George Mann Orchestra - Theme from the Motion Picture A Man & A Woman

OK, let's get one thing straight: There was probably never an orchestra leader named George Mann, despite the fact there was a plethora of albums under that name on the ultra-cheap Crown and Custom labels in the 1960s.

Using the word "orchestra" is also a bit of an overstatement. Many of the Mann recordings, like the one pictured above, used a small combo, probably made up of Los Angeles session musicians.

You usually considered yourself lucky if you got a Crown or Custom LP that was listenable. Many of the recordings used very low-grade vinyl and were often pressed off-centre. The resulting sound resembled a bunch of drunk musicians recording in a van with the windows open.

I got lucky, picking up a very good copy of Theme from the Motion Picture A Man and a Woman by the George Mann Orchestra. Here's a sample; something called A Woman to Have, which sounds like it was titled by someone whose first language was definitely not English.

A Woman to Have

If this kind of cocktail jazz appeals to you, there are more than a half dozen albums under the George Mann name available for download from various sources. The quality of most is excellent, considering the source, but preview before you buy.