Henry Mancini's writing for Peter Gunn was quite significant, for it was the first regular television series to utilize jazz as an integral part of its score. Half a year after the show debuted, drummer
Shelly Manne, the members of his quintet (trumpeter
Conte Candoli, altoist
Herb Geller, pianist
Russ Freeman, and bassist
Monty Budwig), and guest vibraphonist
Victor Feldman (doubling on marimba) interpreted the Peter Gunn theme and nine selections from the show, including "Dreamsville." The enjoyable music (originally made for the Contemporary label) was reissued as a CD via the Original Jazz Classics imprint.
Mancini encouraged
Manne to use the songs as vehicles for extended solos, and the results are swinging, standing apart from the show.
Candoli and particularly
Geller are in top form on this fairly memorable effort. ~ Scott Yanow