Every composer hopes their music will outlive them – and Henry Mancini's music certainly has. Thirty years after Mancini died of pancreatic cancer at the very young age of 70, his music was brought to life in a star-studded opening concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The event, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mancini's birth (the actual date was April 16) featured special guests Michael Bublé, Cynthia Erivo, Dave Koz and Henry's daughter Monica Mancini and was hosted by Thomas Wilkins, head of Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
Mancini, who managed in the Bowl 29 times between the 1960s and 90s, made quite a bit of history in his time. Won album of the Year at the inaugural Grammy Awards in 1959 (for Music by Peter Gunn) and was, for many years, the leading Grammy winner of all time with 20 awards. (Beyoncé holds that distinction, with 32 awards.)
In 1962-63, Mancini became the first composer to win back-to-back Best Original Song Oscars – for “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses,” both written with lyricist Johnny Mercer.
Mancini was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984. He received a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 1995. His songs have been covered by a wide range of artists, including Beyoncé, the Carpenters, Frank Ocean, Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin , Elton John and R.E.M
Jon Burlingame's book Dreamsville: Henry Mancini, Peter Gunn and Music for TV Noir published earlier this month. An album with seven tracks, The Henry Mancini 100th Sessions – Henry Has Company, was released on Friday, June 21 via Primary Wave Music. The compilation was produced by Gregg Field, winner of three Grammys and one Primetime Emmy (and husband of Monica Mancini).
Here are six highlights from Henry Mancini's 100th celebration at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday (June 23) – and a final panel detailing the upcoming centennial celebrations.
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Michael Bublé Sings the Big One
The Canadian singer performed two songs, the samba-style “It Had Better Be Tonight” from The Pink Pantherand Mancini's most famous composition, “Moon River” from Breakfast at Tiffany's. “Moon River” is one of the greatest songs ever written, a ballad that will last as long as there are “two drifters to see the world.” Ranked #4 on the American Film Institute's 2004 list AFI's 100 Years…100 Songsright behind “Over the Rainbow”, “As Time Goes By” and “Singin' in the Rain”.
Bublé included “It had better be tonight” on the 2007 album Call me Irresponsible, which earned him the first of five Grammys for Best Traditional Pop Vocal album. She sings “Moon River'' with the support of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, in the new The Henry Mancini 100th Sessions – Henry Has Company collection.
Bublé, 48, said during the show that Mancini's music held personal memories for him. His father gave young Michael piggyback rides while humming the cute Pink Panther theme.
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Cynthia Erivo offers Johnny Mercer's Heartbreaking Line
The Tony, Grammy and Daytime Emmy winner shined on “Days of Wine and Roses” from the 1962 film of the same name. The song is sometimes overshadowed by “Moon River,” but this ballad, also from a film he directed Blake Edwards is also a songwriter of the first order. Mercer's line “A door marked 'Nevermore'/That wasn't there before” is one of the most moving lyrics ever written.
Erivo also sang two songs from Mancini's Oscar-winning score for the 1982 film Victor/Victoria, which starred Julie Andrews and Robert Preston. Erivo sang the lovely ballad “Crazy World” (he's gotten a lot crazier since then) and the jazzy “Le Jazz Hot.” Andrews, who sang the songs in the 1982 film, is a tough act, but Erivo, 37, acquitted herself well.
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Julie Andrews returns to the Bowl
The event's producers didn't even bother looking for a singer to sing “Whistling Away the Dark,” the hypnotic ballad composed by Mancini and Mercer for the 1970 film. Dear Lily. (The song earned them their fourth joint Academy Award for Best Original Song.) Instead, they simply played the clip of Julie Andrews' performance from the Blake Edwards film. Here is.
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Dave Koz Puts the Muscle on 'Peter Gunn's Theme'
Saxophonist Dave Koz opened the show with the impressive 'Baby Elephant Walk', by Hatari!, and performed the encore number, a taut and muscular version of 'The Peter Gunn Theme'. The latter theme puts the lie to the idea that Mancini only composed “beautiful music.”
Koz, 61, also performed the “Pink Panther Theme” with a montage of that 1964 Peter Sellers classic. Koz had included the jazz song on his 2007 Grammy-nominated album At The Movies.
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Monica Mancini sings her dad's favorite song
Monica Mancini, one of Mancini's two daughters, sang “Two for the Road” from the 1967 film of the same name starring Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. Monica said melancholy piece she was the favorite of her dad's compositions. The song, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, failed to receive an Oscar nomination for best original song and was not a big hit, but Mancini was right to be proud of it.
Monica Mancini, 72, also sang “Meggie's Theme.” The Thorn Birdsthe 1983 blockbuster miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain and Rachel Ward;
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Thomas Wilkins conducts and converses
Wilkins led the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra through a set that also included, in addition to the pieces already named, songs from the films Charade, 10, That's Life and The Great Waldo Pepper and TV topics from The Thorn Birds, Newhart, Hotel and Remington Steele.
Wilkins also brought some personality to the proceedings with his short introductions. Presenting a segment on Mancini's television subjects, Wilkins said that listening to Mancini peaceful subject from the 1980s sitcom Newhart“I could feel my blood pressure drop.”
Eighteen members of YOLA, Youth Orchestra Los Angeles, had the opportunity to sit in with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra on “Crazy World” and the Pink Panther Department.
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Upcoming Mancini Centenary Celebrations
On Monday (June 24), the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles will honor Mancini's centennial with an event featuring live performances by Dave Koz, Monica Mancini and Gregg Field, along with an all-star band. The evening will also feature a Q&A panel with members of the Mancini family, as well as some surprise guest artists.
On August 4, music director, conductor and arranger Kevin Stites will explore Mancini's music at the Ravinia festival's annual Gala Benefit Evening. Curated and hosted by actor Rob Lindley, “Mancini at 100: The Music of Henry Mancini, from the big screen, to the small screen, to the stage and beyond” features Broadway singers Jessie Mueller, Norm Lewis and Karen Mason.
On 2 September, Edwin Outwater and the BBC Concert Orchestra will celebrate Mancini and his music at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Among the classics to be performed are the themes from The Pink Panther and Peter Gunn, along with gems from the lounge and space pop genres Mancini helped inspire, including tracks by Burt Bacharach, Les Baxter and Juan García Esquivel. The show will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio.
On September 28, the Library of Congress in Washington, DC will honor Mancini's 100th birthday with a special concert event at the Coolidge Theater of the Library of Congress.
This fall, The Extraordinary Life of Henry Mancini: Official Graphic Novel will hit the shelves. The play, written by David Calcano and illustrated by Fantoons studio, depicts every step of Mancini's journey.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/henry-mancini-centennial-concert-hollywood-bowl-highlights-michael-buble-cynthia-erivo/
