Interview W/ Denise Mangiardo

Thank you for sitting down and talking to FLEX, can you tell us a bit about how you got into music?

I have been performing and writing my own songs since I was 14 years old. I have always wanted to compose and perform. I knew it as a young child but it was not until my mother brought home a piano from an old barn at the age of 10 that I started to write.

Who would you say are your biggest musical influences?

I have always been greatly influenced by all of the music that I had been raised with. Particularly the Motown, blues and folk music that I would listen to all of the time. I grew up in NY and it really was then a great melting pot of all kinds of Latin music as well. I was greatly influenced by music that I heard in films, such as Doctor Zhivago, and West Side Story and films such as Lawrence of Arabia.  I was also greatly influenced by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Laura Niro, Freddie Hubbard, Dexter Gordon and Shirley Horn.

In my later years, I have been greatly influenced by Johnny Mandel, Claus Ogerman, Nelson Rangel as well as many other great writers.

Congratulations on your brand-new album 'On The Brink' - what inspired this particular song?

I think that we all have a sense of not having control over our lives with the chaos that is going on in the world today. Particularly with the internet where news spreads so quickly. I feel that many of us cannot control the amount of information we are getting as we cannot process all of it. This kind of feeling and the feeling that we have little hope to make a difference. My song is about how we all have a bright light that will come to us on an everyday basis and that a single act of kindness from another human being can change the way we feel about the world.  In other words, it is about not losing hope because, among all of the darkness, there is a certain beauty that comes to us in very unexpected ways. I used the analogy of an eagle. We do not know where he came from. We do not know where he is going. But we only see his beauty. This beauty does not leave out the fact that the eagle may have come from very frightening and dark storms.

How do you channel personal experiences into your songwriting, and what do you hope listeners gain from connecting with your music?

I have a very strong belief in the ability of mankind to spread a sense of hope and positive energy. It really is incredible that with the speed which we can get a horrible story, that same speed can spread the most wonderful acts of humans and compassion and love. We are greater than we think. So I always hope that my music gives that kind of meaning so that people can take something positive out of it.

Each aspect of music - writing, recording, practising, and playing live - offers something different. Can you share a particularly meaningful moment from each?

When I write, I find myself searching for sounds that I want to hear. I keep searching until I find it. Many times melodies come to me in the middle of the night. I usually sing them into my mobile and then write them out. That is a very satisfying feeling because I can take that musical information to another level. The same goes for practising. I always feel as if it is some kind of meditation. I usually feel very connected when I practice. If I don’t practice, I usually do not have that sense of equilibrium. The same thing that would happen if I did not meditate at all. Life usually goes into a swirling chaotic state of catastrophic living. I love to record but mostly when I am alone. I usually record all of my vocals myself because I want to feel relaxed. When I record others, that is really fun and I love to help people find what it is they are trying to say. That is regarding people I do not know in my studio. However, when recording something like strings with a full orchestra, I feel myself go outside my body sometimes. The feeling is sublime to hear your music being recorded with a large orchestra. The same goes for recording with a rhythm section that I am familiar with. It’s really great when you know the players are going to make your dream come true. With regard to performing, I am always thrilled to play. It is a very rewarding feeling. I actually love playing the piano with a band. It makes me feel extremely satisfied afterwards because I was able to share and communicate music with my tribe so to speak. So it is great.

Is there a song in your repertoire that holds a particularly deep personal meaning for you? Can you share the story or inspiration behind it?

Probably the most intimate song is a song that came from my previous CD, « Brown Book ». It is entitled « The Exchange ». It is very personal and a bit sad as It has been really tough for me as a musician, composer, etc. Nothing has come easy for me and I had at one point a very hard time with anger about not being accepted into the music world. So I was a bit bitter at the time. But I am glad that I was able to express it.

What are your goals for the future with your music?

I want to perform a lot more and get into film scoring. I love orchestration and I feel that is the direction that I see myself going.

What message or feeling do you hope listeners take away from your music?

Without a doubt to find a sense of beauty, and hope.

To wrap things up, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

I just wanted to say thank you for this. It has taken a very long time to get here and I am really grateful for all of the listeners. I am so amazed that so many young people are into the music. That makes me so happy because I feel that I have helped someone in some way in what can be, a very scary world.