“Dear John…

This letter and the music resting underneath, is my note of thanks to you for your inspirational and masterful musical output. I am Benjamin Petit, I am a jazz saxophonist.

The utterly unique melodies that you handcrafted for the cinema, spoke to me, educated me and made me the musician that I am today. My generation grew up dreaming to fly an X-wing spacecraft for the rebellion in Luke Skywalker’s squadron or to become a Raider of the Lost Ark. But of course your compositions transcend the motion picture itself and have become masterpieces that have inspired me through my life.

I have no doubt that jazz took an important part in your life dear John, and I believe that I can spread a little of your music by adapting some of my favorite symphonic melodies of yours to a jazz combo formation (quartet mostly). I am unaware of anyone having done this and so I felt emboldened to take up the challenge!

The result of this collaboration with the talented musicians around me gave me great satisfaction, and the courage to send you the result of our collective work. I hope that this personal interpretation of your compositions will find its way to your musical heart…”