Easy Project Vol.4, The (...With A Vengeance)

This 30-song compilation is assembled from 11 years of Laurie Johnson's recordings for Pye Records, from 1955 through 1966, and although it bypasses most of his movie music, it does offer some of the best of his light music. The disc opens with his most famous piece, "Theme From 'The Avengers'," in its original 1965 version (the best recording the tune has ever received); in contrast to other recordings of this piece, by artists such as Roland Shaw, Johnson's own version gets the tempo and the balance of the instruments just right. While nothing else here is that striking or defiantly original, some of it is diverting, including "Times Square" (which seems to reverse the component parts of David Raksin's theme from Ben Casey) and "Seventh Avenue." In addition to some nicely played and recorded examples of Johnson's own compositions, we also hear his arrangements of Irving Berlin standards such as "Drum Crazy" and "Heat Wave." The latter, dating from 1958, is presented in a startling fashion, with ominous, growling running scales that makes it sound more like the music for a good thriller, and is highlighted by a beautiful bass clarinet solo, and ends in a breezy, cornet driven outro that sounds like a future piece of Avengers chase music. Pieces like "Stick or Twist" and "Twango," dating from 1962, seem to anticipate the moods associated with "Swinging London," while "Minor Bossa Nova" sounds like a title theme looking for a spy movie. Other numbers, like "Dear Friend" from 1965, are elegant big band mood music of the type that sold well in those days. "Chaka" is a piece of tango music, and the disc ends with a driving rendition of "Sabre Dance." The insert includes a sketchy, not-too-detailed biography and a discography that would've been more use if it had only included dates alongside catalog numbers. ~ Bruce Eder|