Henry Mancini's first album - a languid and vastly superior piece of exotica initially released in 1957 as 'Driftwood and Dreams', re-issued for the first time on compact disc in both stereo and the original beautiful mono version in 2008. Henry Mancini recruited the renowned Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida to bring a distinctly tropical feel that would have been beyond the reach of even the most seasoned American player. To add a crucial touch of the other-worldly, he enlisted the soprano Loulie "Lulu" Jean Norman, whose wordless vocals would later achieve global recognition on the theme from Star Trek.Poinciana.
