Henry Mancini

**targuit** · 12-31-2015, 11:56 AM

Not a guitarist. But what a great composer, no? I just wanted to start a discussion about his music. What it means to individuals here. What made me think of him was that I was learning one of his songs that I had "forgotten" about - Tender Is The Night, especially as sung by Tony Bennett.

I enjoy playing many of his tunes such as Moon River, Two for the Road, The Days of Wine and Roses... the list is long. Any thoughts or reflections on Henry's legacy?

**lawson-stone** · 12-31-2015, 11:59 AM

His guitarist for ages was Royce Campbell, who is truly an outstanding jazz guitar player. He has a nice Mancini tribute album that is a big favorite of mine. All of Mancini's tunes are wonderful for being recognizable to many people, singable and fun to hear, but offering interesting chord changes and voice movements for jazz players.

**targuit** · 12-31-2015, 12:01 PM

Yes, and Royce has a few videos on YouTube that are instructive. He has an interesting approach to harmony on the guitar as I recall, especially in terms of his use of the bass notes.

**neatomic** · 12-31-2015, 12:04 PM

big fan of mancini..listen to his jazz themes from the peter gunn show all the time...and the various incarnations/covers of it..by guys like shelly manne..top west coast players always..great stuff

cheers

**henryrobinett** · 12-31-2015, 12:13 PM

My friend drummer Michael Stephans jamming with Henry Mancini. He said he was a good jazz flautist.
Henry Mancini (flute), Sam Most (flute) Mike Stephans (drums), Tom Warrington (bass)

**matt.guitarteacher** · 12-31-2015, 12:36 PM

Dreamsville is a tune that really taught me a lot about how to put together a basic chord melody. Wonderful "problems" to be solved. Almost superstitiously, I never really listened to anyone else's version of that tune. I really enjoy it for what it is off the paper.

**Thecytochromec** · 12-31-2015, 03:25 PM

People who don't listen to jazz probably recognize one or two melodies he's come up with, fom Peter Gunn to the Pink Panther, even Baby Elephant walk. The music from Peter Gunn is one of the swingin'est, hipest, "get these jive turkeys outta my face and let me show you cool" albums of all time. It set the precedent for all Gunnmen to follow i.e. James Bond.

If I'm not mistaken, in this interview he reveals meeting with Benny Goodman to see if he was ready for the big leagues and was told he wasn't. Probably true he couldn't play with the big boys but he sure as hell could write.

**wintermoon** · 01-01-2016, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

My friend drummer Michael Stephans jamming with Henry Mancini. He said he was a good jazz flautist.
Henry Mancini (flute), Sam Most (flute) Mike Stephans (drums), Tom Warrington (bass)

Sam Most was one of the absolute best, cool pic.

**Marty Grass** · 01-01-2016, 02:33 PM

Henry Mancini is great because his music is beautiful. Beauty is the secret sauce. It evokes emotions- all kinds. And that's the point really. Herein endeth the lesson.

**cosmic gumbo** · 01-02-2016, 08:11 AM

I get to play the Pink Panther theme with the big band I'm in...are ya'll jealous?

**Doctor Jeff** · 01-03-2016, 04:34 PM

My gosh, his web entry on the Songwriters' Hall of Fame website goes on for 8 pages...

He had such a way with melody--beautiful arrangements as well. He arranged and recorded some of the most famous songs of the 60's, including the theme from Love Story, the Pink Panther theme and the love song from Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (Olivia Hussey, my first on-screen crush--inspired the fantasies of many, many boys and men, but I digress).

Henry Mancini-3568657_gal-jpg

Our little combo plays Charade and Moon River on occasion. They look deceptively easy on paper, but are actually kind of tricky to play. I think that's the hallmark of his composing--he will put in an extra few measures or a bridge or a coda that takes the music is a slightly different direction.

**oldane** · 02-06-2016, 04:34 PM

I often heard Dexter Gordon when he lived in Copenhagen and he liked to play "Days of Wine and Roses". Now, nobody could speak as slow as Dexter, and once I heard him, he introduced it very slowly: "And now .... a tune by Henry Mancini .... Man ... ci ... ni ...... The Days of Wine and Roses .... Wine and Roses .... Wiiiiiiiiine and Rooooooo .... sessssss" - after which he proceded to repeat it in his own special Gordonesque dialect of Danish.

**lawson-stone** · 02-06-2016, 05:02 PM

Here's Royce Campbell doing Moon River on solo guitar.

**lawson-stone** · 02-06-2016, 05:04 PM

And only Royce would do "Pink Panther" on solo guitar

destinytot · 05-29-2016, 03:20 PM

Learning this lovely Mancini song:

**lammie200** · 05-29-2016, 03:27 PM

I actually want to try and cover Baby Elephant Walk, but am pretty far from getting it right.

destinytot · 05-29-2016, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by lammie200

I actually want to try and cover Baby Elephant Walk, but am pretty far from getting it right.

**cosmic gumbo** · 05-31-2016, 10:53 PM

Dreamsville is on setlist for big band gig in 2 weeks. You could get a toothache from this much sugar.

**wintermoon** · 05-31-2016, 11:48 PM

what a great tune Dreamsville, I have the chart around here somewhere, I keep meaning to memorize it and add it to our set list.

Here's Jimmy Ponder playing it--check out the little Wes inspired chop @ 2:50