Fans hear a lot to love at Mangione concert in Daytona Beach

BEACON PHOTO/JEFF SHEPHERD
Feels so good — Fans of Chuck Mangione indicated they felt so good to see their favorite fluegelhorn player as part of the Daytona Beach International Festival.

BEACON PHOTO/JEFF SHEPHERD
Autographs for fans — Chuck Mangione stays after the concert to sign autographs for fans in the News-Journal Center at Daytona State College, Daytona Beach.

BEACON PHOTO/JEFF SHEPHERD
The Mangione band — Chuck Mangione and his band play the News-Journal Center at Daytona State College April 19.

By Jeff Shepherd
BEACON COLUMNIST

posted Apr 19, 2009 - 7:20:57pm

Even before the first downbeat, fans of Chuck Mangione and his brand of mellow jazz rock were showing devotion to the iconic fluegelhorn player.

"I love you Chuck," one member of the audience cried as soon as Mangione took the stage in the main theater of the News-Journal Center at Daytona State College.

Mangione and his sextet appeared as part of the Daytona Beach International Festival Saturday, April 18. And they didn't disappoint the crowd, which nearly filled the house.

The band kicked off the evening with tunes from Mangione's 1976 release Main Squeeze, including "Love the Feeling," and the title track. Woodwind player Brandon Wright played a fine sax solo, earning a round of generous applause.

The band then performed "Bellavia," Italian for beautiful way, a Mangione composition he said was written for his mother. This song won the first of his two Grammys. Wright played the melody on the alto flute, while Mangione played the electric piano.

The evening would not have been right without "Dizzy Miles," Mangione's tribute to the bebop trumpet masters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. Each band member took flight on bop-inspired solos. Drummer Dave Tull's voice was featured on "Dizzy Miles," first with a soulful monologue, and then with vocal scat performance.

The band played several more songs made popular over Mangione's career of 40-plus years, including "The Land of Make Believe," and "Children of Sanchez," which won him his second Grammy.

After an hour-and-a-half set, Mangione said thanks and goodbye to the audience, but there was some unfinished business. Everyone cheered his return to stage, and the encore performance of his 1977 mega-hit "Feels So Good."

Most of the audience were baby boomers, but one teenage young man in the lobby after the show stood out for another reason. He was in the long line that had formed to meet Mangione. He had with him a two items to have autographed: a copy of the vinyl album Feels So Good, and his own fluegelhorn!

Mangione's fans certainly do love him.

— shepz@mpinet.net

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