted the challenge and set out to write a score that could navigate and hold space for these complex, contradictory feelings, moral ambiguities and grey areas the show explores through the eyes of these chimps and the people who love them. The filmmakers and I put a lot of time, effort and thought into the music, and I am thrilled to release this out into the wild.”
ABOUT CHIMP CRAZY
Former nurse-turned-exotic animal broker Tonia Haddix, who refers to herself as the “Dolly Parton of chimps,” spends her days caring for animals in captivity. However, her limitless love for one chimpanzee in particular spins into a wild cat-and-mouse game with authorities and an animal rights group. Through Tonia’s and other “chimp mom” experiences, CHIMP CRAZY reveals the singular bonds that form between owners and their highly intelligent great ape pets. The series exposes the risks humans take when they try to raise these animals as members of their family, as well as the risks to the welfare of the animals themselves.
At turns hilarious and tragic, while unfolding with the pace and suspense of a thriller, CHIMP CRAZY explores the captivating, often unfathomable, and secretive world of raising chimpanzees and also examines the colorful and complicated cast of characters that inhabit it. Tonia cares for seven captive chimps bred as talent for commercials, photo shoots, and movies. She has a special affection for Tonka, a 32-year-old retired Hollywood chimp – who she claims to love more than her own children. Events take an unexpected turn when Tonka goes missing and Tonia is faced with a lawsuit brought by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She responds by placing Tonka and herself at the epicenter of a years-long saga involving her family, authorities, an undercover clown, and actor Alan Cumming, who starred alongside Tonka in the 1997 film “Buddy.”
Flashing back to other dramatic stories of chimps living in captivity, CHIMP CRAZY broaches thorny issues around private primate ownership and the folly of imposing human traits onto captive apes who have no agency over where or how they live.
ABOUT JONATHAN SADOFF
Born and raised outside of Chicago, Jonathan Sadoff moved to Los Angeles to attend the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music Studio/Jazz Guitar program. He soon widened his studies to embrace composition, orchestration, piano, conducting, voice, and film studies. While in school, he began scoring student films, working in recording studios, producing records, and playing in bands in and around Los Angeles.
After graduating from USC, he scored James Franco’s feature directorial debut Good Time Max and wrote music for Michael Keaton’s feature directorial debut The Merry Gentleman. In late 2009, Mr. Sadoff was featured on the cover of Keyboard Player Magazine and named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of “15 Composers Primed to Take Their Place on the A-List.”
Sadoff has composed scores for feature films such as The Peanut Butter Falcon, Ingrid Goes West, The Meddler and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. He co-wrote all the original songs for Paramount’s animated musical feature Under the Boardwalk. Sadoff’s television credits include his latest project Chimp Crazy (HBO), the Fox’s hit comedy series, The Mick, Dollface and Last Summer.
Sadoff was a member of the musical collective Thenewno2. Together with bandmates Dhani Harrison and Paul Hicks they wrote and produced their sophomore record The fear of missing out and EP002, which features Regina Spektor, The RZA and Ben Harper. They’ve toured all over the US, including performances at Coachella and Lollapalooza, and on national television on shows like Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Sadoff also plays guitar/bass and produces The Short coats with Lorene Scafaria and actor Adam Brody.
Sadoff’s classical training combined with his background of playing in rock bands and producing/programming records has created a hybrid sound that blurs the lines between traditional big Hollywood score and modern “needle-drop” source.
TRACKLIST
- Opening (Chimp Crazy) [feat. Gabe Witcher]
- Monkey Mogul Waltz / PETA (feat. Gabe Witcher)
- Connie’s Backstory
- Tonia’s Improvements
- Tonka Explores / Been Humanized
- Friends for Life
- The Power of Kerry
- They Know
- Where’s Waldo (feat. Gabe Witcher)
- What Makes PETA Sure? / The Ashes (feat. Gabe Witcher)
- Sandra Herold
- Cutest Baby You Ever Saw
- Charla Nash
- Endangered Species Act
- Psychic Revelations
- Was You Ever Asked by PETA?
- Tonka’s Hideout (feat. Gabe Witcher)
- Attorney Fees
- Cy the Chimp Guy
- Tamara Brogoitti
- Buckshot
- Tonka / I’m Done
- Humanzee / Week by Week
- Victim of Humans
