Gap Mangione
Encyclopedia
Gaspare "Gap" Mangione is a jazz
pianist
, composer
, arranger
, and bandleader
from Rochester, New York
, United States
.
Born and raised in Rochester, Mangione's younger brother is Grammy
-winning flugelhorn
ist Chuck Mangione
. Members of a music-loving family, both Gap and Chuck took up instruments. In 1958, they started performing together as the Jazz Brothers, eventually recording three albums for Riverside Records
.
In 1968, Gap Mangione released his first solo album, Diana in the Autumn Wind, featuring drummer Steve Gadd
and bassist Tony Levin
in their first recordings, and new compositions and arrangements by Chuck Mangione who conducted as well.
The 1970s brought more solo albums along with tours with his own group and many as featured pianist in his brother's orchestral performances.
In the 1980s, Mangione began to spend more time playing in and around Rochester and less time on the road. In 1990, he formed the Gap Mangione New Big Band, which remains the premier dance and concert big band in the Rochester area. The New Big Band has released four CDs since 1998. Many major rappers and producers, including Jaylib, Talib Kweli
, Guerilla Black
, Ghostface Killah
, Slum Village
, and People Under The Stairs
have sampled Gap's Diana in the Autumn Wind for their recent works.
Today, Mangione continues to make regular appearances at Rochester locations, among them the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa (since May, 1987), Pier 45 at the Port and the Rochester International Jazz Festival
, as well as private gigs; he can be found playing solo, with the 14-piece New Big Band, the "New Blues Band" (a quartet) or his sextet. He and Chuck continue to play together, mainly for appearances with symphony orchestras, or with Chuck as special guest with Gap's big band.
In 2004 he received the Artist of the Year Award from the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester.
Mangione lives in the Rochester suburb of Greece, New York
with his wife, Janet; his children are Ardis Mangione-Lindley and Jason Mangione.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, arranger
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, and bandleader
Bandleader
A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....
from Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Born and raised in Rochester, Mangione's younger brother is Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
ist Chuck Mangione
Chuck Mangione
Charles Frank "Chuck" Mangione is an American flugelhorn player and composer who achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop single, "Feels So Good." Mangione has released more than thirty albums since 1960.-Early life and career:...
. Members of a music-loving family, both Gap and Chuck took up instruments. In 1958, they started performing together as the Jazz Brothers, eventually recording three albums for Riverside Records
Riverside Records
Riverside Records was a United States record label specializing in jazz. Founded by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer under his firm Bill Grauer Productions, Inc. in 1953, the label was a major presence in the jazz record industry for a decade...
.
In 1968, Gap Mangione released his first solo album, Diana in the Autumn Wind, featuring drummer Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
and bassist Tony Levin
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
in their first recordings, and new compositions and arrangements by Chuck Mangione who conducted as well.
The 1970s brought more solo albums along with tours with his own group and many as featured pianist in his brother's orchestral performances.
In the 1980s, Mangione began to spend more time playing in and around Rochester and less time on the road. In 1990, he formed the Gap Mangione New Big Band, which remains the premier dance and concert big band in the Rochester area. The New Big Band has released four CDs since 1998. Many major rappers and producers, including Jaylib, Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
, Guerilla Black
Guerilla Black
Charles Williamson Guerilla Black is a better known by his stage name Guerilla Black aka Sheereen is a rapper from Compton, California. He was born in Chicago, Illinois . He came to fame after releasing his debut album Guerilla City which featured the singles "Compton" Featuring Beanie Man and...
, Ghostface Killah
Ghostface Killah
Dennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
, Slum Village
Slum Village
Slum Village was a hip hop group from Conant Gardens, Detroit, Michigan.The group was formed by three members: rappers Baatin and T3, plus rapper and producer J Dilla . J Dilla left in 2002 to pursue a solo career with MCA Records...
, and People Under The Stairs
People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California formed in 1997 by Thes One and Double K. The group has released eight critically acclaimed full-length albums and performed on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that the group has performed well over 1,000 sold...
have sampled Gap's Diana in the Autumn Wind for their recent works.
Today, Mangione continues to make regular appearances at Rochester locations, among them the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa (since May, 1987), Pier 45 at the Port and the Rochester International Jazz Festival
Rochester International Jazz Festival
Established in 2002, the Rochester International Jazz Festival takes place in June of each year, in Rochester, New York. It is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director...
, as well as private gigs; he can be found playing solo, with the 14-piece New Big Band, the "New Blues Band" (a quartet) or his sextet. He and Chuck continue to play together, mainly for appearances with symphony orchestras, or with Chuck as special guest with Gap's big band.
In 2004 he received the Artist of the Year Award from the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester.
Mangione lives in the Rochester suburb of Greece, New York
Greece (town), New York
Greece is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the town had a total population of 96,095. The town motto is "Discover the Promise."...
with his wife, Janet; his children are Ardis Mangione-Lindley and Jason Mangione.
The Jazz Brothers
- The Jazz Brothers (1960)
- Hey Baby! (1961)
- Spring Fever (1961)
Solo
- Diana in the Autumn Wind (1968) (CD release 2003)
- Sing Along Junk (1972)
- She and I (1975)
- Gap Mangione! (1976)
- Suite Lady (1978)
- Dancin (1979)
The New Big Band
- Planet Gap (1998)
- Ardis (2002)
- Stolen Moments (2003)
- Family Holidays (2004)
Appears on
- Friends and Love, Chuck Mangione and the Rochester Philharmonic OrchestraRochester Philharmonic OrchestraThe Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is an American orchestra based in the city of Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Its primary concert venue is the Eastman Theatre at the Eastman School of Music....
1970), (DVD release 2007) - Together, Chuck Mangione and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (1972)
- Land Of Make Believe, Chuck Mangione and the Hamilton Philharmonic OrchestraHamilton Philharmonic OrchestraThe Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra is an orchestra in Hamilton, Ontario.It was founded in 1949.Starting in 1969, under the leadership of Boris Brott, the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra changed from an amateur ensemble to a professional orchestra. Brott raised the profile of the orchestra with...
(1973) - Bellavia, Chuck Mangione (1975)
- Chase the Clouds Away, Chuck Mangione (1975)
- Once I Loved, Esther Satterfield (1976)
- Tarantella, Chuck Mangione w/ Dizzy GillespieDizzy GillespieJohn Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
& Steve Gadd (1980)