A great track hiding out on a later Mancini LP. Soulful brass, funky bass, and theremin-like sounds coming out of the Arp Sythesizer -- the Arp programmed here by Chris Mancini (Hank's son?).

pascals are a japanese band that started out as a pascal comelade cover band. but have since ventured off into covering other people as well as writing their own material. this is a mancini cover incorporating what i think is a toy piano among other isntruments. some of the lyrics are sung in japanese as well. by far one of my favourite versions of this song.

When I first started actively listening to Mancini, I guess it was in '94 or '95, I was put off by his work from the late '60s/early '70s. I guess my impression was that he wrote these brilliant pop scores until the mid-'60s and then just starting doing mediocre orchestral Beatles medleys and stuff like that. Well, lately I've been realizing how misinformed my first impression was. In fact, it seems i've been enjoying Mancini's work from this era even more than much of his older stuff. "Giovanna" is a great, jaunty little instrumental from Vittorio De Sica's 1970 film "Sunflower." The very Italian-sounding arrangement is carried by the organ and accordion. I think the "Sunflower" soundtrack is too often compared to Morricone. While I can maybe hear the influence, the sound is distinctly Mancini. Another good track from the album is "Love In The Sand" which features, uh, some very nice harpsichord work.

From the 1968 film of Romeo and Juliet. One of the most beautiful movie themes I've ever heard.

It's all there. The composition, the sweeping orchestra, the violins. Everything. So wonderful.

Here's Mancini at his moodiest, really digging deep for an eastern-meets-baroque vibe. With banks of silky brass, dreamy flute, harpsichord and marimba! Such a master of color and image, right down to the gong strike at the end, fabulous! Part of an often overlooked LP that details sides he recorded during some of his famous soundtrack sessions, utilizing the talents of his many players at the time. A must for the Man-fan!