Try Something Different for Holiday Music ...
•“Scarborough Fair” in 7/4 time with new jazz harmonies
•“Silent Night” in a rolling 5/4 time with haunting minor harmonies,
•“Little Drummer Boy” as a slow acoustic funk with Vince Guaraldi harmonies,
•“Simple Gifts” in minor 7/4,
•“We Three Kings” in upbeat 5/4 time with Middle Eastern rhythms,
•“Angels We Have Heard on High” in 7/4 time,
•“Ode to Joy” as a Bill Evans waltz,
•“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” as a Paul Desmond-Dave Brubeck light swing, and
•“Linus and Lucy” and “O' Tannenbaum ( Oh Christmas Tree)” from A Charlie Brown Christmas but new and different
Sat. Dec. 15, 6-9 pm.
Larry McDonough, Jazz Piano and Voice
Black’s Ford, 862 East Lake Street, Wayzata, 952-473-2940
Mon. Dec. 31, 7-10 pm.
Larry McDonough, Jazz Piano and Voice, with Guitarist Joel Shapira,
Sage Wine Bar, 730 Main Street at Hwy 110 & Dodd Road, Mendota Heights, www.thesagemarket.us
Read the review by Andrea Canter of Jazz Police at http://www.jazzpolice.com/content/view/7384/115/
Expect a lot new from Larry McDonough, who will perform arrangements of pieces from McDonough’s new CD, “My Favorite Things: Odd Times for Jazz Ensemble, Orchestra and Concert Band,” a compilation of high school ensemble performances of McDonough’s original pieces,
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A Rose for Two in 5/4, from the Fingersteps Project, based on melodies written on computers by children with disabilities, including Larry’s daughter Rosie
A Rose for Two in 5/4, from the Fingersteps Project, based on melodies written on computers by children with disabilities, including Larry’s daughter Rosie•Namekagon, named after the Northern Wisconsin river, and based on the concept of Jobin melody, harmony and rhythm applied to the environment of North America
Namekagon, named after the Northern Wisconsin river, and based on the concept of Jobin melody, harmony and rhythm applied to the environment of North America•Tango para Maria Luiza in 9/4, dedicated to McDonough’s late aunt
Tango para Maria Luiza in 9/4, dedicated to McDonough’s late aunt•Sirocco in 7/4, named after the hot east wind blowing from Northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe, in 7/4 time with 7 bar phrases
Sirocco in 7/4, named after the hot east wind blowing from Northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe, in 7/4 time with 7 bar phrasesand arrangements of My Favorite Things in 5/4 and Summertime in 7/4. Sound clips are available at http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/MyFavoriteThings.html
McDonough also will perform pieces from the Larry McDonough Quartet “Simple Gifts” CD and earlier group and solo CDs.
“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
“Simple Gifts” represents the range of material performed by the Larry McDonough Quartet:
• odd meters (Simple Gifts and Dame la Mano in 7, Aja and My Favorite Things in 5, and Ode to Joy and They Can’t Take That Away from Me in 3)
• music based on melodies written by children with disabilities, including Larry daughter Rosie, through the Fingersteps Program, http://www.fingersteps.org, developed by Dan Moffatt (Elie’s Theme)
• other originals (Tuscarora and Lady Day)
• vocals (Simple Gifts, Lady Day, and They Can’t Take That Away from Me),
• reharmonization of pieces of faith (Simple Gifts and Ode to Joy)
• Broadway revisited (My Favorite Things and They Can’t Take That Away from Me)
• smooth (Aja and Elie’s Theme), and
• avant garde (My Favorite Things)
Larry McDonough 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. His last solo piano release, "Tuscarora: Short Stories for Jazz Piano," was dedicated to the memory of Paul and Sheila Wellstone and benefits Wellstone Action. Released locally in 2003, it now is in its national and international release, playing from around the country, and from Australia to the Netherlands. Each year McDonough also premiers compositions and arrangements for school orchestra and jazz ensembles in Minnesota and around the country. In April 2007 he was inducted into the Minnesota Rock Country Hall of Fame for his work in the group Danny’s Reasons. He also works as an attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, representing low income persons with housing and consumer problems, and teaches at three local law schools. http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Biography.html
McDonoughs other CDs include:
•"Tuscarora: Short Stories for Jazz Piano," solo piano and voice, dedicated to the memory of Paul and Sheila Wellstone and benefits Wellstone Action, playing from around the country, and from Australia to the Netherlands. 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. "Contemplative, but with a certain intensity that kept my ears perked. Larry's touch and choice of harmonies reminds me of standing outside on a clear, cold night and looking up at the stars." John Ziegler, KUMD Radio Program and Music Director.
"Tuscarora: Short Stories for Jazz Piano," solo piano and voice, dedicated to the memory of Paul and Sheila Wellstone and benefits Wellstone Action, playing from around the country, and from Australia to the Netherlands. 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. "Contemplative, but with a certain intensity that kept my ears perked. Larry's touch and choice of harmonies reminds me of standing outside on a clear, cold night and looking up at the stars." John Ziegler, KUMD Radio Program and Music Director.•Larry McDonough and Off Beat, “Live, Cooking at the Dakota.” McDonough and his first group, Off Beat's maiden voyage was broadcast live on Cooking at the Dakota on Jazz88, KBEM 88.5 FM Radio on July 30, 2001. Selections include Cantaloupe Island in 7/4 (Hancock), Small Steps (McDonough), Adagio for Strings (Barber), Linus and Lucy (Guaraldi), and Take the 5A Train in 5/4 (Ellington). "Some very cool music.... 'Off beat jazz classics,' just 4/4 music isn't good enough for [McDonough].... 5/4 and 7/4 ... have fun with it.... I love this 5/4 ['Take the 5A Train']. Do some more!" Lou Harvin, TPT Public Television.
Larry McDonough and Off Beat, “Live, Cooking at the Dakota.” McDonough and his first group, Off Beat's maiden voyage was broadcast live on Cooking at the Dakota on Jazz88, KBEM 88.5 FM Radio on July 30, 2001. Selections include Cantaloupe Island in 7/4 (Hancock), Small Steps (McDonough), Adagio for Strings (Barber), Linus and Lucy (Guaraldi), and Take the 5A Train in 5/4 (Ellington). "Some very cool music.... 'Off beat jazz classics,' just 4/4 music isn't good enough for [McDonough].... 5/4 and 7/4 ... have fun with it.... I love this 5/4 ['Take the 5A Train']. Do some more!" Lou Harvin, TPT Public Television.•“Small Steps,” McDonough’s first CD of solo piano jazz, includes unique arrangements of jazz classics (Miles Davis' "All Blues", Chick Corea's "Crystal Silence," and "Nature Boy", first performed by Nat King Cole and later George Benson), pop classics ("Linus and Lucy", Eric Clapton's "Layla", and The Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine"), as well as original pieces "Small Steps" and "Coreatown." "Wonderful, Herbie Hancock-Bill Evan-ish," Leigh Kamman, The Jazz Image. "He also exhibits echoes of McCoy Tyner ala My Favorite Things when Tyner was working with John Coltrane." T. Alexander, Pulse Of The Twin Cities.
“Small Steps,” McDonough’s first CD of solo piano jazz, includes unique arrangements of jazz classics (Miles Davis' "All Blues", Chick Corea's "Crystal Silence," and "Nature Boy", first performed by Nat King Cole and later George Benson), pop classics ("Linus and Lucy", Eric Clapton's "Layla", and The Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine"), as well as original pieces "Small Steps" and "Coreatown." "Wonderful, Herbie Hancock-Bill Evan-ish," Leigh Kamman, The Jazz Image. "He also exhibits echoes of McCoy Tyner ala My Favorite Things when Tyner was working with John Coltrane." T. Alexander, Pulse Of The Twin Cities."SimpleGifts" and “Tuscarora: Short Stories for Jazz Piano” are on the play list at KBEM Jazz 88.5 FM, Minneapolis. You can request them at anytime at 612-529-5236 or KBEM.Studio@mpls.k12.mn.us or koconnor@mpls.k12.mn.u and then listen at 88.5 FM or on the net at www.jazz88fm.com
They also are available locally at the Electric Fetus and Applause, and on iTunes:
