HiRez Poll Mancini, Henry - THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER & SYMPHONIC SOUL [SACD]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2017 Multichannel SACD release from Dutton Vocalion featuring two of Henry Mancini's classic albums, "The Return of the Pink Panther" and "Symphonic Soul". The SACD features the classic 1970s Quadraphonic mixes for each album.



The Return of the Pink Panther
1: THE PINK PANTHER THEME (Mancini) soloist: Tony Coe (tenor sax)
2: THE GREATEST GIFT (Mancini; David) instrumental version
3: HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID (Mancini)
4: SUMMER IN GSTAAD (Mancini)
5: SO SMOOTH (Mancini)
6: THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER (PARTS 1 & 2) (Mancini) includes The Pink Panther Theme
7: THE GREATEST GIFT (Mancini; David) vocal version/soloist: Henry Mancini (piano)
8: THE ORANGE FLOAT (Mancini)
9: DREAMY (Mancini) soloist: Henry Mancini (piano)
10: DISCO (Mancini)
11: NAVEL MANOEUVRE (Mancini)
12: BELLY BELLY BUM BUM (Mancini)
13: THE WET LOOK (Mancini)

Symphonic Soul
14: SYMPHONIC SOUL (Mancini) soloist: Bud Brisbois (piccolo trumpet)
15: BUTTERFLY (Hancock) soloists:Abraham Laboriel (bass guitar), Joe Sample (electric piano)
16: SATIN SOUL (White) soloist: Joe Sample (organ)
17: PETER GUNN NEW VERSION (Mancini) theme from the TV series soloists: Abraham Laboriel (bass guitar), Joe Sample (organ), Bud Brisbois (piccolo trumpet/trumpet)
18: SLOW HOT WIND LUJON (Mancini; Gimbel) soloist: Louise DiTullio (flute)
19: PICK UP THE PIECES (Ball; Stuart) soloist: Joe Sample (organ)
20: SUN GODDESS (White; Lind) soloist: Joe Sample (organ)
21: SOUL SAGA SONG OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIER (Jones; Brown; Bahler; Greene) soloist: Tommy Morgan (harmonica)
22: AFRICAN SYMPHONY (McCoy) soloist: Mayuto Correa (African finger piano)

All tracks available in stereo and multi-channel

SA-CD
This hybrid CD can be played on any standard CD players

CDSML8535

 

[oxenholme]

A magnificent quadraphonic demonstration disc with never a dull moment.

I am more than pleased with it.

Mix 10
Sound 10

 

[oxenholme]

There are some absolute gems on this disc. All manner of styles. Some really good melodies. The majority composed by Henry.

Some of the instrumentation is wild.

Another 10.

 

[steelydave]

Symphonic Soul is by far my favourite quad easy listening title from any artist on any label, and this new SACD meets every expectation sonically I had for this material. The Q8 I have of Symphonic Soul was a bit honky in the upper midrange, but the SACD doesn't display any of that, it's wonderfully smooth throughout the entire frequency spectrum. There's a great cast of backing musicians on Symphonic Soul including Joe Sample from the Crusaders, Harvey Mason from the Headhunters and Abe Laboriel (who played bass on Larry Carlton's first solo album, amongst thousands of others) that give these interpretations some real authenticity. To my ear, Mancini has a real knack for arranging these songs in a way pulls out some of the counter-melodies and other musical bits that are hidden in the original versions, and it makes them a really interesting listen - almost like disco remixes of tracks would bring up elements of a recording that were buried in the original album mix.

The Pink Panther soundtrack is great too, in a totally different way - Mancini was indisputably the master of the soundtrack, and you get a real taste of that here. Great to have one of his classic themes available in quad.

There's also a really nice (and extensive) newly-written liner note by Vocalion's Oliver Lomax about the recording of these two albums. I didn't know much about the film side of his work so it was a really informative read for me. It's a remarkable testament to Mancini's versatility as well, that these two polar opposite albums were both recorded and released in the same year.

For me, this is easily in the top 3 easy listening discs that Vocalion have released so far.

 

[MIDIQ]

I liked this more than i thought i would. The first album didn't blow me away, some good, some i didn't care for. But the second album was really good, i liked all the songs except for a couple. First album i would rate 6 or 7, but second album a 9. Quad mixes were all very good. Overall i voted 8.

 

[stansby40]

Great to have a version of the Pink Panther Theme in Quad. However the surprise was the funkiness of Symphonic Soul almost reminded me of some funky Herbie Hancock albums. I gave it an overall 8.

 

[EHughes]

I have this ordered wasn't sure if I'd like it but the above posts make me anxious to hear it.

 

[Philip Spinner]

I've been listening to samples of Lujon on the No More Sweet Music song by Hooverphonic for years. Lovely melody.

 

[MrSmithers]

This is just brill! I really dig Henry Mancini... Some really chilled out vibes but can also get a bit funky too with Symphonic Soul. On that album it has AWB - Pick Up The Pieces which should really get a release in original form on a compilation album, as mentioned on another thread.

The mix is just what it needs to be...

If there was ever somehow a quad release of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I would be first in line ?