A Look At The ManDoki Soulmates’ Post-GRAMMY Concert At New York’s Beacon Theatre
The ManDoki Soulmates — led by world-renowned musician, producer, songwriter and Hungarian refugee Leslie Mandoki — played its first-ever concert in the United States last night at New York City’s legendary Beacon Theatre. An inspirational star-studded performance benefiting MusiCares, the highly-anticipated Wings Of Freedom post-Grammy concert was full of surprises. Beyond a mix of ManDoki-penned originals, the band performed rock classics such as Manfred Mann’s “Blinded By The Light,” Cutting Crew’s “I Just Died in Your Arms,” and Toto’s “Rosanna,” all featuring lead vocals from people associated with those recordings. In addition to Leslie Mandoki, Toto’s Bobby Kimball, Supertramp’s John Helliwell, Manfred Mann’s Chris Thompson, and Cutting Crew’s Nick Van Eede, other greats present included Bill Evans, Randy Brecker, Till Brönner, Cory Henry, and Julia Mandoki.
In addition to serving as a percussionist, vocalist and bandleader, Leslie Mandoki was the evening’s emcee. Sharing stories about growing up behind The Iron Curtain, Mandoki not only comes across as talented and enthusiastic, but also gracious. He spotlighted each of the evening’s performers — many of them rock and jazz greats — during the two-hour performance, also pointing out how he has been playing alongside many of the Soulmates for over two decades. Time will tell as to when Mandoki and his band return for further U.S. appearances, but there is no doubt that the ManDoki Soulmates made a strong impression on those who attended this Monday evening outing at the Beacon Theatre.
