🎵 AotW AOTW: Chuck Mangione - MAIN SQUEEZE (SP-4612)

[Captain Bacardi]

Chuck Mangione
MAIN SQUEEZE
A&M SP-4612

Released 1976
Peaked at #4 on the Jazz Album charts (1977) and #86 on the Pop Album charts (1977)

Format: Vinyl/8-Track/Cassette/CD

Produced by Chuck Mangione
Musical Coordinator/Production Assistance: Steve Gadd

Songs:

• 1. (The Day After) Our First Night Together - 8:01
  2. If You Know Me Any Longer Than Tomorrow - 7:55
  3. Love The Feelin' - 4:44
  4. I Get Crazy (When Your Eyes Touch Mine) - 4:24
  5. Doin' Everything With You - 7:05
  6. Main Squeeze - 5:25
  
  All selections composed by Chuck Mangione except "Main Squeeze", created by Chuck, Don, Tony, Bob, Rubens, Ralph, Richard, Steve and John.
  
  Orchestrations: Chuck Mangione

Musicians:
Chuck Mangione - Yamaha Flugelhorn (with wa-wa pedal on several selections), Rhodes Electric Piano
Bob Mann - Acoustic and Electric Guitar
John Tropea - Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Don Grolnick - Rhodes Electric and Acoustic Piano
Tony Levin - Electric Bass
Rubens Bassini - Percussion
Ralph MacDonald - Percussion
Richard Tee - Organ
Steve Gadd - Drums and Percussion
Trumpets: Jeff Tkazyik, Lew Soloff, Alan Rubin
Trombones: Bill Watrous, Wayne Andre, Tom Malone, Dave Taylor
French Horns: Jimmy Buffington, Fred Griffin, Bob Carlisle, John Clark
Gene Orloff - Concert Master

Recorded and Mixed at Electric Lady, Media Sound, P.C.I. Rose Bud
Engineer: Mick Guzauski
Assistant Engineer: Michael Frondelli
Mastering Engineer: Frank DeLuna at A&M Recording Studios, Hollywood, Calif.

Art Direction: Roland Young
Design: Junie Osaki
Photography: Ian Patrick
Personal Management: Tom Iannaccone

This album is dedicated to Chappelle, "The Healer".



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Dave]

I'll never understand how the way the majority of Chuck's output all sounds alike that THIS one stands out as something unlike anything else he ever did!

--BETTER, even, too!

Maybe it's just simply recording with this combo of musicians, along with the compositions, being much less myopic than anything else Mangione had recorded previously...

The response to this also seems hopeful, if this made a dent high in the charts, the way it did...

Some things like this deserve more permanence, but, sadly, this is proof that "Supergroups" aren't...!



Dave

 

[Captain Bacardi]

For my money this was Mangione's best overall album on A&M. There's a nice flow from start to finish. His solo on "If You Know Me Any Longer" is absolutely gorgeous. "I Get Crazy" is another powerful performance. The only track that didn't do much for me is "Love The Feelin'", but that's a minor glitch. Gotta love the jam on the title track, although it does die down a bit after the guitar solo. I'm glad I got this on CD when it was available.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[Mike]

I checked Amazon to see if this was still available. It’s out of stock, but Wow, used versions are getting big bucks and the reviews on Amazon for this are quite good.

Mike

 

[Captain Bacardi]

Yeah, this and Bellavia go for big bucks, with Bellavia usually starting in the $75 range. Fortunately, I found a sealed LP of this album and made a very nice needle-drop CD-R of it.



Capt. Bacardi

 

[AM Matt]

I heard the song "Main Squeeze" on the old W106 FM/WIOG in Saginaw, Michigan during a George Carlin interview on "Comedy Club" radio show back in December of 1978. When DJ Tony Rocha talked about the year 1978, the song was playing & was talking about Emerson, Lake & Palmer breaking up but the band will continue to tour in '79 however, Grace Slick left Jefferson Starship to fight her bot with the bottle, the year also saw punk rocker Sid Vicious jailed in order of his lived in girlfriend but the trial is pending, Elton John suffered a heart attack but it had no effect on his album, but the Summer belong to The Rolling Stones, they spent the months trying to reemerge, the album "Some Girls" proved a moneymaker but the stones without the benefit of its raw appeal & energy got the job done. Coming up, will take a look at 1979 this is Tony Rocha on 106 FM. Matt Clark Sanford, MI

 

[Dave]

The song that I remember getting (LOTS of) radio play was "(The Day After) Our First Night Together"...

It was EVERYWHERE! --From WJOY (Easy Listening) to WJZZ (Jazz)...!!!!



Dave