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American composer, trumpeter, and electronic music pioneer renowned for his atmospheric film scores and genre-blending solo worksBorn in New York City, Isham studied classical trumpet before joining the San Francisco Opera Orchestra at age 19. He gained prominence in the 1970s jazz fusion scene through collaborations with artists like Van Morrison and Joni Mitchell. Transitioning to film scoring in the 1980s, he became celebrated for his minimalist electronic textures and emotionally resonant orchestral compositions.

• Isham pioneered the use of synthesizers in jazz through early albums like 'Vapor Drawings' (1983), creating atmospheric soundscapes years before ambient music gained mainstream recognition.
• His Oscar-nominated score for 'A River Runs Through It' (1992) was initially rejected by director Robert Redford, who changed his mind after hearing Isham's revised version during a fly-fishing trip.
• Isham composed his iconic 'Blade Runner' soundtrack contributions overnight using only a Prophet-5 synthesizer after Vangelis withdrew from the project, creating one of sci-fi's most influential scores.
• Despite his electronic innovations, Isham maintains rigorous classical discipline, practicing trumpet daily and performing with symphonies including the Los Angeles Philharmonic.