CD REVIEW
– HENRY
MANCINI - MOON RIVER
The
Singles Collection 1958-1962
Jasmine 2666
(79:27)
To attain
greatness in our kind of music,
it seems helpful to have a name
beginning with the letter 'M',
like Mantovani, Miller,
Melachrino or Mancini.
In December 2013, in the final
printed edition of the Robert
Farnon Society's magazine, I
favourably reviewed a Mancini
album on Dutton Vocalion.
Incidentally, one of about a
dozen such reviews – imagine
that happening today! So here now
is that rare thing, a new release
of light orchestral music that
would have been commonplace back
in the day.
Enrico Nicola
'Henry' Mancini (1924-94) is
described, in compiler Roger
Dopson's very helpful liner
notes, thus: "One of the
mightiest, most versatile talents
in contemporary 20th Century
music, (he) was arguably
America's greatest composer,
conductor and arranger." He
was also an accomplished pianist,
piccolo/flautist and siffleur (on
the album I reviewed six years
ago.)
This album is a
compilation of 30 tracks
originally on 45rpm discs (mono
and stereo) on various labels.
All but seven were written by the
great man himself, and include
titles such as Big Band Rock
and Roll, Spook!, Mr
Lucky (his first hit
single), The Blues, My
Cousin from Naples, Experiment
in Terror, Tooty Twist,
Theme from Hatari! and Your
Father's Feathers. The
classic Peter Gunn Theme
(his debut RCA-Victor single), Moon
River and Breakfast at
Tiffany's are also here. The
last track is Days of Wine
and Roses from December
1962.
My favourite
track, and the one I keep
returning to, is Cha Cha Cha
for Gia, from the film 'Four
Girls in Town', which in
December 1956 was the 'B' side of
Hank's first ever single. It was
on Liberty Records, then a new
label concentrating on film and
orchestral music – imagine
that today, too!
Well done to
Jasmine for resurrecting these
pieces. The arrangements are
inventive - although I would have
preferred more string sound - and
I am sure this release will give
much pleasure as a good deed in a
naughty world.
© Peter
Burt 2019
|
