I was saddened to learn yesterday of flugelhorn star Chuck Mangione's passing. His pleasant jazz/pop tunes have been a positive part of my life since the '70s, so in his memory, I recommend these nine tracks:
- "Cannonball Run" Theme (A sunny, accessible flugelhorn melody; most listeners who like Mangione's smash hit, "Feels So Good," would enjoy this.)
- Can't We Do This All Night? (I remember being taken with this subtle, easy, late-night groove immediately, thanks to Leo Chears playing it on WMRY.)
- Chase The Clouds Away (Mangione's album title track, with its wandering-through-the-forest orchestral arrangement, is one of his best tunes.)
- Children Of Sanchez (This commanding melody practically decrees listeners to yell, "Charge!")
- Feels So Good (Mangione's biggest hit, and deservedly so. In its condensed form or nearly 10-minute incarnation, it sports a great melodic hook of which I never tire.)
- Give It All You Got (This instrumental's title is perfect, as it captures the feel of determination and effort one needs when faced with a tall task. It's no wonder that it was once the theme song of the Olympics.)
- Hide & Seek (Ready Or Not, Here I Come) (Aptly titled. The intro mimics what sounds to me like video game sound effects before the melody kicks in and picks up steam. I think this track would work as a radio station's contest promo accompaniment.)
- Hill Where The Lord Hides (The opening guitar lick drew me in when I first heard this decades ago. This is a true band piece for players with chops, as Mangione and company's 1979 performance of it on "The Tonight Show" illustrates.)
- That's Nice (An overlooked 1988 track that's of its time in a catchy way. I still think this should have been a sitcom theme.)
