Henry Mancini was a significant writer for films who used the flavor of jazz in some of his movie scores.
Mancini gathered an impressive cast of top players consisting of trumpeter
Pete Candoli, trombonist
Dick Nash,
Ted Nash on alto and flute,
Art Pepper (sticking exclusively to clarinet), baritonist
Ronnie Lang, pianist
Johnny Williams (doubling on harpsichord), guitarist
Bob Bain, bassist
Rolly Bundock, drummer
Shelly Manne,
Ramon Rivera on conga, and
Larry Bunker on vibes and marimba. Some of the dozen selections are relatively straight-ahead, while a few (particularly "A Powdered Wig" and "Scandinavian Shuffle") are a bit corny, especially in their use of harpsichord and marimba. There are a few strong moments (particularly from
Candoli and
Pepper) on such numbers as "Moanin'," "Sidewalks of Cuba," "Castle Rock," and "Everybody Blow," but the end results are not too essential. Overall, this is a compromise between creative jazz and tightly controlled music meant for a larger audience. A historical curiosity.