Two New Releases from Larry McDonough Jazz!
Larry McDonough, Piano and Voice
Richard Terrill, Saxes and Poetry
The first Larry McDonough Quartet DVD
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Larry McDonough Quartet, “Simple Gifts” CD
published in CMJ's New Music Report
Magazine, Issue 1085, and is being played
“Larry McDonough’s long-awaited new recording serves up divergent
delights, from a reconstructed holiday chestnut to inside-out renditions of
jazz standards, from harmonically and rhythmically altered traditional melodies to a trio of original tunes. With a feathery touch that recalls Bill Evans but with more fingers and a unique approach to time that makes the most worn carol or standard a new adventure, Simple Gifts proves to be anything but “simple”—but, for those fortunate enough to hear this music, it is indeed a gift.”
--Andrea Canter, Jazz Police
of performances of McDonough’s
original pieces and arrangements
of jazz for high school jazz ensemble,
orchestra, and concert band.
“The Star Spangled Banner” from the
solo piano CD, “Tuscarora: Short
Stories for Jazz Piano,” is featured
in “The Magic Green School Bus,”
a new half-hour documentary portrait
of Paul Wellstone created by kids
at Lake Country Montessori School
in Minneapolis. For more information,
Action and is dedicated to the
"Larry McDonough is an original much in the tradition of Dave Brubeck, and McDonough's piano stylings are intimate and innovative."
Lee Prosser, Jazz Review, www.jazzreview.com.
"He also exhibits echoes of McCoy Tyner ala My Favorite Things
when Tyner was working with JohnColtrane."
T. Alexander, Pulse Of The Twin Cities.
"Wonderful, Herbie Hancock-Bill Evan-ish."
Leigh Kamman, The Jazz Image, Minnesota Public Radio 91.1 FM,
St. Paul.
"Bill Evans meets Debussy.... Larry is the only pianist we know who takes bass solos on piano, often trading choruses back and forth between his right and left hands."
www.CDbaby.com.
"Think piano music is boring? Then you haven't heard Larry McDonough's rendition of Layla,' or Linus and Lucy' from the Charlie Brown Christmas special."
Christina Eberhard, Winona Daily News.
was a regular on the Twin Cities jazz scene in the late 1970s and early
1980s. He then cut back on public performances to raise three young
daughters. McDonough reentered the jazz scene in the late 1990s,
first with the jazz fusion group Bozo Allegro, and then on his
own with his critically acclaimed solo piano CD, "Small Steps."
Marcia Wellstone Markuson, Mary McEvoy, Tom Lapic, and William McLaughlin, it benefits Wellstone Action, a tax-exempt organization formed to carry on their work. It includes original music, as well as arrangements of jazz, popular, religious, and historical music in different times signatures and harmonies, such as "Amazing Grace" and "My Favorite Things" in 5/4, and "We Shall Overcome" (with vocals) and "Star Spangled Banner" as jazz ballads.
In addition to his solo performances, he also appears with his group, which performs jazz in odd meters. Selections include "My Favorite Things" following the Coltrane version but in 5/4 time, Dame la Mano" (aka "Red River Valley"), "Nature Boy" and "Cantaloupe Island" in 7/4 time, A Rose for Two", an original written along with kids with disabilities in a Bill Evan's style, and God Bless America", "Take the A Train" and "Aja" in 5/4 time.
Reviewers have compared him to Dave Brubeck, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Ian Underwood, Bill Evans, Chick Corea, John Fahey, Herbie Hancock, Patricia Barber, and Claude Debussy.
McDonough also composes and arranges music for school music programs, ranging from chamber groups to concert bands and jazz ensembles, focusing on exposing young musicians to jazz harmonies and rhythms, and uncommon time signatures.
