Biography of Chuck Mangione

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Chuck Mangione

Chuck Mangione is perhaps one of the best jazz musicians, and flugel player of his time. Chuck Mangione was born in Rochester, New York on November 29, 1940. Right from the start he was in a musical family. They were visited by many jazz musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, and Cannonball Adderley! Chuck began his childhood career by playing trumpet, he even practiced with Dizzy and referred to him as his “musical father”. Later on, Dizzy was so impressed with Chuck’s ability, that he gave him one of his own upswept trumpets. Later on, Chuck continued his musical career in Eastman School of Music.

As he was in highschool, him and his brother, Gap, started to play professionally. Since Chuck preferred smaller jazz groups to large “big bands” he and his brother started a quintet in 1958 called the Jazz Brothers during his senior year. The band lasted until 1964 and included Sal Nistico and Roy McCurdy and later on, Jimmy Garrison, Steve Davis, and Ron Carter. The group recorded three albums in the Riverside Label: The Jazz Brothers, Hey Baby!, and Spring Fever. Later on, in 1962, Chuck made an album of his own, called Recuerdo. His biggest break was in 1970 when his recording at the Eastman theatre with the philharmonic was turned into an album.

Chuck mostly recognized as a flugel player, but he didn’t start like that. He only switched to flugel when the Eastman band needed flugel player and he volunteered. Since then, Chuck began practicing more with it. He is mostly known for his exceptional playing ability and his work at music writing. He has won a Grammy for Bellavia in 1976 and another for Children of Sanchez 1978. His album “Feels So Good” became Chuck’s first gold album, later on becoming platinum, ...

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...ng about Chuck was that he was a guest in 1983 at the Drum Corps International World Championships in Miami where he can be seen giving his thoughts on the performances.

He also appeared on the hit children's TV show: “Sharon, Lois & Bram's Elephant Show” as "Little Boy Blue".In the King of the Hill series, Chuck’s character will play anything, but the song will eventually turn into “Feels So Good”. Chuck’s early dreams consisted of him playing bebop in a jazz club, he had no idea that one day, he would conduct the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra!

In all, Chuck Mangione was an influential and popular musician/soloist in Jazz. He wrote and played incredible music and won many awards. He had great jazz idols and even played his own type of jazz. He made jazz-pop an even more popular genre. All in all, Chuck Mangione is a truly incredible musician.

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