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Chuck Mangione


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...as was Chris Vadala. Wonder what those guys are up to these days?

I think Vadala has a college teaching gig at U of Maryland-College Park. He is pretty busy doing clinics and guest spots with school groups.

I admit that Chris Vadala's playing was an early influence. My older brother had some CM records, and the "Feels So Good" record came out when I was in junior high school. I thought it was pretty cool to hear and instrumental on AM radio, so I got the record. Even though the tunes were happy/poppy, when I listen back to those sides, Vadala was playing some nice lines.

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Didn't know that this was where Larry Combs, principal clarinetist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years, got his start.

Combs doesn't display his jazz playing very often. When I was a grad student at DePaul in the early '90s, Larry shared a concert with Eddie Daniels, where they played some classical duets, and played on some jazz standards. Larry sounded fine, and it appeared they were both having a great time.

I also remember Larry talking about doing a hitch with the Army band at West Point. They have a jazz band there, but I don't know if Larry was a part of that.

Edited by DukeCity
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When did Chuck (Mangione, not our Chuck :P ) start "wearing the hat"??

Was the process gradual, or sudden??

Where there any interesting (or even moderately interesting) "partial-hat" recordings -- dates that straddle the pre-hat and post-hat eras??

I must admit that I know next to nothing about the man (the hat) - Chuck Mangione.

The Hat:

The hat made its first appearance in the year 1969, when Chuck was just beginning to feel loose and natural as a musician and as a man. The era of the jazz musician wearing black tie and tails was finally crumbling in Rochester, New York, where Chuck was born in late 1940. "Everybody was uptight with all those tails. That had to be wiped away so musicians could feel free like they naturally feel."

When Bill and Marie Tedeschi gave him the now classic hat as a Christmas present, Chuck wore it. The picture that appeared on the cover of that first album, Friends & Love, (Mercury SRM 1-631) became an image.

Early hat/partial hat music you may find interesting:

36144.jpg

Flugelhornist Chuck Mangione became a household name during the 1970s and '80s due to some pop hits, but this LP (now out-of-print) actually contains his finest playing. Mangione, who also contributes some background electric piano, teams up here with Gerry Niewood (tripling on tenor, soprano and flute), electric bassist Tony Levin and drummer Steve Gadd. Together they stretch out on lengthy versions of "High Heel Sneakers," "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor," "Sixty-Miles Young" and "St. Thomas." The fire heard during these performances is a sharp contrast to Mangione's more popular recordings. Well worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

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I used to listen to CM as a little kid in addition to all the hard bop and stuff, Bellavia, Feels So Good, Land of Make Believe, my mom also played Children of Sanchez, "Lullabye" is a song that can reduce me to tears, because with the lyrics, because my father was never around much, it has a very personal, painful meaning to me.

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When did Chuck (Mangione, not our Chuck :P ) start "wearing the hat"??

Was the process gradual, or sudden??

Where there any interesting (or even moderately interesting) "partial-hat" recordings -- dates that straddle the pre-hat and post-hat eras??

I must admit that I know next to nothing about the man (the hat) - Chuck Mangione.

The Hat:

The hat made its first appearance in the year 1969, when Chuck was just beginning to feel loose and natural as a musician and as a man. The era of the jazz musician wearing black tie and tails was finally crumbling in Rochester, New York, where Chuck was born in late 1940. "Everybody was uptight with all those tails. That had to be wiped away so musicians could feel free like they naturally feel."

When Bill and Marie Tedeschi gave him the now classic hat as a Christmas present, Chuck wore it. The picture that appeared on the cover of that first album, Friends & Love, (Mercury SRM 1-631) became an image.

Early hat/partial hat music you may find interesting:

36144.jpg

Flugelhornist Chuck Mangione became a household name during the 1970s and '80s due to some pop hits, but this LP (now out-of-print) actually contains his finest playing. Mangione, who also contributes some background electric piano, teams up here with Gerry Niewood (tripling on tenor, soprano and flute), electric bassist Tony Levin and drummer Steve Gadd. Together they stretch out on lengthy versions of "High Heel Sneakers," "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor," "Sixty-Miles Young" and "St. Thomas." The fire heard during these performances is a sharp contrast to Mangione's more popular recordings. Well worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

If I could pick one album to listen with the rest of my life, it'd be that one! Marvelous from start to finish!

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I used to listen to CM as a little kid in addition to all the hard bop and stuff, Bellavia, Feels So Good, Land of Make Believe, my mom also played Children of Sanchez, "Lullabye" is a song that can reduce me to tears, because with the lyrics, because my father was never around much, it has a very personal, painful meaning to me.

"Children of Sanchez" is an amazing piece of music. I have no idea what genre it properly belongs in ... but without having listened to it in well over 20 years I still remember the lyrics. How many songs can somebody say that for ?

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Another possible billiard shot connection. I assume that the drummer in that photo, Noal Cohen, is the same Noal Cohen who co-wrote, with the esteemed Michael Fitzgerald, the Gigi Gryce biography "Rat Race Blues."

Yes, the same Noal, who lives in N.J. and is a esteemed discographer.

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Some years ago, 60 Minutes did a piece about Chuck, including one scene at his mom's house, and he was wearing the hat at the dinner table! I assume there's very little hair under there!

Around 1966 I saw Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers when Chuck was in the band. Accustomed as I was to the likes of Freddie Hubbard & Lee Morgan on the records I'd heard, I didn't care for Mangione that evening, thought he was more jive than substance. Years later I finally checked out the one LP he's on, "Buttercorn Lady", which is by the lineup I saw, and he sounds good.

I like the quartet albums he made for Mercury, especially the one that is entitled simply "The Chuck Mangione Quartet". Gave up on him by the time he went to A&M.

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Can't say I'm much of a Chuck Mangione fan these days, but I was born and raised in Rochester and back in the 70s he was like a musical god in the city. Saw him play at several concerts at my high school, and he (though indirectly) is probably as responsible as anyone in getting me interested in jazz. Yeah, most of his stuff's too commercial for my tastes now, but I'd say it's still a fair amount better than most "smooth jazz" you hear these days.

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