Don't laugh -- H. Mancini conducts T. Gibbs band

[Larry Kart]

from the marvelous Plas Johnson, the Candoli brothers, and an out of his mind Carl Fontana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dechpnavTyA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBupII3LH_Q&NR=1

[dprfish]

Wow! Carl Fontana is incredible on this.

Thanks for posting it.

[Free For All]

Carl MF Fontana!

Thanks Larry!!!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Nice!

I bought Duane Eddy's version of Peter Gunn the day it came out here (it was a B side that became the hit) and was so taken with the tune that I bought the Mancini 45 a week or so later. I don't know when that video was done, but I guess early eighties. But the arrangement sounds identical to the 45. I also guess that, although it was the Terry Gibbs band, a lot of those players would have been on Hank's original recording.

Hope TTK sees this.

MG

[Chuck Nessa]

Spotted Med Flory in the band too.

[JSngry]

Anybody who likes this type of thing would probably dig some of the relatively "straight ahead" big band albums Mancini did over the years for RCA. I say relatively because it's all pretty "lush", even the swinging stuff, and nothing gets at all sweaty. But the textures are Mancini-esque all the way, and there's plenty of good soloing by cats like Plas Johnson & the Condolis & People Like That & Larry Bunker is often enough the drummer (I think).

There's, like, 3-4 albums like this I think. Don't know how many, if any, are in print and/or readily available for sale. Check your Internets and proceed accordingly.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I recall that Mancini's version of "Green onions" is pretty sweaty.

MG

[JSngry]

I recall otherwise (it was nice but ultimately "Mancini-esque"), but I live closer to the equator than you do, so who knows how that factors into it.

[Larry Kart]

It's my impression that on these performances the band itself pretty much takes control of Maninci's pieces and comes up with something that suits their own hot and loose sense of how things should go. The "look" of the band (e.g. C. Candoli's arm gestures, M. Flory's semi-smashed grin, the leer with which Frank Capp delivers the triangle bit on "The Pink Panther") versus the arms-length demeanor of Mancini pretty much confirms this, as does the inspired solo work.

[Shrdlu]

I'm certainly not laughing. Mancini's "Peter Gunn" album is a masterpiece. I've had it since the early 60s, and it has stood up to dozens of playings without ever sounding stale. It wasn't until recently that I finally got the entire "More Music From Peter Gunn" album, and that has some excellent tracks too - "Goofin' At The Coffee House" being my favorite.

The LP mixes are better than the CDs, by the way.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I recall otherwise (it was nice but ultimately "Mancini-esque"), but I live closer to the equator than you do, so who knows how that factors into it.

Ah, well, it was a long time ago and you have excellent reasons for having a better memory for music than I do

MG

[JSngry]

Oh, I enjoyed it just fine, I think that Mancini's skills as a texturalist were a bit "underrated" due to the function of the contexts that he so often put them to. It's just that "sweaty" would never be an adjective which would come to my mind in conjunction with his work, especially during a summer where we her have been routinely going over 100 degrees every day, and especially on a day like today, where it has rained, and the heat has dropped just enough to change the overall environment from kiln to sauna.

[marcello]

This was a good gig, if I may say so myself.

One of the sets was broadcast on XM radio.

Joe had made a cd for milestones of Mancini music, about a dozen years ago, but without a vocalist:

Edited August 18, 2008 by marcello

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oh, I enjoyed it just fine, I think that Mancini's skills as a texturalist were a bit "underrated" due to the function of the contexts that he so often put them to. It's just that "sweaty" would never be an adjective which would come to my mind in conjunction with his work, especially during a summer where we her have been routinely going over 100 degrees every day, and especially on a day like today, where it has rained, and the heat has dropped just enough to change the overall environment from kiln to sauna.

Ah yes - it's been like November most of this summer - we had to put the central heating on the other day!

I went out the back for a ciggie yesterday afternoon, but just stood in the doorway to keep out of the rain. There was a gap in the clouds and the sun was really hot, I thought (but not what YOU'D call hot) - just a reminder of what a lovely summer we'd be having if only the weather weren't so shitty

MG