Henry Mancini: Music for Peter Gunn

Conductor and arranger Steven Richman founded the Harmonie Ensemble in 1979, celebrating classical, jazz, and standards repertoire over the years since then. Music for Peter Gunn does an excellent job balancing the original material’s blend of jazz and pop thanks to a swinging rhythm section and tight ensemble playing from the large horn section. Some of this sounds dated to the time the material was written—light jazz was pop music during the show’s run from 1958 to 1961—but it nonetheless makes for more than a nostalgia trip. “Peter Gunn Theme” beckons with the promise of danger and adventure. While “Sorta Blue” and “Blue Steel” are equally engaging if not as immediately recognizable with its jazzy grooves, “Dreamsville” is a pop ballad of substance. It's certainly one for Mancini buffs, but this is also an excellent place find out how truly influential this great soundtrack composer was and is.