Tribute to Chuck Mangione
Internationally beloved jazz musician, composer, and two time Grammy winner Chuck Mangione will be greatly missed by fans and the music industry. Mangione’s smooth jazz and fusion jazz style are very popular with a worldwide audience. His music often crossed over from jazz to pop audiences and is very entertaining and easy to listen to.
Mangione passed away peacefully at his home in Rochester, New York on July 22, 2025 at age 84. He is survived by his two daughters Nancy and Diana, several grandchildren, and his brother Gap Mangione.
“Feels So Good”, 1977
Mangione had a successful jazz music career from 1960 until 2015 when he retired. He played trumpet, flugelhorn, and piano, and worked in the genres of smooth jazz, hard bop jazz, and jazz fusion. Achieving international stardom, he released 30 albums, won two Grammys with 13 nominations, a Golden Globe nomination, composed movie soundtracks, appeared on several TV shows, and went on world tours.
“Hill Where the Lord Hides”, 1981
Born in 1940 into an Italian American family in Rochester, New York, where he studied music at the prestigious Eastman School of Music. With his jazz pianist brother Gap Mangione they formed a hard bop jazz group and released four albums in the 1960s.
“Give It All You Got”, 1979
Mangione came to prominence playing trumpet with the hard bop Art Blakey Jazz Messengers in the 1960s. The band included Art Blakey on drums, Chuck Mangione on trumpet, Frank Mitchell on tenor sax, Keith Jarett on piano, and Reggie Johnson on bass. Both Mangione and Keith Jarrett went on to solo superstar careers.
“Land of Make Believe”, 1973
After working with Blakey, Mangione launched is solo career. He recorded on several labels such as Mercury, A&M, Columbia, Chesky, and his own label. Mangione performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, Cannonball Adderly, Herb Albert, Nana Mouskouri, Doc Severinson, Johnny Mathis, and many others.
His career got a big boost with his international crossover hit “Feels So Good” in 1978. The song placed #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went double platinum. It is the most recognized song since “Michelle” by the Beatles.
Children of Sanchez, 1978
Mangione’s music skyrocketed and he appeared on TV including The Tonight Show, Magnum PI, King of the Hill, variety shows, and telethons. He composed and performed for both the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
Legend of the One Eyed Sailor, 1973
Main Squeeze, 1976
Chuck Mangione Grammy Nominated Albums
- The Chuck Mangione Quartet, Mercury, 1972
- Land of Make Believe, Mercury, 1973
- Chase the Clouds Away, A&M, 1975
- Bellavia, A&M, 1975
- Childen of Sanchez, A&M 1978
- An Evening of Magic, A&M, 1979
- Fun and Games, A&M 1979
