Biography
James Wesley Stemple enjoys a prolific career composing music for film and television, applying his natural diversity of style and attitude to suit each project's inherent uniqueness.
Working from his state-of-the-art ProTools powered music production facility located on The Lot in West Hollywood, he employs an extensive and eclectic collection of musical instruments from all over the world that he uses in both traditional and completely unconventional ways.
"It is my goal to blend the finest and most effective elements from the acoustic and digital worlds to deliver premium sound and the biggest "bang for the buck."
James is comfortable working both domestically and internationally, and has crafted music for features, television, documentaries, animation, commercials and live performance. He has recorded with world-class musicians all over the globe including London, Rio de Janeiro, Sofia, Johannesburg, S.A. as well as numerous locations in the U.S.
He has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and to date has worked on over 20 films, scores of commercials and written hundreds of hours of music for television. He has been selected as a Sundance Composing Fellow, a Peer Judge for the Emmy Awards and Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, and has been featured in radio interviews, University lectures, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. His first concert work "Sleeping Giant" won First Prize in a national media music competition and was awarded a premiere by the Denver Symphony Orchestra.
James creates unique and distinctive sonic fabrics that are colorful, imaginative and custom tailored to his client's specific needs. His goal is to enhance and raise the client's project to a new level by crafting intriguing, one-of-a-kind musical solutions. In a digital age, he has found a way to stay true to his roots as a performer and orchestral alchemist - and when it is appropriate, combine the best of both worlds by augmenting fundamentally rich and natural sound with cutting edge technology.
Currently featured selections from a few of his signature scores include:
"WALT & EL GRUPO" is the story of Walt Disney's journey to South America in 1941 on the eve of the United States' involvement in WWII. A film blending art and politics, "WALT & EL GRUPO" is complimented by an original score written in styles from Brazil, Argentina, the Andes as well as vintage American swing. Preparation for the score included travel to Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and New York to research styles, meet with musicians and scout studios. The original soundtrack was recorded in multiple locations with a stellar group of 35 musicians.
"SHAKESPEARE BEHIND BARS" is a testimony to his deep commitment to a project he believes in. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize. It is a powerful look at crime and punishment, forgiveness and redemption - all brought about by a prison production of Shakespeare's Tempest.
"BUKOWSKI: BORN INTO THIS" (also a Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee) is a rare and piercing look into the complex heart and soul of a literary iconoclast, whose work continues to resonate with each succeeding generation through its clarity and truth.
