Larry McDonough is an award-winning St. Paul jazz composer, pianist, singer, and teacher, performing around the world and recording with his group the Larry McDonough Quartet as well as solo, and in duos and trios. He has performed with legendary saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, Trombonist Fred Wesley, and trumpeter Duane Eubanks, as well as a who’s who of local jazz artists, and was inducted into the Minnesota Rock Country Hall of Fame for his work in the group Danny’s Reasons. His awards include the American Composers Forum Showcase Award for the composition “Strait of Gibraltar.”
He has released eleven CDs and DVDs as a leader. His current CDs are “Kind of Bill on the Palace Grounds, Marking 40 Years since the Death of Bill Evans,” playing on jazz radio stations and streaming services around the country, and “Intermodulating Undercurrents Live at the Kos: The Music of Bill Evans and Jim Hall.” The two-CD set “Alice in Stonehenge and other AcoustElectric Adventures” has played on radio stations and streaming services around the world and charted #18 on the Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Jazz Album Chart. “Simple Gifts” reached number 29 on the CMJ Jazz Chart and also has been played on hundreds of stations around the country and throughout the world.
His other jazz projects include Fusebox (original jazz fusion trio) and Trios Trio (classic jazz). When not playing jazz, he performs jam fusion in Quantum Mechanics, funk in Funkin’ Right, classic rock in Whiskey Burn, indie-rock in HiFi, and punk in Saint Small.
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Larry McDonough has been performing for over 40 years. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in music education from the University of Minnesota in 1978, performing on piano and trumpet, and in school ensembles with Clark Terry and Thad Jones, and for President Nixon and the President of Mexico. He studied with Frank Bencriscutto, O’Neil Sanford, Ron Hassleman, Eric Stokes, Dominick Argento, David Baldwin, Steven Schultz, and Clem Volpe.
He played extensively in the Twin Cities in the 1970's and early 1980's, performing solo and in his own duos and trios. He regularly performed at the old Night Train club in the Como Avenue warehouse area, and at the Jax Restaurant. He also taught, and composed and arranged for high school band.
McDonough moved away in the earlier 1980's, and after returning a few years later, he performed primarily at private functions, including a performance for First Lady Hillary Clinton. He began playing jazz publicly again in the late 1990s, performing solo and in his own duos and trios, and with BOZO allegro. McDonough appeared on BOZO allegro's second CD, Relentlessly Cheerful.
His recent awards and selections include:
American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) Selection for Reading at the Summer Dialogue Conference, for the composition of I Will Overcome for choir (2015)
HFC Award for Best Composition for the composition Reason to Shine for the film Underland 2 (2014)
McDonough has performed with legendary saxophonist and composer Benny Golson, Trombonist Fred Wesley, and trumpeter Duane Eubanks. He also has performed with such groups and performers as the Wolverines; vocalists Patty Peterson, Shirley Witherspoon, Connie Olson, Diane Jarvi, and Vicki Mountain; bassists Bruce "Pooch" Heine, Tom Lewis, Tom Hubbard, Billy Peterson, Paul Peterson, Kevin Barnes, and Chuck Adams; guitarists Mike Elliott, Brian Barnes and Bill Bergmann; mandolin player Chris Silver; drummers Dave Stanoch, Dave Hagedorn, Phil Hey and Kevin Washington, and horn players Eric Leeds, Dave Jensen, Kathy Jensen, Phil Holm, Ruston Reynolds, Dave Hagner, and Jeff King; as well as cover bands Jules and the Mystics.
In 2007 he was inducted into the Minnesota Rock Country Hall of Fame for his work in the group Danny’s Reasons.
He now performs solo, in duos and trios, as well with his group, Larry McDonough Quartet. A former high school band director, he also works as an attorney providing pro bono legal services for low income persons and nonprofits. He has been recognized by the Minnesota Law and Politics as a "Super Lawyer," and by William Mitchell College of Law as one of "100 Who Made a Difference" over the 100 year history of the school. He is married to classical flutist Carol Bergquist.
