Customer Reviews

Children of Sanchez

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This single album is one of the earliest recollections I have of listening to music(I was born in 1976). My father owns it on vinyl, and it remains one of his prize possessions in an impressive overall collection. The oldest son of our close family friends of over 25 years recorded this off of my father's vinyl close to sixteen years ago and eventually used "Consuelo's Love Theme" as his wedding music many years later. I feel that this singular track remains just as moving as the first time I listened to it, and I'm not easily moved. Mangione's composition and arranging skills are on full display here for those willing to take a listen, and you get the idea of how great an accomplishment the album was simply by reading Chuck's liner notes. Thank God someone got the good sense to release this on CD again, or we would have been subjected to the slow and undeserved extinction of a true classic of this or any other time.

Children Of Sanchez is a magnificent musical blend of composition,sructure,creativity and improvisation.The music had to be written,recorded,mixed and edited in just three weeks to help complete a movie by the same title.Chuck and the musicians entered into a rigorous recording schedule.A total of 23 hours worth of music was completed.From this Chuck had to make the tough decision as to which selections he would keep on the album.His final choice of music gives us a remarkable album which can only be described as wonderful,unique,beautiful and vibrant.To write and compose music this good in only three weeks is truly Impressive!!Musicianship highlights are Grant Geismann playing all guitars,James Bradley Jr.on drums and all percussions that includes some awesome tympani,conga and tymbali playing,Charlie Meeks doing an incredible job on bass and my personal favorite is Don Potter on vocals.He has excellent range and power!! Chuck Mangione of course,needs no introduction.A truly gifted flugelhorn player who also shows us his piano skills with both the electric and acoustic. Song highlights are title cut Children Of Sanchez- very powerfull intro song.Let me repeat that VERY POWERFULL!!!! Other favorites include lullabye,pilgrimage parts 1/2 {explosive percussions on this one},the sensuous Consuelo's Love Theme and Hot Consuelo with its dynamic up beat tempo. Lots of musical feelings at play here. For all you string instrument lovers. Check It Out! French Horn,cello and violins. Something for every jazz enthusiast. "Remember" The Children Of Sanchez. BUY IT!! ENJOY IT!! It's a Classic!

I played music (trumpet) as a child. I was hooked by the "Feels So Good". I saw Chuck Mangione play at the Wolf Trap Farm Park near Washington DC. But "Children of Sanchez" is what kept my interest in jazz. This album is full of power and emotion, the likes of which I haven't heard anywhere else. Bellavia and Lullabye are unforgettable. I can't tell you how deeply this album touches me.

I am SO glad it has returned from being out-of-print. And believe me, I was looking for a long time! It brings my recently deceased father back into my life.

Thank you Mr Mangione.

I still recall the night I first heard this album as a young, out-of-place, single man in Saginaw, Michigan. It was a night of endings and of the beginning of new possibilities, most of which never came to pass. How fitting that is.

The work is a masterpiece of light jazz, among the few of its kind. Oddly, it remained out of print for many years. It is surely the greatest album ever produced for a film that was never released, and so far above Mangione's other work that one struggles with the comparisons.

The music invokes the sadness of impoverished children being tossed about on a political sea. The loneliness, the abandonment, the cruelty of their circumstances are the constant themes of this score. Yet as spirit-touching works of art must, it sounds an inspiring note of hope in one of the final selections, Bellavia.

Life, I learned, is what we make it. This score, which portrays the most dismal and brutal of circumstances, reminds us never to let go of hope.

I have never in my life been a Chuck Mangione fan...until now. This music is very compelling,especially for someone like me who lives in the Southwest and is close to Mexico. Everytime I play this soundtrack Mangione's brilliant artistry paints the desert landscape in my mind perfectly each time. The vocals,instrumentation, melodies are quite breathtaking and memorable. Bella Via is simply just that;Beautiful. Lullabye,Consuelo's Love Theme are all about mood,feeling, and passion for life ! The most astounding feat of this soundtrack is how Mangione avoided using the stereotypical Mexican "Hollywood" soundtrack cliched Mariachi or the typical "aye, aye , ya aye" sound.At times there's almost a sort of New Age/Ambient approach to some tracks (even before New Age was recognized as a type of music back in the 70's). This is a very mystical and magical recording that will never lose it's spark !...

As a musician who has played a gamut of styles, I can wholeheartedly say that this collection of music is quite possibly the tightest music you will ever hear. The listener is grabbed by the throat with the overture and is held throughout the album with no hope of escape.

As a kid, my brother (a trumpet player) patterned his style to the likes of Chuck Mangione. As such, I was inundated with every vinyl the man produced. Of all of them, none caught my attention as "Children of Sanchez".

I'm a sax player, which we all know is not as "important" as a trumpet player, of course. However, this whole line of music illustrates that everyone needs to be on the same measure at the same time in that moment in the universe. The overture alone demonstrates this need, where it would be disastrous if just one instrument was out of synch with the rest. Aside from presenting the importance of learning how to tongue triplets on your given instrument, it shows the power of united musicians who collectively find the same vein of inspiration in music.

I have listened to just about every Mangione recording available, and I keep coming back to this one as the one that gives the one-two punch of musical excellence every player dreams of achieving. It is not only a joy to listen to, but it is also a lesson in mastering the basics of playing an instrument our teachers tried to teach us that leads to greatness in performers.

"Children of Sanchez" is, by far, a sure bet for a purchase and should be mandatory for high school bands as a teaching instrument throughout the world for perfection in technique.

Oh, and it's just a darned good listen, as well!

I cannot say enough about the power and spirit of this album. Created in a very short time when the band was in its most exhuasted state, this album conveys a vulnerability and poignancy that can never - and will never - be duplicated. Children of Sanchez (the overture) is the best 15 minutes of music I've ever heard. Growing up, my father used to invite people over the house specifically to listen to this piece of music (at full volume, I might add!) and many were brought to tears with the beauty and strength of that recording. All I can say is thank you to Mr. Mangione and thank you to my dad for showing me that there is more to music than the junk on the radio.

This is definitely not Mangione's most accessible music, and some complain that some of the music are just re-recordings, but that's the beauty of this album. From the fanfare of "Children of Sanchez (Overture)" to the soft tones of "Lullabye" to the emotional ballad "Consuelo's Love Theme", this album brings out some of the best in Mangione. It was written in just three weeks, and perfectly captures the spirit of Mangione. It's a classic, and it goes without saying that Mangione himself still has plenty of excellent flugelhorn and trumpet solos. If you haven't bought this album, do so. You won't regret it.

This is my favorite Chuck Mangione album. I listened to it on vinyl for the first time when I was about 10 or 11 years old, (20 years ago). I cannot explain how deeply this music will effect you. The songs on this album absolutely reach out and soothe my soul. This CD is timeless. Do yourself a huge favor and get this CD.

The most moving and inspiring of all of Chuck Mangione's albums. Magical. Stirring. It was out of print for a while. Glad to see someone had sense enough to bring back this gem.

If you are a fan of Chuck, you will fall in love with this album. Superb recording, too!