Monica Mancini
Concord Records recording artist and 2005 double-Grammy nominee Monica Mancini, daughter of famed film composer Henry Mancini and the notable studio singer Ginny O’Conner Mancini, has carved out an impressive career as a concert performer, appearing with major symphony orchestras worldwide, including the Chicago Symphony, New York Pops, Boston Pops, Dallas Symphony, Seattle Symphony and the London Metropolitan Orchestra.
She began singing early on as a member of the Henry Mancini Chorus, which led to a successful career in the Los Angeles studios, where she appeared on countless film scores and recordings, with such notable artists as Placido Domingo, Quincy Jones, and Michael Jackson. Her debut CD, simply titled Monica Mancini was the companion to her PBS television special, Monica Mancini: On Record.
Her current Billboard chart topping and double Grammy nominated Concord Records release, Ultimate Mancini finds Monica and some very special guest artists including Stevie Wonder, Take 6, Kenny Rankin, Gary Burton, Joey DeFrancesco, Tom Scott and Plas Johnson paying tribute to her father.
It has been quite a year for Monica and the Mancini family. This “Year of Mancini”, celebrating the release of the USPS Henry Mancini Postage Stamp, kicked off an extensive 60-city tour, followed by sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall, Disney Hall, Boston Symphony Hall and Tanglewood with John Williams and the Boston Pops.
The New York Times has described Mancini’s rich, expressive voice as “the glamorous vocal equivalent to diamonds flashing.” On her approach to interpreting a song, she says, “I always keep in mind the composers intention because I believe melodies and lyrics are crafted with a definite purpose. I want to bring out the beauty of the writer’s word through music”.
Composer John Williams writes: “Monica Mancini brings her talent, musicality and most of all, love to the music, and proves that the passage of musical genes didn’t stop with the Bachs, Strausses or Ellingtons!”
Monica Mancini’s fifth album, I’ve Loved These Days is a collection of covers of the beloved sixties classics of her musical heroes; such artists as Paul Simon, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Harry Nilsson, Janis Ian, and Billy Joel.
Joining her in I’ve Loved These Days are Jackson Browne, Brian Wilson, Take 6, Stevie Wonder, and Rascal’s Felix Cavaliere. They offer a variety of instrumental and vocal support in each song, and Stevie Wonder and Take 6 make a return performance from Mancini’s last album, double Grammy nominee, Ultimate Mancini.
Her perfect pitch and smooth voice give the songs a new sound that can generate a wider audience and deeper appreciation for the original artists. She does a fantastic job bringing these old classics back to life with a contemporary style that will keep her audience wanting more.
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Album Review
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