Chuck Mangione

“I write music people enjoy playing and listening to, and I have a group that loves playing the music.”

“My brother had a big band in high school; after that we continued to play together, eventually forming a group called the Jazz Brothers, that recorded for Riverside Records.”

“To do it always right, that is what music is to me.”

“Most recently we've been working in concert situations rather than clubs. because there aren't too many rooms there like Ronnie Scott's, that are pure music rooms, where people come specifically to listen to music.”

“Not with the Rochester Philharmonic, but I formed my own orchestra, made up of musicians from the Eastman School, where I'm on the faculty now, direct the Jazz Ensemble and teach improvisation classes.”

“My goal was never to sell many records.”

“Brazilian music has many of the ingredients that I strive for in my own music: Strong melodies and a disciplined but intense rhythmic concept, and interesting harmonies.”

“I have been recording for five decades now.”

“Whether it's string writing or whatever, I try to write for what each instrumentalist can do best.”

“Because I don't believe music can be free unless it has something to be free from.”

“Music is meant to be a beautiful thing.”

“What's happened - in our country, anyhow - is that the young people have shied away from the formality of the concert hall, that tie - and - tails philharmonic image.”

“There's not much in the way of written-down arrangements - just things that Gerry and I have worked out, from playing spontaneously together and hanging on to whatever seems to fall in right.”

“Not compromising the music, but there is a way, by just showing the people that you're sincere and honest with what you're doing, and by talking to them.”

“I was blessed to work with The Jazz Messengers when the two piano players were Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea.”

“In 1994, I started touring again and I recorded two albums for Chesky Jazz.”

“To pay 60 musicians for rehearsal and performance is quite something, and I decided I wouldn't be able to handle that kind of situation financially again, unless somebody else was taking care of that end of it.”

“1972 was a year of many pleasant and rewarding experiences for me:”

“I am glad that I wrote something that brought joy to millions of people.”

“As for the symphonic activities... when I was a student at the Eastman School of Music, I became exposed to a lot more musical forms, elements, opportunities, and I fell in love with strings and their uses.”