The Carl Woideck Jazz Heritage Project: The Jazz Side of Henry Mancini at John G Shedd Institute for the Arts

While living in Los Angeles and writing music for television (Peter Gunn) and the big screen (Breakfast at Tiffany's), Mancini was very much in touch with the musicians of West Coast jazz. He was one of a handful of composers who succeeded in using jazz in TV and film scoring. He also wrote music specifically for his favorite jazz musicians, including "My Manne Shelly" (for drummer Shelly Manne) and "Something for Nash" for session musician Ted Nash. These Los Angeles-based players returned the favor by recording many albums of jazz interpretations of Mancini. Mancini also collaborated on some of the later songs of classic American Songbook lyricist Johnny Mercer, including "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses", both of which lend themselves to jazz treatment...

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While living in Los Angeles and writing music for television (Peter Gunn) and the big screen (Breakfast at Tiffany's), Mancini was very much in touch with the musicians of West Coast jazz. He was one of a handful of composers who succeeded in using jazz in TV and film scoring. He also wrote music specifically for his favorite jazz musicians, including "My Manne Shelly" (for drummer Shelly Manne) and "Something for Nash" for session musician Ted Nash. These Los Angeles-based players returned the favor by recording many albums of jazz interpretations of Mancini. Mancini also collaborated on some of the later songs of classic American Songbook lyricist Johnny Mercer, including "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses", both of which lend themselves to jazz treatment. As an unusual treat, Carl and his group will improvise to part of an episode of Peter Gunn, as projected on the screen at The Shedd.

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