Customer Reviews

Two for the Road: Music of Henry Mancini

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most musicians labor a lifetime without receiving a Grammy award. Henry Mancini was awarded 20. (two-zero, twenty, no misprint). The original Mancini recordings consistently exhibited two traits: lush orchestration, often with strings and chorus, and some of the most enjoyable and memorable pop melodies ever scored. Well, the near-incomparable melodies are still here, of course, but now in a context of a tighter, smaller, hotter ensemble. The arrangements are simply killer, as one would expect from Mr. Grusin, and the surround-sound engineering is as well done as any I've encountered; subtle but readily apparent use of the rear channels to expand the soundstage without moving the listener out of the audience and onto the bandstand. Some of the more obscure Mancini compositions are covered, a nice touch. One minor criticism: "The Days of Wine and Roses" as originally done was so beautiful a song that even Mr. Grusin fails to impress with his instrumental rearrangement, which actually is excellent if not referenced to the original piece. Easily five star stuff. My thanks to Mr. Grusin and all those involved with making a recoring of rare quality that I'll enjoy for years.

Dave Grusin's greatest influence and inspiration in his musical career was Henry "Hank" Mancini, and he dedicated this album in memory of the legendary composer. When he was younger and trying to decide what road to take, he thought of the music of Henry Mancini and some other composers such as André Previn and Elmer Bernstein.

According to Dave Grusin, Hank Mancini was "as generous with advice and enthusiasm as anyone he had known in this arena, the whimsical good humor you hear in his music was there in real life as well."

Dave Grusin is joined by some of the finest studio musicians in creating one of the best Henry Mancini tributes: John Pattitucci (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Russell Malone (guitar), Paulinho Da Costa (percussion), Tollak Ollestad (harmonica), Gary Grant (trumpet), Andrew Martin (trombone), Jerry Hey and the Hot Band, Dan Higgins, Tom Scott and Eric Marienthal (sax). Diana Krall did the vocals on "Dreamsville" and "Soldier In The Rain."

This is Henry Mancini music in smooth jazz, so typical of Dave Grusin's innovative and jazz-oriented arrangements and it presented not only his skills but also his dedication to piano playing.

It's an awesome CD to listen to and enjoy the music of Henry Mancini and the artistry of Dave Grusin. You'll be delighted with all the selections especially his terrific interpretations of "Moment To Moment," "Two For The Road," "Baby Elephant Walk" and "Days of Wine and Roses."

Very highly recommended.

This is the first cd I've ever purchased that I absolutely loved every song. If you are a Dave Grusin fan or a fan of jazz, you will love this cd. It will also give you a new appreciation of the genuis of Henry Mancini

I remember collecting Mancini on vinyl when I was a kid. The phrase above was on one of the album covers.

I see Henry Mancini, in hindsight, as a classic example of how talent is consumer voraciously by the entertainment business. He enjoyed his success, to be sure, but it sucked everything out of him, too.

This album is distinguished by its final track though. First, I did not know that lyrics existed for "Soldier in the Rain," and wonder who wrote them. Second, to me, Grusin's choice of this track as the last depicted was no accident. Mancini was a devoted father and husband, and he wanted the best for his children, very much including his son. "That your someday child, never knows the rain."

Grusin's tribute to this great musician and composer is well-fitted and much welcomed.

Dave Grusin made a very heartfelt homage in Henry Mancini `s memory with this striving album that deserves all your special attention.

If I had to find any motive of complaint around this invaluable CD is the few number of songs. Perhaps Moon river, Charade, and Sunflower could be arranged and included because these three themes were emblematic and definitive in the winning career of Mancini

The only hope I have is that Cruisin makes a second album. But this is fantastic entry to enjoy.

Dave Grusins arrangements of Gershwin and his work with Lee Ritenour and Brasil artists is astounding. He makes everything so listenable! So here we have him arranging the great original works of Hank Mancini. The magic of both these great musicians is overwhelming. Henry wrote some great classics. Dave Grusin gives them a freshness that you will want to listen to over and over again.

An interesting selection of numbers. Great to hear Diana Krall sing two of Mancini's more sophisticated songs, "Dreamsville" & "Soldier In the Rain" (the latter an especially ethereal composition). Mancini fans will like it. I do. But Grusin's facile plano playing offers few surprises, it goes where one expects it to go; some of the instrumentals drift by as if wrapped in gauze, & only three are challenged to offer up something out of the ordinary: "Peter Gunn," "Baby Elephant Walk," & "Hatari." So I consider it a tasteful homage. But old tribute albums by Quincy Jones & Bobby Hackett are just as much if not more fun (Hackett's "Peter Gunn" is very unusual). The 1996 album "Oranj Symphonette Plays Mancini" demonstrates what can be done when Mancini is creatively stretched through a variety of musical genres.

Wife had heard this CD on FM radio and secretly wrote it's name on slip of paper. I found it and got it for her for Christmas. "When mama is happy, everbody is happy."

Another terrific cd by Dave Grusin. Relaxing instrumental piano music. Can't go wrong with this artist.