"I may have a movie version of my life that I live," he said jokingly of living figuratively in 1962. "I fashioned a life I think a musician should have." You’ll have a chance to join Charlie and his band Chaise Lounge in that life when they grace the stage at Blues Alley November 24th, but first, some insight into the love affair with music that defines this award winning musician and composer.

As a film composer, Barnett has produced over 400 scores in television and film; "Third Rock from the Sun," "The Cosby Show" and "Weeds" are only a few. Through his work, he has received Emmy nominations for the documentaries "Paper Clips" and "Holocaust: The Untold Story and Cosmic Journey" as well as a number of other distinctions for his craft.

Barnett got his start composing film scores nearly 20 years ago when a friend, Don Barlieb, asked if he could do the score for a film he was working on about high school truancy. At the time, there was no path for composers, according to Barnett.

"Can a person do this and make a living," he questioned. "Cause this is cool."

With nowhere to turn for an answer, Barnett pulled out the phonebook and began searching for clients. Reflecting on his road to success, Barnett says "[the music business] It’s not for the faint of heart. You don’t choose music—it chooses you." He advises aspiring composers to invest in their dreams. Take half of your budget to put towards the recording studio and hire musicians. "It’s the only way to enhance your skills as a composer," he said.

Another word of advice when it comes to composing for film scores – don’t get emotionally enthralled in the project. "If I get wound up emotionally—I’ll never be able to do my job," he said.

Right now his job includes working on a composition for "The Other City," a film that explores the AIDS epidemic in the District. For the score, Barnett worked with one of go-go’s legendary players: William "Ju Ju" House. In the score, the two experiment with go-go, a form of music Barnett labels a D.C. cultural phenomenon, in order to tap into the city’s pulse. And what makes a good film score? "You can feel it lift the film if you do it well," says Barnett.

When he’s not working on his concert or film compositions, Barnett uses his time to make music with his band, Chaise Lounge. Their first album "The Early Years," was released in 1999, but the band took a recess after its release. After being asked to play for a mutual friend’s wedding, the band regrouped and found they hadn’t lost any of their chemistry.

"We didn’t rehearse. We didn’t do anything," he said of their wedding performance. "But nothing had left."

For the band, getting back together felt so right they returned to the studio to make music, following up their first project with the album "Second Hand Smoke," released this year.

The band describes their sound as "music to dress up by;" Charlie said it goes back to the ‘60s when people actually got dressed up to see an act. "We wear suits—it’s a stylish damn band," he said. The band is comprised of Charlie Barnett on guitar, piano and accordion; Tommy Barrick on drums; Gary Gregg playing tenor sax, clarinet and flute; John Jensen on trombone and trumpet; Marilyn Older on vocals; and bassist Pete Ostle.

The band is composed of some of the best players in D.C. who each have their own gigs around the city, according to Barnett. "Without great players—there is no band," he said. "Everyone brings an astonishing amount of talent."

For example, he explains, Marilyn doesn’t have a robust voice, but the audience listens attentively as she begins to sing. "It’s like she’s whispering some secret in each person’s ear that’s only for them," he said of the singer’s ability to captivate an audience.

Despite great talent, it’s difficult to earn a living playing original music and composing remains his primary means of income. Says Barnett of the band, "It’s more than a labor of love, I guess it’s just for the love of the music." That love extends to helping others make their music heard. The musician has arranged and produced numerous pop and jazz records and is the owner of Big Kahuna Records, a boutique record label that focuses on music made by artists Barnett knows and finds intriguing.

An intriguing artist himself, Barnett’s interests extend well beyond music. In 2007, Barnett collaborated with Dr. Maya Angelou to write spoken word for the Pageant of Peace. He also holds the role of president of the board for Maryland Youth Ballet, and has composed several ballets for the program. According to Barnett, getting the organization’s space in downtown Silver Spring is one of the things he is most proud of in his life.

And what will life bring next? In the future, he hopes to tour more with his band, Chaise Lounge; he says a European tour would be special. "I want to go there playing music—I’m not a tourist," he said. "It’s about the music…it’s how I interface with the world."

Until then, Barnett advises listeners to throw on their Sunday best, bring a date and digress from the daily routine that is life as Chaise Lounge turns on their seductively cool and mature sounds at Blues Alley Nov. 24.

"You’ll feel like you’ve really gone somewhere," he said.

Chaise Lounge performs at Blues Alley on Tuesday, Nov. 24. Tickets are $20. Blues Alley: 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC; 202-337-4141; www.bluesalley.com. For more information about Chaise Lounge, visit www.chaiseloungenation.com. For more information about Charlie Barnett, visit www.charliebarnett.com.