TV Action Jazz!


TV Action Jazz! is an album by American jazz guitarist Mundell Lowe and an ad hoc octet dubbed his All Stars.

Inception and Release

TV Action Jazz comprised the group's interpretations of theme music from private eye, and legal and police drama television programs. The album was recorded in Webster Hall in New York City over three days in February 1959 for the RCA Camden label.
RCA released TV Action Jazz in April 1959, along with Porgy and Bess, which featured the group's interpretations of the George Gershwin folk opera.
The two disks were Lowe's first recordings for RCA, coming over from the Riverside jazz label.

Sales and Reception

In November 1959, TV Action Jazz was ranked by rack jobbers among the top ten best selling low-priced LPs, as tabulated by both Billboard and Cash Box.
Allmusic awarded the album 4 stars with its review by Scott Yanow stating, "this is an album worth searching for. The solos are excellent and the music is much better than expected".
Based on the album's success, Lowe released a second album of theme music a year later with a different all-star lineup, Themes from Mr. Lucky, The Untouchables and Other TV Action Jazz.

Track listing

  1. "Peter Gunn" - 2:21
  2. ""Mike Hammer" - 3:13
  3. "Perry Mason Theme" - 1:51
  4. "77 Sunset Strip" - 4:46
  5. "M Squad" - 4:19
  6. "The Thin Man" - 2:34
  7. "Naked City" - 4:27
  8. "Fall Out! " - 3:50

Personnel