Mandoki Soulmates, Supergroup Interview—“Utopia for Realists”

Editor’s Note: we are pleased to post this interview/article of one of the most popular jazz fusion groups in the world, whose members include some of the biggest A-list names in the rock, pop, and jazz music industry worldwide.

For many, true domestic, artistic and cultural freedom is, arguably, something we take for granted in the United States. But unfortunately, just as evident, is the fact that that same freedom is in short supply around the world.

Drummer/percussionist/vocalist/singer-songwriter and producer Leslie Mandoki knows first-hand how precious the concept of true freedom really is. He grew up in Hungary, behind the Iron Curtain, and escaped Communist oppression and censorship in 1975. Throughout his formative years, Mandoki religiously harbored an artistic and life-affirming dream of merging his loves of jazz, rock, and progressive music together, and being able to express his artistry in the most authentic way possible.

Blood In the Water song

Eventually making his way to Los Angeles, Mandoki kept his nose to the grindstone as a studio musician and producer. He began to excel in the production realm which led to working with pop music icons like Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Engelbert Humperdinck, Disney films, and doing commercials for automobile companies Audi and Daimler.

By the early ‘90s word had gotten out that Mandoki was a go-to guy to work with and established himself as a unifier and a person adept at various creative environments. He always had a strong work ethic and had a knack for resolving issues and breaking down barriers between people.

The Band of Band Leaders - Mandoki Soulmates

After many years of service to the music and entertainment industry Mandoki added “band leader” to his resume. The dream of forming a cosmopolitan and internationally-flavored band became a reality, with 1992’s multi-collaborative album release “Out of Key….With the Time (Sony Music/Red Rock Production).” This recording was sort of the prototype for what Mandoki Soulmates would become. Mandoki’s debut album featured a jaw-dropping array of A-list jazz, rock, fusion and pop all-stars, including Jethro Tull flutist/singer Ian Anderson, Toto’s Bobby Kimball and Steve Lukather, Cream bassist Jack Bruce, pop soulstress Chaka Khan, Blood, Sweat & Tears vocalist David Clayton-Thomas, The Animals’ front man Eric Burdon, trumpeter Randy Brecker, and guitarist Al DiMeola, just to name a few.

And for the past 33 years the Mandoki Soulmates have released 17 albums and have been this living and breathing entity that has traveled the world, played for thousands of people and revel in bringing a message of socio-political freedom, love, and unity to all that will hear.

A Memory of Our Future song

The latest full-album release by Mandoki Soulmates is entitled “A Memory of Our Future”(Inside Out/Red Rock Production) and it spotlights stunning songs and performances from some of the core musicians that have worked with Mandoki since the first album. Legendary stalwarts Dimeola and Brecker are on board, along with Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, jazz guitar great Mike Stern, former Miles Davis saxophonist Bill Evans, European trumpet sensation Till Bronner, singer-songwriter/producer Tony Carey, drummer Simon Phillips, Supertramp’s John Helliwell, keyboardist Cory Henry, multi-instrumentalist Richard Bona, multi-instrumentalist/producer Jesse Siebenberg, Cutting Crew singer-songwriter Nick Van Eede, vocalist and Leslie’s daughter Julia Mandoki, jazz and session bassist Steve Bailey and multi-instrumentalist and former member of Crowded House, Mark Hart.

Mandoki Soulmates - Wikipedia

Mandoki and award-winning musician Tony Carey both reside in Germany and have been working together as the central songwriting team for this mega star ensemble for several years now. Mandoki and Carey are like two brothers from different mothers, and the former Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow keyboardist has a lot of heartfelt and complimentary things to say about the Soulmates’ namesake.

Back to Budapest song, Ian Anderson and Leslie Mandoki

As quoted from the publication “Mandoki Soulmates: The First 30 Years On Stage and In the Studio (Red Rock Production),” Tony Carey says: “This project is unique. There’s nothing like this that I’ve ever seen. We’re taking Hungarian classical music, Bela Bartok’s music, and making this thing out of it. I’ve never seen that or heard of that. It’s a lot of fun to play. That keeps it fresh. Anybody can have an idea. But to take it from the beginning to the end and bring the absolute best musicians on the planet together for a tour is an amazing talent. Leslie is a fantastic producer and he keeps at it until it’s perfect. Even if I sing a song four times, he’ll call me next week—just come sing it again. Alright, I’m singing it again. And we laugh and we work. Sometimes we work all night. And when it’s right, it’s right. And when the record finishes, it’s always good.”

Mandoki Soulmates launch video for "Barbaro" - The Prog Report

The former Return to Forever guitarist DiMeola affectionately refers to Mandoki as “the Hungarian Quincy Jones” because of his uncanny ability to conceptualize a project, assemble musicians from all walks of life experience and deliver songs and messages of humanity, depth and distinction. This is certainly the case with the band’s latest recorded work.

“After our last album ‘Utopia for Realists’ we thought we had something really special,” says Mandoki. “We also released an album called ‘Hungarian Pictures’ for Bela Bartok. The whole concept of our last album was so sophisticated. We never spoke about it, but we all thought ‘Utopia for Realists’ was our best album at that point. So, organically, you naturally don’t really plan the next album. But Tony came down to the studio and we started work on new songs. And this new one was very different because it was an analog recording, as opposed to digital, where we’re remotely sending files back and forth. And the way we understood our task was, in these challenging and trying times, we’re just trying to find a musical answer. We wanted to musically create that torch at the end of a dark tunnel. That’s what it’s all about. And Tony was a wonderful collaborator—emotionally, intellectually, musically and humanly.”

Al Di Meola, Bill Evans, Mike Stern, Richard Bona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKWKag8c9JU

Carey and Mandoki, both in their early 70’s, join all the participants in the band, with the attitude of checking their collective egos at the door. It’s really almost like an unsaid rule and, while these two are the primary songwriters, all the songs get fleshed out and truly come to life when everyone flexes their musical role. But, as each member will attest, it all starts with Mandoki’s words and ideas.

Kortárs Online - A Mandoki Soulmates 30 éves jubileumát ünnepli Budapesten a Szent István ünnep keretén belül

“Leslie will have 40 pages of poetry and give that to me,” says Carey. “He’ll tell me to pick the best lines out of what he writes. We work very organically in that way. We throw a lot of stuff away and we keep a lot too. We had one session in the studio where Leslie was in the next room and I was singing. And he was writing lyrics out on huge poster size pieces of paper, with lines for me to try. So, organic is the best word for it. There are no rules to how we work. But it all starts with Leslie.”

“A Memory of Our Future” is, perhaps, one of Mandoki’s most personal and reflective statements amid the vast Soulmates catalog. Songs like “Blood in the Water” or “The Wanderer” speak from personal perspectives of trying to manage existential struggles, amid societal chaos, and searching for answers. “The Big Quit” addresses shifting tides in the global work force and the ennui regarding what we value as a society. However, the song “Matchbox Racing” really gets to Mandoki’s heart as he reflects on his youth and origin of his music career. There is a crucial line in the song which encapsulates Mandoki’s own artistic impetus, yet, could actually be applicable to anyone. The Hungarian musician’s father was quoted as saying, “don’t dream your life, but live your dreams.” And Mandoki delivers that simple but crucial line, with all the passion and poignancy he could muster.

We Stay Loud song

“I wanted Leslie to tell his stories,” says Carey. “Many of them are personal stories like ‘Matchbox Racing.’ I definitely had a hand in making it more personal than the general peace and love stuff.”

Mandoki is an open book and quite transparent when it comes to discussing his origin story. It is actually the story of many immigrants wanting to escape from a fascist or oppressive regime. But when you speak to him there is no sense of bitterness or anger, as he has a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. But, make no mistake, there is an element of bravery and personal trauma here few will ever truly experience.

“You know it’s been 50 years since we escaped through a tunnel and left behind Communism to come to the Free World,” recalls Mandoki. “The Russian soldiers would shoot you if you tried to escape. Often I get the question about the momentum behind the founding of the Soulmates. And it started with me being at a refugee camp in my younger 20s. A CIA resettlement officer from Ohio said to me ‘I understand why you want to escape this incredible Russian oppression. But what the hell are you gonna do now?’ And I told him I came to the West to merge American jazz-rock with the British progressive rock. And he thought I was crazy. And then the officer turned to my friend Gabor Csupo and asked him the same question. And Gabor said he was going to Hollywood and work at a studio. He became one of the original animators on ‘The Simpsons’ and has two stars today on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So, everything started at a refugee camp.”

Enigma of Reason song

The Mandoki Soulmates have performed in numerous halls, theaters and venues around the globe. Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tanzania, Germany, Romania and all points in between. And, despite their precise and insightful songs in English, international audiences –even if they don’t totally comprehend the lyrical concepts—pick up on the ensembles’ incredibly infectious energy and vibe.

“Some audiences might not understand all the lyrics, but what they do see is the chemistry on stage,” says Carey. “We have a lot of fun when we play. The front line is Mike Stern, Al DiMeola, John Helliwell and Till Bronner. We rock and we laugh. We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We just try to do the best job we can. And that’s what I think the audiences react to. In Leslie’s hometown of Budapest we played five years in a row for 30-50,000 people in gorgeous locations on the Danube.”

Indeed, the band does love to play and does have fun on stage. And they collectively realize that the only reason the Mandoki Soulmates are assembled in this way is because of the audience. And it is always a privilege and honor to play for them.

Age of Thought song

“We were doing ‘Smoke on the Water’, as a ninth encore, just to do some rock ‘n’ roll thing,” recalls Carey regarding further stage highlights. “And I turned to Mike Stern, the jazz guy, and I said ‘okay rock ‘n’ roller you’re up!’ And he did this blazing solo while laughing the whole time. He hadn’t played anything like that since his teenage years. And we feature choirs a lot but they’re not really featured. So, when I’m singing lead I’ll go back to the choir on their risers and I’ll dance and sing with them just to keep it light. And, also, just to show everyone these guys are great, even though their names might not be on the tour poster. And on our last show we even had a sitar player dressed in full Indian regalia sitting cross legged on the floor.”

And so, it may be almost a cliché to say that, in many ways, society is plagued by many policies and beliefs that divide us. Perhaps, it is bands like Mandoki Soulmates that can offer an antidote and provide a bit of musical diplomacy, if you will. It is certainly what saved Leslie Mandoki’s life.

“Music is a healer and a unifier,” says Mandoki. “There is a huge need to build bridges. Tony and I came up in a time where, if you had an opinion that was different from mine, you were not my enemy. Today you are my enemy. It’s crazy! But we have to push respect and tolerance with each other. It doesn’t mean civil war to disagree with somebody. And that’s why we are always happy to play. That’s what we’ve been doing for a lifetime.”

Cory Henry, Till Bronner, and Randy Brecker, Duelling Solos