Home » Jazz Articles » Extended Analysis » Harmonie Ensemble: Henry Mancini: Music for Peter Gunn
Harmonie Ensemble: Henry Mancini: Music for Peter Gunn
ByEven though written with specific scenarios in mind, it's remarkable how well these songs stand on their own, even after all these years. That's no doubt a tribute to Mancini's exceptional skills as a composer / arranger, one who was in many respects ahead of his time. Not only did he write music that enhanced a particular scene or circumstance, it was also integrated into the plot line itself, triggering pragmatic or emotional responses from the viewing audience and providing a suitable backdrop for leading man Craig Stevens as Gunn, songstress Albright and Gunn's detective friend Lt. Jacoby, handsomely embodied by Herschel Bernardi.
While soloists play no salient role in music that is essentially rigorous and narrative-driven, there are several brief yet impressive statements along the way, by tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin, baritone Ronnie Cuber, vibraphonist Christos Rafalides, pianist Lincoln Mayorga and drummer Victor Lewis (who sits in for dedicatee Shelly Manne on "My Manne Shelly"), among others. It is the ensemble as a whole, however, that commands center stage and calls the tune most of the way, lending Mancini's persuasive music a tasteful small-group ambience in spite of its twenty-two member makeup. Richman, who is clearly a fan of Mancini's as well as Peter Gunn, takes few liberties, choosing instead to let the music speak for itself, as it has so eloquently since it was first composed.
For those who are too young to recall Peter Gunn and its dramatic impact on television music, this perceptive and well-recorded album provides a superb introduction. For those who do remember the series, it represents a nostalgic trip down memory lane to a time when jazz was often an important part of one's television viewing and listening experience.
Track Listing
Peter Gunn Theme; Sorta Blue; The Brothers Go to Mother’s; Dreamsville; Session at Pete’s Pad; Soft Sounds; Fallout; The Floater; A Profound Gass; Brief and Breezy; My Manne Shelly; Blue Steel; Blues for Mother’s; Spook; Peter Gunn Theme (reprise).
Personnel
Steven Richman: conductor; Lew Soloff: trumpet; Dominic Derasse: trumpet; Joe Giorgianni: trumpet; Stanton Davis: trumpet; Mark Gross: alto sax, alto flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto sax, alto flute; Lew Tabackin: tenor sax, alto flute; Lino Gomez: tenor sax, alto flute; Ronnie Cuber: baritone sax; Larry Farrell: trombone; John Fedchock: trombone; Mark Patterson: trombone; Frank Cohen: trombone; R.J. Kelly: French horn; Alexandra Cook: French horn; Eric Davis: French horn; David Peel: French horn; Bob Mann: guitar; Christos Rafalides: vibes; Lincoln Mayorga: piano; Francois Moutin: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.
Album information
Title: Henry Mancini: Music for Peter Gunn | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Harmonia Mundi