Chuck Mangione - Journey To A Rainbow (1983)

Note: this release was originally purchased as an LP, later replaced by a CD. The disc I own is the original made in Japan-for-US market pressing in a "Patent Pending" smooth sided jewel case.

Mangione's second of five albums released on the Columbia label, 1982-1988. Mangione hadn't had a hit since 1980 and I completely missed Mangione's 1982 album, Love Notes, when it was released. So this album was an impulse buy - I was at the record store with Burger-King-paycheck money to burn and finding no New Wave/New Romantic synthpop albums to buy, I switched gears to smooth jazz and saw this new release from a familiar artist. And even though was I trying my best to dress like Ren McCormack, Jeff Spicoli, or a member of Duran Duran, I still enjoyed my smooth jazz and must have listened to this thing quite a bit because when I put the LP on again after a couple of decades, I remembered every tune. Within the first few seconds, you can tell you're listening to a Mangione release. It's a happy thing with light jazz/pop melodies and hardly any improvisation. Feels So Good fans would be happy with the purchase - I was and am. Hardly essential, but a nice flashback, nostalgia listen every now and then.

Reviews/ratings:

• Stereo Review: "It's strictly for hard-core Mangione fans, of which I'm told there is a surprisingly large number."
• CashBox: "another fine sampling of frothy free-flight music"
• Billboard (6/4/83): "Mangione's unabashed romanticism brings the usual warmth to this latest smaller group outing."
• Billboard (6/18/83): "Mangione is back on the upswing with his bumptious brand of intoxicating pop-jazz."
• DownBeat (★★★½): "a good album - pleasant, worth a listen, and refreshing for its acoustic quality."
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #154
• Billboard Jazz: #10
• CashBox Jazz: #6
• Radio & Records Jazz Radio National Airplay: #4

Tracks: The title cut, track 1, was released as a single but never gained traction on either the pop or adult contemporary charts. It's decent enough, but my favorites here are the ballads Do I Dare To Fall In Love and Please Stay The Night.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Previously revisited for the blog:
Everything For Love (2000)
Eyes Of The Veiled Temptress (1988)
Classics, Volume 6 (1987)
Love Notes (1982)/Disguise (1984)/Save Tonight For Me (1986)
An Evening of Magic: Live at The Hollywood Bowl (1979)
Feels So Good (1977)
Land Of Make Believe (1973)