Jazz Legend Chuck Mangione, Rochester Native and Grammy Winner, Dies at 84

Famed flugelhornist and jazz composer Chuck Mangione, whose smooth melodies and international acclaim brought pride to his hometown of Rochester, died Tuesday at his home. He was 84.

This wikipedia photo of Chuck Mangione was taken in 1998.

Mangione, best known for his 1977 crossover hit “Feels So Good,” died of natural causes, according to a statement from his family. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music and a two-time Grammy Award winner, Mangione was celebrated not only for his contributions to jazz but for his lifelong connection to the Rochester community.

“Please join me today in offering a thought or prayer for the Mangione family in memory of Rochester’s own Chuck Mangione,” Mayor Malik Evans said Thursday. “Chuck Mangione was a gifted jazz musician and composer who earned international distinction, and Rochester’s pride.”

Born Charles Frank Mangione on Nov. 29, 1940, Mangione grew up in northeast Rochester, living behind his family’s grocery store on Martin Street. He attended Franklin High School before enrolling at Eastman, where he later taught. Alongside his brother, Gap Mangione, Chuck emerged from Rochester’s historic Pythodd Club jazz scene and became a fixture in the national and international jazz circuit.

Evans noted the Mangione family’s grocery store remained open during the 1964 Rochester riots, calling it “a testament to the mutual admiration and respect shared between the Mangione family and their community.” He added, “His music echoes the underlying beauty of our city. That will forever be Chuck Mangione’s legacy.”

Mangione’s impact also resonated deeply with leaders of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, one of the city’s premier music events.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Chuck Mangione, a legendary musician whose sound helped define a generation and whose roots run deep in Rochester,” said festival co-producers Marc Iacona and John Nugent in a joint statement. “From the soaring flugelhorn melodies that made the world ‘Feel So Good’ to the countless ways he championed his hometown, Chuck’s influence was profound, personal, and lasting.”

“For those of us who grew up here, Chuck was more than a global icon. He was one of our own,” they added. “Chuck’s music will continue to echo through the hearts of fans near and far. His legacy will forever be a part of the spirit of Rochester and the soul of jazz.”

Mangione’s career spanned more than five decades. He won his first Grammy Award in 1977 for “Bellavia” and another in 1979 for “Children of Sanchez.” His album “Feels So Good” went double platinum, with its title track peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. He also composed for film and television, and voiced a fictionalized version of himself in the animated series “King of the Hill.”

Mangione is survived by his brother Gap, children, and extended family. A private funeral service will be arranged through Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home.