I
Mango

About:

6 november 1954 - 7 december 2014

Giuseppe Mango was born in Lagonegro. In 1975 he moves to Rome, were under guidance of Silvano D'Auria he works on his debut album ‘La mia ragazza è un gran caldo’ which is published a year later. Although not an immediate success two songs on the album, ‘Per te che mi apri l'universo’ and ‘Tu pioggia io mattino’ attract the attention of Patty Pravo who records them for her ‘Tanto’ album. This triggers Mia Martini to record Mango’s ‘Se mi sfiori’ for her new album. All this artistic attention makes the record label Numero Uno decide to let Mango sing and record some singles. Together with his brother Armando he starts working on a new album ‘Arlecchino’ which sees the light in 1979.

In 1984 the contract with Numero Uno ends and the Mango-brothers audition for recordlabel owner Mara Maionchi (Fonit Cetra records) with tha song ‘Mama Woodoo’ (originally written by Mogol). She is not disappointed and the next four years she would be his publisher. In 1985 Mango participates at Sanremo Festival with ‘Il viaggio’ getting the prize of the critics, but not making it to the finals. The track formed the prelude for his album ‘Australia’. Next year he returns to San Remo. Although Mango’s song gets high marks it’s his composition for colleague Loretta Goggi, ‘Io nascerò’, that wins the big prize and would become an international hit. Again an esthablished singer contacts Mango that year. This time it’s Loredana Bertè for whom he writes ‘Re’. Performance of the song creates some controversy because Loredana appears on stage 8 months pregnant.

In 1987 he again participates at the San Remo festival with ‘Dal cuore in poi ‘ but it would be the single ‘Bella d'estate’ (writen with Lucio Dalla) that would be his biggest hit. Internationally he gets his succes writing for Italo artists Spagna. In 1990 the Mango brothers team up with Mogol for ‘Sirtaki; an album influenced by Mediterranean sounds. They also start writing for young singer Mietta. Mid-nineties Mango changes in record company a lot. First to EMI only to return to Fonit Cetra in 1997 and then go to WEA in 1999. He also hints to international fame by working with session artists from the Simple Minds and Peter Gabriel’s band (on the album ‘Credo’).  A 'best of' album closes the millennium selling over 500.000 copies.

It will take 5 years before new work by Mango is released. Meanwhile he becomes a regular writer for Mietta and contributes to a new singer Dennis Fantina. In 2004 the album ‘Ti porto in Africa’ is released. Mango also released a book filled with poems called ‘Nel malamente mondo non ti trovo’. In 2005 he sings with Sony BMG for the album ‘Ti amo così’. The album features a duet with his wife Laura Valente as well as a cover of the classic Napolitano song ‘I' te vurria vasa' .

The cooperation with his wife is prolonged at 2007’s San Remo where the duet with the song ‘Chissà se nevica’. Again it forms the prequel to a new album and a second book of poetry, ‘Di quanto stupore’. In 2008 he surprisingly joins the young band Neri per caso for a cover version of ‘Bella d’estate’. In the same year Mango releases a cover album himself doing songs from Luigi Tenco and Franco Battiato (who joins in himself for ‘La stagione dell’amore').

In april 2009 he joins a tribute project for the victims of the earthquake in Aquilla. In august a new single is released ‘Contro tutti i pronostici’ which anounces his new live-cd ‘Gli amori son finestre’. In 2011 he presents the album 'La terra degli aquilano' (The land of kites) on which he is joined by his wife Laura Valente (ex Matia Bazar) and their two children, Angelina and Philip. On december 5, 2014 Mango unexpectedly died after having a heartattack on stage at a show in Matera.

On the web:

- Mango's website: http://www.mango.it/

What do we think:

PR: Mango is a singer with a very special (even peculiar) voice. It does take some time to get used to. But just listen closely to 'Bella d'estate' from the album 'Adesso' and you will fall for this special voice. It is like the waves from the Mediterranean sea flowing into your ears... I suppose it does not get more 'Italian' than the music from Mango.

DB: So enourmously Italian sounding that it's hard to imagine Mango would come from any other European country. At first listen you might think him a bit slick but do listen again because his albums will unveil their secrets gradually. Sophistacted and cool. The Mango brothers (as credits usually just say 'Mango' it's unclear who wrote what) have been responsible for some classic Italian poptracks. Their collaborations are many but their individual output, at least in the eighties, is just as interesting.

If you like this, you probably like.. / european counterparts:

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Recomended albums:

♪♪♪♪ - Australia - 1985

♪♪♪ - Odissea - 1986

♪♪♪ - Adesso - 1987

♪♪♪ - Inseguendo l'aquila - 1988

♪♪♪♪ - Sirtaki - 1990

♪♪♪ - Come l'acqua - 1992

♪♪♪ - La terra degli aquilano - 2011

Further listening:

La mia ragazza è un gran caldo (1976); Arlecchino (1979); È pericoloso sporgersi (1982); Mango (1994); Dove vai (1995); Credo (1997); Credo ristampa (1998); Visto così (1999); Disincanto (2002); Ti porto in Africa (2004); Ti amo così (2005); L'albero delle fate (2007); Acchiappanuvole (2008); Gli amori son finestre (2009)

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided