Johnny Williams on Combo!

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Just picked up the Henry Mancini Original Album Classics boxset (on RCA). I recognised a familiar face on the back sleeve of the Combo! soundtrack. Sure enough, Johnny Williams plays piano and harpsichord in the orchestra. He even gets his picture on the sleeve! Anyone else notice this before, or have I made an amazing JWFan discovery?

[Rachael Foley 10,164]

That doesnt seem to be mentioned on the "Other Works" section of the main page, so I say...Congrats!

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Listening through it now. It's Mancini so of course it's very easy and swinging. Great stuff. Johnny has nice harpsichord solos on "Moanin" and "Charleston Alley", and a really beautiful piano solo in "Dream of You". Great stuff! Also, the track "A Powdered Wig" is absolutely driven by Williams on harpsichord from start to finish.

[Nemesis 301]

I have the cd bought some years ago and it's one of my Mancini favourits. John Williams' harpsichord playing is marvellous!

[Miguel Andrade 1,727]

I've had this one for years now. In those days -- late 50's to early 60's -- Williams played in most Mancini recording sessions, namely on the widely famous Peter Gunn.

It doesn't fit on the other works listing, because it isn't Williams writing or arranging, but rather performing only. It would fit though in a discography section of his recordings as performer.

[Thor 9,362]

Damn, I don't have this. Sounds interesting....not so much because of Williams' playing (although that's a nice bonus, "curiousity" value), but because the Mancini music sounds cool! What kind of tv show was COMBO?

[Miguel Andrade 1,727]

Combo wasn't a show, but rather a album of more or less famous tunes arranged by Mancini. He did a lot of those back then.

[pixie_twinkle 60]

Oops, I thought Combo! was a soundtrack. I stand corrected. The box set includes Peter Gunn, and as Miguel pointed out Williams is all over that CD too! What a great purchase (about fifteen bucks for 5 CDs!).

[Miguel Andrade 1,727]

What a great purchase (about fifteen bucks for 5 CDs!).

It sure is... I got all those Mancini discs, with Williams playing on, some ten years ago, for around 10 bucks each...

[indy4 160]

I've had this one for years now. In those days -- late 50's to early 60's -- Williams played in most Mancini recording sessions, namely on the widely famous Peter Gunn.

It doesn't fit on the other works listing, because it isn't Williams writing or arranging, but rather performing only. It would fit though in a discography section of his recordings as performer.

There is a section of the "other works" that lists his performance credits.

[Miguel Andrade 1,727]

I've had this one for years now. In those days -- late 50's to early 60's -- Williams played in most Mancini recording sessions, namely on the widely famous Peter Gunn.

It doesn't fit on the other works listing, because it isn't Williams writing or arranging, but rather performing only. It would fit though in a discography section of his recordings as performer.

There is a section of the "other works" that lists his performance credits.

Thank you for pointing that out.

Personally, I don't think it's good way to organize the other works section, but that's just me. By other works I would think of a section of his music, or his arrangements, not his work as performer.

And such a listing, of recording were he worked as a performer would easily go over a hundred releases.