Day 45: Session at Pete’s Pad

Session at Pete’s Pad by Henry Mancini.

At the 1st Annual Grammy Awards in 1958, this was Album of the Year. My friend’s folks had this album in their collection and we could listen to it on the family Hi-Fi. This was a big deal because the stereo was located in a well appointed, not kid friendly, living room with perfectly matched curtains, sofa, and over stuffed chairs. We spent most of our time in the back of the house in my buddy’s room listening to rock albums on his stereo. But one day I we got permission to play this album on the family stereo in a beautiful wooden cabinet that seemed to say “adults only!”

While not as memorable as the Peter Gunn Theme this track is just as fun. Mancini is the king of extremes: extreme tempos, extreme tessitura, extreme dynamics, pitch, rhythm, articulation- nobody gets a break. From the swinging walking bass line, the vibraphone solo with mallets flying, szforzando trumpet lines and that crazy face melting horn section at the end, it’s ridiculous and over the top, but it’s soooo good! It makes you smile and if you close your eyes, you can smell the smoke and see the band working it on the stage at the club.