John Debney Essentials

Editors’ Notes The exuberance of childhood play is celebrated in this composer's fast-moving scores to kid-friendly films like 2016's The Jungle Book and Ice Age: Collision Course. But John Debney also excels in more mature realms, especially those suggesting contemplation and struggle: brisk piano arpeggios and traces of operatic singing fill the movie Jobs; reverb-strewn guitar drives dramatic moments in Draft Day; and a large orchestra and chorus create a serious feel in his score for The Passion of the Christ. No matter the storytelling context, his music is direct and sincere.