Opening Special At SPAC Pleasing To Small Audience

by Bill Rice, The Troy Record, June 12, 1972

The opening special at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Friday evening was a little short on attendance, but long on quality as less than 2,000 people turned out to hear Chuck Mangione, one of the most promising musicians on the American musical scene today.

Mangione appeared with his quartet and an orchestra of about 45 musicians, most of them students at, or graduates of, the Eastman School of Music.

Talented Artist

Mangione is far more than just a jazz man as pre-show billing indicated. He is a composer, arranger, and conductor, as well as a fine soloist on flugelhorn, and seems equally at home in all areas.

Any sensitive music lover with an ear towards the contemporary sound would probably have enjoyed the music Mangione presented at SPAC Friday evening.

Mangione was heard only briefly as a soloist. For the most part he pulsated bodily in front of the orchestra, leading them through some wonderfully original arrangements.

We are not sure that all he was doing with strings is going to aid his cause. Much of the string work was overly lush and sentimental, sounding like movie background music of which some was. The big band sound he creates with the brasses and a full score of windwoods is spectacular, reminding us of some of the late Johnny Richards’ arrangements scored for the Kenton Band, and Richards’ own short-lived group.

Like Richards, Mangoine put forth a heavy percussive and rhythmic drive, leaning heavily on South American influences.

The Chuck Mangione Quartet consists of his brother Gap on piano, Gerry Niewood on flute and saxophone, Steve Gadd on drums and Chuck Mangione on flugelhorn.

Full, Lush Sound

As a soloist on any instrument, Niewood was incredibly good, getting a full, lush sound in every register at any tempo. Niewood plays as though he wants to get every bit of himself into the instrument and created a driving excitement every time he soloed.

Brother Gap played a bouncy and happy electric piano, while Steve Gadd was a firm-sounding and technically correct drum soloist. Esther Satterfield was featured on vocals, but was the least impressive soloist.

An unexpected treat for those who attended the opening SPAC concert was the unscheduled appearance of Lew Soloff, trumpet soloist with Blood, Sweat and Tears.

Mangione created an impressive figure in front of the orchestra, clad in an informal brown suit, beard and long hair flowing from beneath a funky, wide-brimmed hat. His approach in speaking to the audience was casual and a little Arlo Guthrielsh.

His SPAC concert was enthusiastically received by the small audience. Just where he goes from here musically is hard to say, but with the musicianship he displayed Friday evening, Mangione should be able to call his own shots.