AMG Review of Shelly Manne & His Men Play Peter Gunn

Scott Yanow
All Music Guide

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 The enjoyable music (originally made for the Contemporary label) was reissued as a CD via the Original Jazz Classics imprint.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.