SteveW
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Chuck Mangione is from my home town, where he is something of a local legend 27-Oct-2012 17:43:45
| CorrsClub Time: 10-Jun-2026 08:07:17 |
The past couple of AOTM that I suggested were of songs that I liked, but not necessarily artists of whom I'd consider myself a fan. So this time I figured I'd suggest someone that I'm actually a fan of.
Chuck Mangione would often play concerts with the local orchestra, and in my teens I probably saw him play once every year or so. When I was in high school, I wanted to be Chuck Mangione when I grew up. He was the person who made me really take an interest in music, and I've been a fan of his music for nearly 30 years now.
He's remembered now as something of a one-hit wonder, but he has had a long career in music spanning many decades. He started out in the early 60's playing straight-ahead jazz in small groups. In the late 60's, he moved in the direction of combining elements of jazz with pop and folk and orchestral arrangements. In the mid-70's he moved in a more pop direction, playing what would now be known as smooth jazz, although that label didn't exist at that time. This is the period in which he had his big hit Feels So Good, as well as some other tunes that you might recognize (such as this song written for the 1980 Winter Olympics). Although he is often viewed as a musical lightweight rather than a serious composer, he has a tremendous ability to write beautiful, memorable, hummable melodies.
The song I chose, Chase the Clouds Away, is the title track of his 1975 album featuring his small jazz group with orchestra, IMO one of his best. Things I like here:
1) The melodic bass line (throughout, but note especially 2:18-2:30)
2) The slight hints of dissonance added to what is essentially a sweet, uplifting melody (0:39)
3) The cello (or is it a viola?) harmony part (0:56-1:18)
4) The syncopated parts that contrast with the melody (whereas the melody primarily falls on the beat) (3:06-3:08)
If you liked Chase the Clouds Away, another piece in the same vein is Bellavia, written for his mother, and a Grammy award winner for best pop instrumental performance.
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