Before John Williams became the flagship film composer-conductor anyone thought of when they thought about the Hollywood Bowl, that honor belonged to Henry Mancini. And in some years, when Los Angeles is particularly lucky, it still does, even though the scorer behind “The Pink Panther,” “Days of Wine and Roses” and other classic scores has been gone for 30 years now. This Sunday, the LA Phil will devote the Bowl’s traditional opening night to a 100th birthday celebration for the man who, arguably more than any other, turned movie scores into a truly populist artform… and who conducted at the Bowl 29 times.
It’s not even the only major event involving Mancini’s legacy this weekend. Friday will see the release of a tribute album, “The Henry Mancini 100th Sessions – Henry Has Company,”that features among its guests Lizzo, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock and, not incidentally, John Williams.
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