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.

Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz
Mandoki Soulmates/ Photo: Melissa Paltrowitz

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Tags: #GRAMMYs, Beacon Theatre, Jazz, Leslie Mandoki, ManDoki Soulmates, MusiCares, New York, Supertramp, Toto

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."