Escape from Television
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Escape from Television
| type = compilation
| artist = Jan Hammer
| cover = Jan_Hammer_Escape_from_Television.jpg
| alt =
| released = 1987
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| length =
| label = MCA
| producer = Jan Hammer
| prev_title = The Early Years
| prev_year = 1986
| next_title = Snapshots
| next_year = 1989
}}
Escape from Television is a compilation album by Czech-American musician Jan Hammer, released in 1987 by MCA Records.
Content
The album contains selected instrumental pieces composed and performed by Hammer that had been used as film score in the American television series Miami Vice prior to the album's release, along with the main theme to the series, plus one of Hammer's tracks that was not used in the series ("Before the Storm").
Singles
"Miami Vice Theme" had been released as a single in 1985, becoming a worldwide hit, including reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Three other tracks were released as singles: "Crockett's Theme", which also became a worldwide hit in 1987, "Tubbs and Valerie", which reached number 84 in the UK Singles Chart{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/22828/jan-hammer/|title=JAN HAMMER | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company|website=www.officialcharts.com}} and number 34 in Germany that year,{{Cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Jan+Hammer&titel=Tubbs+And+Valerie&cat=s|title=Jan Hammer - Tubbs And Valerie|first=Steffen|last=Hung|website=hitparade.ch}} and "Forever Tonight", which reached number 62 in Germany{{Cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Jan+Hammer&titel=Forever+Tonight&cat=s|title=Jan Hammer - Forever Tonight|first=Steffen|last=Hung|website=hitparade.ch}} and number 74 in the Netherlands.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1 = AllMusic
|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/escape-from-television-mw0000651440|title=Escape from Television - Jan Hammer | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic|via=www.allmusic.com}}
}}
In a review for AllMusic, the album was given four out of five stars, being described as containing "a very strong style of [then] current instrumental music [...] with the edge of rock music and the smooth, spacey appeal of some of the more progressive New Age musicians."
Track listing
All tracks written by Jan Hammer.
{{Track listing
| title1 = Crockett's Theme
| note1 =
| writer1 =
| length1 = 3:32
| title2 = Theresa
| note2 =
| writer2 =
| length2 = 3:07
| title3 = Colombia
| note3 =
| writer3 =
| length3 = 2:39
| title4 = Rum Cay
| note4 =
| writer4 =
| length4 = 3:05
| title5 = The Trial and the Search
| note5 =
| writer5 =
| length5 = 4:55
| title6 = Tubbs and Valerie
| note6 =
| writer6 =
| length6 = 3:33
| title7 = Forever Tonight
| note7 =
| writer7 =
| length7 = 4:01
| title8 = Last Flight
| note8 =
| writer8 =
| length8 = 3:31
| title9 = Rico's Blues
| note9 =
| writer9 =
| length9 = 2:54
| title10 = Before the Storm
| note10 =
| writer10 =
| length10 = 4:32
| title11 = Night Talk
| note11 =
| writer11 =
| length11 = 2:45
| title12 = Miami Vice Theme
| note12 =
| writer12 =
| length12 = 2:29
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = CD bonus track
| title13 = Forever Tonight
| note13 = Extended CD Mix
| writer13 =
| length13 = 6:08
}}
Personnel
Adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=Escape from Television|others=Jan Hammer|year=1987|publisher=MCA|type=liner notes}}
- Produced and engineered by Jan Hammer
- Recorded and mixed at Red Gate Studio, Kent, New York
- Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk, New York
- Track 13 remixed by François Kevorkian
- Artwork: The Complete Works
- Liner notes: Arthur Levy
- Photography: Chris Callis
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (1987)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{album chart|Netherlands|22|artist=Jan Hammer|album=Escape from Television|accessdate=24 June 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|14|id=7253|artist=Jan Hammer|album=Escape from Television|accessdate=18 August 2024}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|34|date=19871108|accessdate=23 June 2021}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Jan Hammer|title=Escape From Tv|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1989|access-date=July 22, 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Jan Hammer|title=Escape From Tv|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|access-date=24 June 2021|id=2083-2536-2}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.discogs.com/Jan-Hammer-Escape-From-Television/release/187806 Escape from Television] at Discogs
{{Jan Hammer}}
{{Authority control}}