Happy birthday, Henry Mancini!
The recipient of 4 Academy Awards, 20 Grammy Awards, 1 Golden Globe, and a posthumous Grammy for Lifetime Achievement. His arrangement of Nino Rota’s love theme from “Romeo and Juliet” spent two weeks at the top of the rock-dominated Billboard charts in 1969.
“The Pink Panther,” with Mancini at the piano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBupII3LH_Q
“Peter Gunn”
(The original session pianist on the show was none other than John “Johnny” Williams)
“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (Audrey Hepburn sings “Moon River”)
Mancini on composing “Moon River”
“Hatari!”
(Mancini quipped that the “Baby Elephant Walk” put his three baby elephants through college)
Boy, does this one take me back!
Mancini on music education
Henry Mancini in duet with James Galway – “76 Trombones” on two flutes!
Mancini-Galway conclusion, with a John Williams bonus
Henry: A Personal Recollection