Recorded 8/26/58, 8/31/58, 9/4/58 and 9/29/58
Released 1959
Produced by Simon Rady
Composed and conducted by Henry Mancini

Musicians listed: Jack Sperling, drums; Rolly Bundock, bass; Pete Candoli, trumpet; Ted Nash, alto sax; Dick Nash, trombone; Milt Bernhart, trombone; Ronnie Lang, sax (bari listed), Larry Bunker, vibes; Johnny Williams, piano. (Other musicians may include those listed below in More Music from Peter Gunn.

Song listing:

1. Peter Gunn
2. Sorta Blue
3. The Brothers Go To Mother's
4. Dreamsville
5. Session at Pete's Pad
6. Soft Sounds
7. Fallout
8. The Floater
9. Slow and Easy
10. A Profound Gass
11. Brief and Breezy
12. Not from Dixie

Nobody at RCA predicted that this soundtrack album to the "Peter Gunn" television series would sell in excess of one million copies, least of all, Hank! Blake Edwards gave Mancini the chance to score all original material for his television production, a detective story named Peter Gunn. The "higher ups" at RCA noted that the music had the potential to be useful as material for Shorty Rogers, RCA's biggest selling jazz artist at the time. Shorty approached Hank, saying that he felt it would be better in the composer's own hands. With this album, Mancini began a long and successful recording career for RCA records, as well as making him one of the top composers of film music in the 20th century.

The music on this album is nothing short of spectacular. The "Peter Gunn" theme is the most menacing of the bunch, its obstinato bassline setting forth a feeling of foreboding and barely containable excitement. "Fallout", the opener of the album's second side, also accompanied the opening frames of the television episodes. "Sorta Blue" is notable for its unconventional clusters of chords in a minor mode, while "The Brothers Go To Mother's" is as easygoing as your local neighborhood piano lounge. "Dreamsville" is a favorite slower song of many Mancini fans, and this first version is the definitive instrumental version. (A vocal version appears on Our Man In Hollywood.)

As you can tell from the musician roster, his band was not a collection of unknowns. Many big names in jazz are recorded on Mancini's jazz projects. Their performances here, as on all Mancini albums, are tight and structured, while maintaining a certain "looseness" that prevents the music from becoming "stiff", straight-jacket renditions of the written notes. The solos are tastefully understated as well, veering away from the wild blowing of straight-ahead jazz and bebop. And it was no fluke--later Mancini jazz albums fared equally well.

Recorded 2/17/59 and 3/5-6/59
Released 1959
Composed and conducted by Henry Mancini
Produced by Dick Peirce

Musicians: Conrad Gozzo (lead), Pete Candoli (soloist), Frank Beach and Graham Young, trumpets; Dick Nash (soloist), Jimmy Priddy, John Halliburton, Karl DeKarske and Hoyt Bohannon, trombones; Vincent DeRosa (lead), John Cave, Richard Perissi and John Graas, french horns; Ted Nash (alto sax soloist), Ronny Lang (baritone sax soloist), Paul Horn and GEne Cipriano, woodwinds; Shelly Manne, drums; Alvin Stoller, drums ("Timothy" only), John T. Williams, piano; Bob Bain, guitar; Rolly Bundock, bass; Joe Mondragon, bass ("My Manne Shelly", Lightly", "A Quiet Gass"); Vic Feldman, vibes; Larry Bunker, vibes; Plas Johnson, tenor sax soloist ("Spook!").

Song listing:

1. Walkin' Bass
2. Timothy
3. Joanna
4. My Manne Shelly
5. Goofin' At The Coffee House
6. Odd Ball
7. Blue Steel
8. The Little Man Theme
9. Spook!
10. A Quiet Gass
11. Lightly
12. Blues for Mother

This album is an obvious follow-up to the original Peter Gunn album. It never sold as many copies, but the music is on par with its predecessor. Standout tracks include the shadowy opening song "Walkin' Bass", the playful "Timothy", the hard rockin' "Spook!" with the excellent punctuation courtesy of Plas Johnson's tenor sax, and the drum centerpiece "My Manne Shelly". It's interesting to note that there are two versions of this cover. My mono copy, and a few of the Living Stereo copies I've seen, are in a bluish jacket. Mine Living Stereo LP, and the German BMG import CD, have the reddish colored jacket using the same artwork. (I'd attribute the red jacket to a later issue of the LP--being so similar to the original Peter Gunn LP might have caused confusion.)

Recorded August 10, 11 and 14, 1959
Released in 1960
Conducted by Henry Mancini
Produced by Dick Peirce

Musicians listed: Bob Bain, guitar; Vince DeRosa, lead french horn; Vic Feldman, vibes and marimba; Ronnie Lang, baritone sax and alto flute; Shelly Manne, drums; Dick Nash, lead trombone; Ted Nash, alto sax; Johnny Williams, piano.

Song Listing:

1. Bijou (Ralph Burns)
2. Mostly For Lovers (Henry Mancini)
3. Like Young (Andre Previn)
4. My One and Only Love (Robert Mellin/Guy Wood)
5. Politely (Henry Mancini)
6. Trav'lin' Light (Mercer/Mundy/Young)
7. Let's Walk (Henry Mancini)
8. Snowfall (Claude Thornhill)
9. A Cool Shade of Blue (Henry Mancini)
10. Robbin's Nest (Sir Charles Thompson/Illinois Jacquet)
11. Free and Easy (Bobby Troup/Henry Mancini)
12. That's All (Bob Haymes/Alan Brandt)

This album is probably one of the first that Mancini would record that could be classified as "easy listening." Strings are in abundance here, but that does not detract from some otherwise very fine playing on this set. Most notable is the trombone section features on several tracks, like the album opener, "Bijou." "Robbin's Nest" is a Ronnie Lang baritone sax feature, and you won't find a nicer version of Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall," with this arrangement's fluttering-snowflake strings behind it. "Free and Easy" was co-written with Bobby Troup, and appeared as the opening track on Troup's all-star album Bobby Troup and His Stars of jazz (which was based on his TV series of the same name), an excellent (and highly recommended) snapshot of west coast jazz in the late 50's featuring many musicians that appeared on Mancini's own albums, as well as Shorty Rogers.

Recorded February 22, 26 and 29, 1960
Released in 1960
Conducted by Henry Mancini
Produced by Dick Peirce

Musicians: Ted Nash, Ronny Lang, Gene Cipriano, Harry Klee and Wilbur Schwartz, woodwinds; Conrad Gozzo, Pete Candoli, Frank Beach and Graham Young, trumpets; Dick Nash, Jim Priddy, John Halliburton and Karl DeKarske, trombones; Vincent DeRosa, Sinclair Lott, John Graas, Richard Perissi, George Price and Herman Lebow, french horns; Johnny Williams, piano; Bob Bain, guitar; Roland Bundock, Bass; Jack Sperling, drums; Victor Feldman, vibes and marimba; Larry Bunker, vibes.

Track listing:

1. The Blues (Henry Mancini)
2. Smoke Rings (Washington/Gifford)
3. Misty (Burke/Garner)
4. Blue Flame (Noble/Bishop/Corday)
5. After Hours (Parrish)
6. Mood Indigo (Ellington/Mills/Bigard)
7. The Beat (Henry Mancini)
8. Big Noise from Winnetka (Rodin/Crosby/Haggart/Bauduc)
9. Alright, Okay, You Win (Wyche/Watts)
10. Tippin' In (Symes/Smith)
11. How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me (Roberts/Glenn)
12. Sing, Sing, Sing (Louis Prima)

This excellent jazz album by Mancini won a Grammy! And it's no surprise. The arrangements are superb, and the band is in top form. The album actually has two sides to it...no pun intended! The "blues" side is a collection of slow, late-night bluesy songs. "Misty" is a fine Dick Nash trombone feature, with the smooth backing of French horns behind him. "The Blues" is a menacing tune that builds into a smouldering pile of hot ashes. On the other side, the "beat" prevails. "The Beat" is one of those lightly-swinging songs that was a trademark sound for Mancini. "Big Noise" is a hard-swinging track that features brass and flute work. To cap off the album, Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing" gets the Mancini treatment, complete with a menacing "crime jazz" type of ending.

Recorded December 4, 10 and 17, 1959
Released in 1960
Composed and Conducted by Henry Mancini
Produced by Dick Peirce

Musicians: not listed

Track listing:

1. Mr. Lucky
2. My Friend Andamo
3. Softly
4. March Of The Cue Balls
5. Lightly Latin
6. Tipsy
7. Floating Pad
8. One Eyed Cat
9. Night Flower
10. Chime Time
11. Blue Satin
12. That's It and That's All

This is the second television soundtrack that Mancini would score for Blake Edwards. The series was ultimately cancelled due to a disagreement between Edwards and CBS, who felt the subject matter was too controversial. (Mr. Lucky ran a gambling boat off the coast of California; Lucky's role was changed to that of a restauranteur until Blake gave up the farce and the series folded.) Nonetheless, the soundtrack is likely the most memorable artifact of that series. This album would prominently feature a Hammond organ (played by Buddy Cole) and strings, and yet still had a "hipness" that would complement the suave Mr. Lucky character on the TV screen. There are moments of humor ("Tipsy" and "One Eyed Cat"), a foreboding tune that alludes to the dark side of gambling ("FLoading Pad"), and the memorable title song punctuated by that Hammond organ.

Released in 1961
Conducted by Henry Mancini
Produced by Dick Peirce

Musicians: Pete Candoli, trumpet; Dick Nash, trombone; Ted Nash, alto sax and C flute; Art Pepper, clarinet; Ronny Lang, baritone sax and alto flute; Johnny Williams, piano and harpsichord; Bob Bain, guitar and bass guitar; Rolly Bundock, bass; Larry Bunker, vibes and marimba; Ramon Rivera, conga; Shelly Manne, drums.

Track Listing:

1. Moanin' (Timmons)
2. Sidewalks of Cuba (Oakland/Parish/Mills)
3. Dream Of You (Oliver)
4. Swing Lightly (Henry Mancini)
5. Castle Rock (Drake/Shirl/Sears)
6. A Powdered Wig (Henry Mancini)
7. Playboy's Theme (Coleman)
8. Tequila (Chuck Rio)
9. Far East Blues (Henry Mancini)
10. Charleston Alley (Henderson/Kirkland)
11. Scandinavian Shuffle (Asmussen)
12. Everybody Blow! (Henry Mancini)

Featuring a pared down group, the easygoing swinging jazz of the Peter Gunn persuasion, and the unlikely addition of a harpsichord, this album makes for another fine project by Henry Mancini. The album opener, "Moanin'", is one of the best on the disc. It opens on a series of two-note vamps, which anticipate the "Pink Panther Theme" by a few years. After an easygoing runthrough of the first verse, the harpsichord joins in on accompaniment. Awkward at first, the song shifts into overdrive as Johnny Williams shows that Bach-era instruments can indeed swing with the best, and also proves that Johnny could make anything with keys on it swing! "Playboy's Theme" is another good one, reminiscent of Neal Hefti's "Odd Couple" theme. "Far East Blues" employs the vibraphone and oriental chords, giving it a mysterious sound. "Tequila" is a hiccuping version of the popular hit song. The harpsichord is kept mostly in check, but becomes a little overbearing on such numbers as "A Powdered Wig", in which case it's forgiven if only for the novelty of the song's title. This album is a worthwhile addition to the essential Henry Mancini catalog.

More to come--stay tuned!

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