Stanley Black was a jazz pianist and British dance band arranger who matured into a successful composer of film scores as well as a prolific creator of mostly instrumental thematic easy listening albums.
Gershwin Goes Latin and
Friml and Romberg in Cuban Moonlight are definitive examples of
Black's excellent approach to lounge music. The
Gershwin songs work well with Latin American percussion;
Black's handling of the piano is dependably tidy and personable. The
Cuban Moonlight album uses melodies composed by Czech-born
Rudolf Friml and the Hungarian
Sigmund Romberg to conjure moods for reflection, relaxation or noctambulation. Highlights include
Gershwin's "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off,"
Romberg's "Lover Come Back to Me" and
Friml's "Donkey Serenade."