Plays Mancini (1990)
Goosing Hank The Man
REUPPED More than any other popular composer, Henry Mancini’s cool, sophisto-jazz defined the tenor of early 60s TV & film soundtracks. From his darker forays (“Experiment In Terror”) to his indelibly catchy compositions (“The Pink Panther”), your dad (or grand dad) probably spent many an hour mixing cocktails to the sweater-hip, hi-fi sounds of “Mr. Lucky,” “Peter Gunn” or “The Days of Wine And Roses.” Oranj Symphonette takes liberties with Mancini’s basic outlines, but not so much as to bury the lede. Kicking off with a Munsters via John Zorn rendition of “A Shot In The Dark,” the arrangements here are largely sax and guitar driven, with punchy, up-front drums pumping the volume. While Plays Mancini isn’t as divisive (or inventive) as Hal Willner’s Nino Rota trib or Zorn’s essential Ennio Morricone treatment, there’s plenty to enjoy in the Symphonette’s gerrymandering of the smoothest of 50s/60s soundtrack kings. Under a buck @ Amazon.
A Shot In The Dark (2:33)
Experiment In Terror (4:44)
The Pink Panther Theme (4:45)
Lujon (3:06)
The Inspector Clouseau Theme (2:57)
Moon River (6:01)
Charade (3:57)
The Days of Wine and Roses (0:59)
Mr. Yunioshi (3:47)
Mr. Lucky (2:43)
March of The Cue Balls (2:53)
Baby Elephant Gunn (Baby Elephant Walk & Peter Gunn) (4:12)
11 Comments
I'm a BIG Mancini fan. I didn't find out that he was the man behind so many of my favorite instrumentals until a later age. So, thanks a lot. Do you have any idea where I can find the other two albums you mentioned (by Hal Willner or Ennio Morricone)? Thanks again.
The Morricone CD, The Big Gundown, is over at Zornography. Amarcord Nino Rota is over at Singer Saints. Google is your friend.
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Find it HERE
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#2 sounds like it could have been from Twin Peaks!
Thanks for the intro & Cheers!
CM
Love Mancini, this looks intriguing. Thanks for running the best site of it's type out there…
mancini was great, they feature his ensemble at the getty art center around the 405 freeway in the san fernando valley section of los angeles.
williard's blog is hot, how long can it last?
Well, don't put a whammy on us, or anything.
I've been looking for this for years and years….Brilliant post THANK YOU!!!!!
Looking forward to listening to this, thanx again
Thanks for the speedy reply. You continue to amaze me with the wonderful music that you dig up.
I was beginning to think I imagined this album. I saw them in Seattle right after this came out and they were fantastically entertaining. Thanks for posting!