(Phil Woods, alto sax; Carl Saunders, trumpet/flugelhorn; Jeff Jenkins, piano; Ken Walker, bass; Paul Romaine, drums)
Who said Henry Mancini was “just” a movie and TV show composer par excellence? How about the fact that in the right hands (and chops) Mr. Mancini can swing? Well, if you are Graham Carter of Jazzed Media, who better to bring together than the venerable genius, Phil Woods, and the West Coast supreme trumpeter, Carl Saunders, to bring Mancini’s compositions to life in a jazz idiom? Throw in the crack rhythm section of Jeff Jenkins, Ken Walker, and Paul Romaine and the deal’s sealed!
This sucker swings HARD!
Carter includes both Mancini staples – The Pink Panther, and several compositions from the Peter Gunn TV series, as well as more variety with Two for the Road, and Mr. Lucky. The spot on blending of Woods’ alto and Saunders’ fiery trumpet is so natural that you’d thought they had been playing together for years instead of their first recording together. Carter has changed the cover art of this 2004 issue. For those that took a pass back then, it’s time to pay a return visit and listen to two masters let a jazzy Mancini out of the box to swing. You won’t be disappointed!
– Jeff Krow
