I have been looking for the Peter Gunn soundtrack on vinyl LP. Well today I go to the local vinyl shop and am looking under Jazz, no luck. I start perusing the soundtrack section and there is a the Peter Gunn album, for $1. I check it out and it looks in good shape. So then I start looking through the New Age section and I see the "henry Mancini" behind New Age, and looking through it I find another copy of Peter Gunn for $10. Well I buy both.


Now my question is this, one has a sticker on the front that says "The Original" . The album # is LPM-1956. It is also a "New Orthophonic" High Fidelity Recording. The other album is the same cover, but with light blue edge instead of white. The album # is ANL1-2143 stereo. They both have the 1959 copyright.

Both are RCA.

Thank you

Robert

The LPM is an original mono pressing. The other one is a reissue form the late 70s or later.

In my opinion, they are both worth no more than a dollar or two - unless the LPM has the original cover, which is the 'squares' design that was also used on RCA classical record 'Overture! Overture!' LM/LSC-2134. This may have been a 'place holder' cover that RCA used if the artwork was not ready, since LM/LSC-2134 also had another cover that is commonly found.

The stereo original from 1959, a copy of which I have pulled out of my collection, is LSP-1956 with the 'black dog' label. My copy is a 5S/5S, probably pressed in 1962 or 1963. This would be the one an audiophile collector would want to listen to.

These early pop stereos used to sell for $10-20, but demand has dropped off due to the large number of copies that have appeared over the years.

The LPM is an original mono pressing. The other one is a reissue form the late 70s or later.

In my opinion, they are both worth no more than a dollar or two - unless the LPM has the original cover, which is the 'squares' design that was also used on RCA classical record 'Overture! Overture!' LM/LSC-2134. This may have been a 'place holder' cover that RCA used if the artwork was not ready, since LM/LSC-2134 also had another cover that is commonly found.

The stereo original from 1959, a copy of which I have pulled out of my collection, is LSP-1956 with the 'black dog' label. My copy is a 5S/5S, probably pressed in 1962 or 1963. This would be the one an audiophile collector would want to listen to.



I did not think it important in my forst post, but the gold sticker saying "The original" has the number LPM-LSP - 1956. But the album cover only says LPM-1956.

Robert

I did not think it important in my forst post, but the gold sticker saying "The original" has the number LPM-LSP - 1956. But the album cover only says LPM-1956.

Robert

So it is the mono. The stereo would have a giant 'Living Stereo' banner across the top of the cover, and the label would have 'Living Stereo' around the bottom.

So it is the mono. The stereo would have a giant 'Living Stereo' banner across the top of the cover, and the label would have 'Living Stereo' around the bottom.

So, how about the Living Srereo edition? Worth having?

So, how about the Living Srereo edition? Worth having?

I'm playing a side now. The sound is good, a very live, fat 50s studio sound, with sharply-defined soundstage. These kind of records sound great with single-ended tube amps and horn theater speakers - which is not all what I'm using, but it still sounds very good.

However, the music is rather dated, although some may like it. It is mass-market, white-bread pop, not Elvis or Coltrane.

I'm playing a side now. The sound is good, a very live, fat 50s studio sound, with sharply-defined soundstage. These kind of records sound great with single-ended tube amps and horn theater speakers - which is not all what I'm using, but it still sounds very good.

That is good to know. I will have to move my preamp and TT downstairs to play on my LaScalas.


However, the music is rather dated, although some may like it. It is mass-market, white-bread pop, not Elvis or Coltrane.

Dated? I would say it has aged well. But no one is making Jazz music with this kind of great sound. Now don't misunderstand me, I like a lot of Modern Jazz, but Jazz from the 50s & 60s just has a certain sound that is timeless.

Are you saying that Elvis is not mass-market white-bread pop? It does not get any whiter than that.

I agree that this music is somewhat "timeless" in its appeal, even if the instrumentation and arrangement may be "dated". The theme song from Peter Gunn, especially, is just one great piece of music, a classic in the way that Brubeck's "Take Five" or Booker T's "Green Onions" or the theme from Hawaii Five-Oh are.

Liked it as a kid, as a teenager, and still like it as an adult.

But, of course, not everyone has the same tastes...

Are you saying that Elvis is not mass-market white-bread pop? It does not get any whiter than that.

Granted, the movie Elvis can be easily put into that category, but not the Elvis who began at Sun with a voice given so much renown for sounding very black. THAT Elvis was a bada** when it came to the recording studio.....

Granted, the movie Elvis can be easily put into that category, but not the Elvis who began at Sun with a voice given so much renown for sounding very black. THAT Elvis was a bada** when it came to the recording studio.....

but after the days at Sun... and that is the bulk of his work.

I was thinking of what Elvis and Coltrane were recording in the Peter Gunn period, 1956-59. They were offering an alternative at the time.

For a contemporary version I like the one by The Art of Noise. The video is kinda whack.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH33RIfi2KI

They also do a fun version of Dragnet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-ZZqTAFevI

I agree that this music is somewhat "timeless" in its appeal, even if the instrumentation and arrangement may be "dated". The theme song from Peter Gunn, especially, is just one great piece of music, a classic in the way that Brubeck's "Take Five" or Booker T's "Green Onions" or the theme from Hawaii Five-Oh are.

Liked it as a kid, as a teenager, and still like it as an adult.

But, of course, not everyone has the same tastes...


Not everyone's tastes are as good as yours.......::yes::music::thmbsp:

I can't believe I'm reading this discussion. One of my favorite lps, two of my favorite artists and a timeless genre of American music.

The Peter Gunn lp is even more enjoyable in stereo if you happen upon a good copy. Mancini was breaking new ground in the world of tv soundtracks. He set the example that many other shows would soon follow. Some were good and some were poor attempts at copying Hank's style.

If you like the lpm-1956 then you should try to find More Music From Peter Gunn for ten more tunes.

Rca was smart to get Mancini under contract quickly and let him have a pretty free rein on just what he wanted to record. He had a great string of nicely produced albums of several different styles. You might like some and yawn at others but underneath all of his work is a brilliant arranger and a great tunesmith. He went on to movies and scored the same success in a great many of those as well.

If you attune to the Mancini style, you can find a lot of enjoyment out there.

Now on to Elvis. Rca was also luck to have signed him for , what today seems a paltry sum, $25.000 including a bonus for signing. I concern my evaluation of his work in records, not movies....that is another story. RCA did great things with his talent in the first dozen lps or so. Not the Sun Elvis but a talent that was spreading out to new parameters.

Keep one thing in mind; older styles and genres never die completely, they just sort of appeal to a smaller number of fans than they did in their heyday. Good music never goes away but it takes new admirers and listeners to keep it alive.

Always keep on searching for new, to you, types and artists that attract your interest!!

I can't believe I'm reading this discussion. One of my favorite lps, two of my favorite artists and a timeless genre of American music.

The Peter Gunn lp is even more enjoyable in stereo if you happen upon a good copy. Mancini was breaking new ground in the world of tv soundtracks. He set the example that many other shows would soon follow. Some were good and some were poor attempts at copying Hank's style.

If you like the lpm-1956 then you should try to find More Music From Peter Gunn for ten more tunes.

Rca was smart to get Mancini under contract quickly and let him have a pretty free rein on just what he wanted to record. He had a great string of nicely produced albums of several different styles. You might like some and yawn at others but underneath all of his work is a brilliant arranger and a great tunesmith. He went on to movies and scored the same success in a great many of those as well.

If you attune to the Mancini style, you can find a lot of enjoyment out there.

Now on to Elvis. Rca was also luck to have signed him for , what today seems a paltry sum, $25.000 including a bonus for signing. I concern my evaluation of his work in records, not movies....that is another story. RCA did great things with his talent in the first dozen lps or so. Not the Sun Elvis but a talent that was spreading out to new parameters.

Keep one thing in mind; older styles and genres never die completely, they just sort of appeal to a smaller number of fans than they did in their heyday. Good music never goes away but it takes new admirers and listeners to keep it alive.

Always keep on searching for new, to you, types and artists that attract your interest!!

Great review and comments. :thmbsp:
Bravo Maestro! :D

If you like the lpm-1956 then you should try to find More Music From Peter Gunn for ten more tunes.


I have the Living Stereo version of this LP.

It's got Shelly Manne and other West Coast players that can really swing.

I will give it a spin later this evening. As a general rule, if it says "Living Stereo," I'll pick it up.

Ken

I hauled the PAS3 and my TT downstairs, so I could listen to the stereo version of Peter Gunn on the 2A3 amp and LaScala speakers. :smoke: Now I need to make me a Gin and Tonic. :smoke: