Jazz Reviews : Chuck Mangione Has Something for Everyone

There was a time when Chuck Mangione’s melodic music was not especially fashionable with hard-line jazz fans. “Too lightweight,” “white-key jazz,” “commercial pop-jazz” were some of the less offensive descriptions that were applied.

Yet, in the long run, Mangione seems to have had more staying power than some of the more critically approved shooting-star talents who have come and gone during his 30 years on the jazz scene.

Sunday night at San Juan Capistrano’s Coach House, Mangione displayed a few of the reasons why he has had such persistent longevity.

Mixing his program with a blend of his better known works--especially “Land of Make Believe” and “Feel So Good”--and a few pieces from his current CBS album, Mangione paced his set beautifully. Among the newer compositions, “Sweet Butterfly” and “Eyes of the Veiled Temptress” had the piquant, Latin seasoning that has served Mangione so well.

On two other numbers--one of which was a brief, but atmospheric flight through “My Funny Valentine”--he moved off the stage to meet his audience, playing his fluegelhorn with the fluid grace of the classic early Miles Davis style.

Typically, the current band has a strong saxophonist in Chris Vadalia, and Mangione generously allowed him expansive stretches of solo space, most of which were put to exceptionally good use (notably so during a soprano saxophone improvisation on “Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor”).

The thrust and drive of the rhythm section was not always up to the level of some of Mangione’s former group, but it had its bright moments: percussionist Billy Martin, in his few solo spots, made the most of an exotic array of bangers and beaters, and guitarist Mark Manetta played convincingly on both acoustic and electric instruments.

All-purpose sideman Rob Mathes, who played keyboards, guitar and sang, did the best he could with a few vocals on some commercial-sounding material (none of it composed by Mangione) from the new album.

But his most effective singing came on Mangione’s classic “Chase the Clouds Away,” which he performed with an intensity and feeling that paralleled and complimented the original instrumental version.

If the evening seemed to have a little bit of something for everybody, it also had a surprisingly large amount of pure jazz improvising. And that capacity to please a general audience with the accessibility of his melodies, while still remaining true to his jazz roots, may be the reason for Mangione’s remarkable career.

Mangione will appear at the Universal Amphitheatre with a 30-piece orchestra Thursday night.