🎵 AotW AOTW: Chuck Mangione - FEELS SO GOOD (SP-4658)

[Captain Bacardi]

Chuck Mangione
FEELS SO GOOD
A&M SP-4658

Released 1977
Peaked at #1 on the Jazz Album charts and #2 on the Pop Albums charts (1978)

Format: Vinyl/MFSL Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette/CD

Produced by Chuck Mangione

Songs:

• 1. Feels So Good - 9:41
  2. Maui-Waui - 10:12
  3. Theme From "Side Street" - 2:03
  4. Hide & Seek (Ready Or Not Here I Come) - 6:30
  5. Last Dance - 10:56
  6. The XIth Commandment - 6:34
  
  All selections written and arranged by Chuck Mangione and published by Gates Music, Inc. (BMI)

Musicians:
Chuck Mangione - Flugelhorn, Electric Piano
Chris Vadala - Soprano, Tenor and Baritone Saxes, Piccolo, Flute and Alto Flute
Grant Geissman - Electric, Acoustic, 12-String and Classical Guitars
Charles Meeks - Bass
James Bradley, Jr. - Drums, Congas, Timbales

Recorded and Mixed at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
Engineer: Mick Guzauski
Assistant Engineer: Stillman Kelly
Mastering Engineer: Rick Collins

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Junie Osaki
Photography: Benno Friedman
Management: Tom Iannaccone



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The single "Feels So Good" peaked at #4 on the Pop Singles chart, and #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1978.

 

[Dave]

Thanks to sales of the Title-Track as a Single and this album, Chuck was able to put his two daughters through college, was he was quoted as saying at the Concert which I saw him at, back in 2004...

That said, it really is the title-track which seems to work for me... Apart from the still cheerful & frequent radio-play "Feels So Good" gets, thirty-years later, it is still hard to really get into the rest of this LP...



Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

The album that made Chuck Mangione a household name. I first saw Mangione - and met him afterwards - soon after this album was released. It was a great concert. The title track is a nice melody - love the guitar intro on this, and Grant Geissman's solo is very good. My favorite tune is "Hide And Seek", which is kind of a rocker. Again, Geismann's searing guitar solo is the highlight. "The XIth Commandment" is pretty good as well. The bad part about this album is on "Maui-Waui" and "Last Dance", where the songs just go on too long. Was it really necessary for everyone to take a solo? Also, "Last Dance" starts out rather as a slow ballad (once you get past the intro), but if you jump towards the end of the song you'll hear how the band really sped up. It's a pretty solid album, but it's not Mangione's best at all (I think Main Squeeze was his best on A&M). 3 & 1/2 stars.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

...The title track is a nice melody - love the guitar intro on this, and Grant Geissman's solo is very good... ...My favorite tune is "Hide And Seek", which is kind of a rocker... Again, Geismann's searing guitar solo is the highlight... ...The bad part about this album is on "Maui-Waui" and "Last Dance", where the songs just go on too long... ...Was it really necessary for everyone to take a solo...?

Capt. Bacardi

Well, you can't please all the people all the time when it comes to solos...

Guess when this album came out, "Lead Instrument Lines" and "Eternal Up-Front Blowing" must'a really knocked people out, til years later, when a "Hot Solo" back then, today, becomes a drag...!



Dave inkshield:

 

[Rudy]

The bad part about this album is on "Maui-Waui" and "Last Dance", where the songs just go on too long.

Interesting to note: I never felt "Feels So Good" was too long of a song*, and yet "Maui Waui" is only about a half minute longer, but feels twice as long. Not that it's a bad song but, like you say, they probably would have worked better with fewer solos. The "Side Street" theme could have been fleshed out a bit more--it's too short. Another uptempo piece on side two, in additioned to a shortened "Last Dance", probably would have clinched 5 stars from me. I give it about the same rating you do, but rounded it up to 4 stars since the good songs on this album are really good.

*I feel "Feels So Good" is like the Crusaders' "Street Life", which is an even longer epic that seems to fly past without seeming like it's 13 minutes long. I actually can't listen to either song unless it's the full version. ANything less just seems butchered.

 

[audiofile]

Maui-Waui is a great tune. I don't think it's too long at all. Everyone takes a great solo. I wouldn't change a thing. Last Dance on the other hand isn't as strong as far as the composition goes. Again, the length issue doesn't bother me. I'm used to long tunes and 10 minutes is nothing. Although in some weird way, the length of the tune which can seem dragged out to others gives it a neat quality. It gives you time to get the mood of the track. You have to have a good attention span and really listen to the music. Not my favorite of Mangione's albums, but a strong one.

His best album of all-time would have to be Alive, then Chuck Mangione Quartet. Out of his albums on A&M, I'll have to go with Bellavia.

Mangione is a genius composer.

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I just noticed the other day while watching TWO AND A HALF MEN that Grant Geissman co-wrote the theme song.


Dan

 

[Captain Bacardi]

*I feel "Feels So Good" is like the Crusaders' "Street Life", which is an even longer epic that seems to fly past without seeming like it's 13 minutes long. I actually can't listen to either song unless it's the full version. ANything less just seems butchered.

Another song in the same vein is George Benson's "On Broadway", which is terrible when edited.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[David S]

Album wise this is not the greatest of Mangione, I agree. But most of it is on the Live from the Hollywood Bowl album, which IS a great recording. Strangely, I always like his "Journey to a Rainbow" album, which didn't get great reviews, and his "Best of Chuck Mangione" I listen to a great deal.

 

[toeknee4bz]

Four Stars... A Mangione Five Star Recording: "FUN AND GAMES".

 

[LPJim]

Since SP 4658 has been discussed, I'll move on to # 4659.

 

[rickster]

All good points, Captain, but in my opinion, Chuck's best albums weren't A&M releases, but the Mercury's, like "Friends and Love", "Quartet", and "Land of Make Believe". All of these feature heavily one of my favorite jazz musicians --- the late , great Gerry Niewood. His solos were works of art.