Chuck Mangione

For more than five decades, Chuck Mangione’s love affair with music has been characterized by his boundless energy, unabashed enthusiasm, and pure joy that radiates from the stage. Mangione first attracted attention with his brother, Gap, in a mainstream jazz band, The Jazz Brothers, in which he played trumpet much like that of the man who he refers to as his musical father – Dizzy Gillespie. In fact, Dizzy gave Chuck an ‘updo’ horn just like his own. Chuck’s years with the Jazz Brothers overlapped with his attending the Eastman School of Music – where he would eventually return as director of the school’s jazz ensemble – and eventually resulted in his solo album debut. Chuck left home to play with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, assuming the trumpet chair that had belonged to such great players as Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham, Bill Hardman, Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard. Chuck’s Friends & Love concert with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra was recorded live and featured “Hill Where the Lord Hides.” This led to a recording contract with a major label, Mercury records, and his first Grammy nomination. Those early years with Mercury culminated in the title tune of one of Mangione’s most popular albums, the Grammy nominated – Land of Make Believe. Mangione then signed with A&M Records and delivered two extremely successful releases in one year, Chase The Clouds Away and Bellavia, named to honor his mother. During the late 1970’s, Chuck received more awards and accolades for his recordings. He reached new heights with his mega-hit single and album, Feels So Good. The Children of Sanchez double-album soundtrack won the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Golden Globe Award, then earned Mangione a second Grammy award. The ’80’s were exceptionally full years for Chuck. Having signed with Columbia Records he released several albums, including Love Notes, Journey To A Rainbow, Disguise, and Save Tonight For Me. Another highlight was working out with the New York Yankees at their spring training camp at the invitation of his friend and fan, George Steinbrenner. Chuck was often seen playing the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium and All-Star games in San Francisco and Chicago. There was also “Salute to Chuck Mangione” a one-hour TV special hosted by Dick Clark; numerous performing and conducting dates with symphony orchestras across the country, plus television interviews on The Tonight Show, Larry King, Soul Train, Solid Gold, and many others. In 1989, Chuck released two live albums, The Boys From Rochester, featuring Steve Gadd, Gap Mangione, Joe Romano and Frank Pullara, plus a double album, Chuck Mangione Live at the Village Gate. Following these releases, and more than 25 years of one-nighters around the world, Chuck Mangione stopped playing. Many people point to the death of Dizzy Gillespie as the event that propelled Mangione back into music. In 1994 Chuck scheduled a whirlwind of activity that included recording sessions for two new albums, a series of nightclub performances by himself and other jazz favorites which featured his “Cat in the Hat” matinees for kids. Four major orchestra dates in upstate New York helped create an endowment fund in honor of his father, Papa Mangione, and musical father Dizzy Gillespie, for the Rochester School of the Arts. When Chuck performed in Poland for the 1999 Film and Jazz Festival, his composition “Children of Sanchez” brought the audience to its feet. Unbeknownst to the composer, the piece had become somewhat of an anthem during the struggle for democracy and many in the audience were in tears, holding their hands over their hearts. In the year 2000 Chuck made his first ever appearance in South Korea to SRO audiences where Feels So Good has been the top requested instrumental hit for the past twenty years. Chuck received the Eastman School of Music Alumni Achievement Award in 2007. In 2009, Chuck was highlighted at the Smithsonian in an artifacts’ donation ceremony and onstage discussion that pays homage to his illustrious career, artistry, community service, and dedication to jazz education. In 2012, Chuck was among the initial class of inductees into the brand-new Rochester Music Hall of Fame. Chuck’s induction took place at a star-studded event on April 29th at the Eastman Theater, in Rochester, NY. The appreciative crowd was on their feet for Chuck’s performance, with brother Gap, of a medley of his popular hits. Chuck retired in 2015.