I have absolutely no idea how Fresh Sound Records even HEARD of this guy, let alone found material by him. Back in the 50s, Hank De Mano started his career in Los Angeles and was some part of the West Coast scene, working as a sideman for Dave Brubeck and Anita O’Day. He put a group together, playing the flugelhorn and recorded two concerts at not exactly the crossroads of the world; El Camino College in Torrance, CA. A 1963 gig has him with an impressive trio of Frank Strazzeri/p, Monty Budwig/b and Nick Martinis/dr, and three years later he’s with Irv Rochlin/p, Joe Richardson/b and Jack Lynde. I guess he found his room!
Anyway, his tone is as warm as Art Farmer’s, and his melodicism is up there with Chet Bakers. He is gorgeous and lyrical on”Long Ago and Far Away” and “Lullaby of the Leaves.” On more uptempo material, he flexes his muscles with Martinis and Budwig on “Delilah” and snaps as well as Miles o “Four.” His brass shines on the thoughtful “These Foolish Things” and casts shadows on the two reads of “Summertime.” What happened to this guy?!? This one’s going to scratch your head why you’re not familiar with him. This is the “Where’s Waldo” of horn players!
Fresh Sound Records