Combo! – HENRY MANCINI****

Moanin’/Sidewalks Of Cuba/Dream Of You/Swing Lightly/Castle Rock/A Powdered Wig/Playboy’s Theme/Tequila/Far East Blues/Charleston Alley/Scandinavian Shuffle/Everybody Blow

Combo! was a rare jazz album from arranger Henry Mancini with the focus on swing. It featured some of the top players of the time, on a wide range of instruments. (US:28)

“Mancini shows what he can do with a relatively small line-up of jazz musicians. It's essentially a swing jazz album as opposed to the 'themes' for which Mancini is famous. Swinging drums and bass overlaid with harmonized horns, solo horns, vibes, melodic lines. There's a good spectrum of instruments and each one gets space across the tracks. Warm and haunting solos from a number of different instruments as well. There are a couple of tracks which border on 'popular' but the musicianship overrides this. Far East Blues is an outstanding track.”

“This album has infusions of jazz, pop, and a slight European flair that gives it a very cool edge. Mancini today is remembered by reflections of an age of Kennedy in Life magazine, the colour aquamarine, and an America quickly losing its innocence. His music reflects the times perfectly, and can be enjoyed today in memory of what once was. This album is a must for any Mancini collector, and a good introduction for any new fan of his music and works.”

“This was one of his few jazz-oriented projects, a salute of sorts to the idea of the swing combo. Mancini gathered an impressive cast of top players. 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 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.”

“While the harpsichord may be a bit too prominent for some tastes, it wears well, and repeated listening adds to one's enjoyment of this early Mancini classic. In addition to the harpsichord, rare in jazz, we get trumpet, trombone, alto sax, flute, clarinet, baritone sax, piano, guitar, bass, vibes, conga, marimba and drums. I can't imagine any jazz fan not liking it. I don't look upon this album as some kind of nostalgic 'bachelor-pad-lounge-retro-so-campy-it's-good' experience, this is a real jazz album.”