Search - Chuck Mangione :: Live at the Hollywood Bowl

Mangione On Fire

Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 03/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Recently, while looking here on amazon to see if Main Squeeze had yet been re-mastered and reissued, I encountered An Evening of Magic. I don't know why I did not already have this on vinyl. Perhaps I ignored it when it was released because I was justifiably leery of "live" recordings and then subsequently just forgot about it. Anyhow, when I saw that the entire Main Squeeze album was on this CD, I ordered it, Main Squeeze itself being unavailable at any reasonable price. And as it turns out, I was really missing out on some great music all these years.

An Evening of Magic features a live performance of Chuck Mangione with his quartet and the LA Philharmonic at the peak of his popularity. Mangione is absolutely on fire, its clear that he came to play. After one listen, all my reservations about how he would sound on a live album melted away. This is indeed Chuck Mangione at his finest.

Though the whole CD is excellent, I do have some favorite cuts. Highlights are a dreamy Chase the Clouds Away, the romantic Doin' Everything With You, the brassy Love The Feelin', the dramatic I Get Crazy, the mellow classic Land of Make Believe, the relaxing The Day After (Our First Night Together), and two movements of Mangione's rousing Children of Sanchez.

If you are as leery of "live" recordings as I usually am, you needn't be with this one. An Evening of Magic, Live at the Hollywood Bowl is one live recording that belongs in every jazz lover's collection."

Great, Smash Preformance!!!!!!!!

Kurt Harding | 07/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm a die hard Chuck Mangione fan! I have all is records! When I first got into Mangione's music, I was about 11 years old. I went to my local record shop twice and in those two visits, I maintained all of Chuck's albums, and I mean all of them. I saved up twenty bucks, bought a bunch of Mangione albums, then about two weeks later, got some more money saved and bought the rest. I was lucky this record shop had all of Chuk's albums! One of the records I first got a hold of and enjoyed was this one, after Feels So Good, of course. This album starts off with Mangione's most popular song, at the time, and probally the reason he did preform at The Hollywood Bowl, in July 17, 1978; Feels So Good. With a long flugel horn intro, James Bradley Jr. comes in rippin' on the drums and Grant Geissman's rhythm guitar is on fire! This is a killer version of that song. Next is 11th Commandment, which I find odd, that Mangione chose to feature Bradley, human dynamo on the drums, this early in the concert, anyway. James gives a fantastic drum solo, and bassist, CHarles "meat man" Meeks gives a fine mellow jazz bass solo. Next is the long, Chase The Clouds Away, which is a beautiful song, by the way. This one features a lot of Chris Vadala's flute playing and a lot of string orchestra. The song, Hill Where The Lord Hides, is introduced as, "This one made it possible for us to get out of Rochester Ny once in a while," by Chuck which, by the way, was the way he introduced it every time I saw him in concert after that! (funny) Again, a slam bang preformance. The rest of disk one is all songs from the Main Squeeze album. I love the album, but dont know why Chuck did all these songs in a row, but it probally just turned out that way; after all he had no say in what order they came out on record, anyway.....
I Get Crazy, is fantastic. Another "Avant Garde," style song, if you will. It's got a lot of heavy grooves and improvisations! With the next disc, you're in for a treat. The hot, Land Of Make Believe! This is a legendary version of his classic tune. Meat Man Meeks got another solo on this record with, Hide And Seek. He doesn't get it until the end, so the whole song isn't just low boring bass solos, but it would be with this extraudinary player! Another, on fire tune here, is the appearence of, CHildren Of Sanchez, which was previously unheard of at the time, but it brings down the house. With the rip rawin' Main Squeeze and another version of the suite, Children Of Sanchez, the group closes with the finale, of Feels So Good. I gurantee old Chuck fans have this, but new comer might not, and definately should! If you like the old recordings of Feels So Good and Bellevia ( the albums) you'll love this, because they're practically the same, only the versions here have more, "pasazze!" I was surprised to see the reissue of this to cd, and love it! Every time I put this cd in the mix, I absolutely love it!"

A True Classic....now digital!

Luke Tentoni | USA | 11/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Live at the Hollywood Bowl" is a live recording in a class all it's own. If you thought Mangione was great in the studio, this live recording will blow you away. Backed by some of the most talented musicians and a huge orchestra, it is truly a musical masterpiece that you will literally enjoy again and again.As a child growing up, I loved listening to the LP. Now, finally available on CD, it's great to listen to all over again.Please, if you truly love great music, get this. I promise that you will be glad you did."