Ian Webb
England
Blues on Stage
Reprinted in Twin Cities Blues News
"St. Paul jazz pianist Larry McDonough has released a fascinating solo CD, Small Steps' is an album of unique music - three unique jazz arrangements, three unique arrangements of pop classics and two original pieces.
Each track was recorded in a single take in the studio, and together they form a fascinating whole. Larry's way of playing gives the music much depth, he seemingly plays solos' with either hand over a full range from bass to treble, with sections where both hands play, together, or opposed and sometimes as if in conversation.
This is a very modern jazz form, with the structural development of many themes giving the feeling of improvisation, while maintaining the player's desired focus. Though six of these tracks are covers of things you may know, don't expect them to sound anything like the originals.
The first track is a Chick Corea cover, Crystal Silence', it opens full of rich complex rhythms only giving way to a sparse theme which conjures up images of massive empty spaces interspersed with strange objects. An excellent arrangement of Linus and Lucy' is followed by the first wholly original track, Small Steps'. Written by Larry McDonough in response to Coltrane's Giant Steps', it is a fascinating piece full of surprising changes of pattern where each new facet of the music seems like another turn of a kaleidoscope, a related but very different pattern to the last.
Coreatown' an original composed by Mark Browning Milner is another strong piece, full of power and finesse, giving odd glimpses of familiar Chick Corea themes. The next track, a cover of Eric Clapton's Layla' has never sounded so different, the strong melodies can still be found, but only as part of a verdant tapestry of cross-themes and left and right hand competition.
The final track is All Blues', taken from the Miles Davis classic album Kind Of Blue'. It is almost certain that Miles could never have envisaged his classic track arranged in this way. It captures the essence of the original in terms of melody and mood, before disappearing off to explore diverse sub-plots, developing tempo, melody and harmony, before returning to the general mood of Miles' music.
This is an excellent album of very modern, near avante garde jazz, it is music to listen to, it really repays repeated playing. The album is at times thoughtful, introspective and thought provoking, as well as stimulating and above all very very good."
