The Larry McDonough Quartet (LMQ)
released its first DVD, Live at Music Connection
(DVD for TV, PC and Itunes) in April 2012
at Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant,
1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis,
612-332-1010, http://dakotacooks.com/.
The Dakota said: “‘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’
–Andrea Canter. One of the most unique voices in the local jazz scene, Larry McDonough is an exceptional pianistic talent. His original music and odd-meter versions of jazz standards have kept him in demand since the 1970s. McDonough scaled back his performing and recording in the 90?s to raise a family and earn a law degree, and is now finding that perfect balance between work, family, and music. He has released several recordings with different ensembles over the past few years, and his live shows with his quartet are as transcendent as ever. ‘They play in a very open fashion where all you want to do is kick back, relax, and let the music take you away to a place untraveled.’ -John Book.” http://dakotacooks.com/event/larry-mcdonough-quartet-dvd-release/
Live at Music Connection contains the first television performance of the Larry McDonough Quartet, recorded by Baby Blue Arts at Minnesota Connection in Edina, Minnesota, for viewing on public television stations around the country, and on line at http://www.babybluearts.com. LMQ performs two pieces first released on the Simple Gifts CD, two new ones penned by McDonough, and one holiday song.
For Ode to Joy, recorded on Simple Gifts, McDonough arranged the Beethoven piece in the style of a Bill Evans waltz, with the A section over a C pedal and the B section over a G pedal. It starts quietly with each solo increasing in intensity, culminating in the Draper’s drum solo, and then back to the B section. On YouTube, goto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4h6AplVirI.
A Rose for Two is from the Fingersteps Project, in which compositions are based on melodies written by children with disabilities with adaptive computer equipment. The piece is based on melodies written by McDonough’s daughter Rosie, and Jennifer and Patrick, children of Fingersteps creator Dan Moffatt. Rosie wrote the A section melody, Jennifer and Patrick wrote the B section melody, and McDonough placed them over shifting minor harmonies and a 5/4 meter, with a free improvisational section in the middle of the piece.
McDonough wrote Lady Day based on the Frank Reed poem about Billie Holiday thinking back over her career, matching the melancholy of the beginning with minor-major 7th harmonies, the hopefulness of the middle with major 9th sharp 11ths, and the uncertainty of the ending with the original harmonies. McDonough first sang Lady Day on Simple Gifts, with his vocals have been likened to Chet Baker (Hrayr Attarian, All About Jazz; John Ziegler, KUMD Radio).
Sirocco is the name of a hot east wind blowing from Northern Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe. McDonough put it in 7/4 time with 7 bar phrases, with a “hot” A section and “cool” B section to simulate the sirocco winds. LMQ performs a short version of Sirocco behind the credits, with the full piece included as a bonus. On YouTube, goto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_aGSOpSn-Q.
Finally, on Angels We Have Heard on High, McDonough recasts the holiday favorite in a rolling 7/4 time, with Terrill playing the melody on soprano at the beginning and McDonough singing on the way out. On YouTube, goto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzfRk92PqFM.
Also included is the introduction by BBA host Laurie Patton, and her interview with McDonough about LMQ, and A Rosie for Two in particular.
Legal Aid lawyer and law professor Larry McDonough was selected by William Mitchell College of Law as one of "100 Who Made a Difference" over the 100 year history of the school. He also is a St. Paul jazz pianist and singer, 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.
Sax player and Minnesota State University Mankato English Professor Richard Terrill received the 2004 Minnesota Book Award for Poetry, for his poetry compilation “Coming Late to Rachmaninoff” (University of Tampa Press, 2003). Richard Terrill, tenor sax, has been performing with Larry McDonough since December 2001. He also has performed with guitarist Jim McGuire and with Chaz Draper's Uptown Jazz Quartet. As a college student, Terrill was a member of the award winning University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Jazz Ensemble, and performed with later-to-be Pat Metheny keyboardist Lyle Mays in the Lyle Mays Quartet, winner of small group honors at the Midwest College Jazz Festival. He has also worked with pianist Geoff Keezer. He teaches creative writing at Minnesota State University, Mankato. http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Dick.html
Bassist, Mingus stylist and Minnesota State University Mankato Philosophy Professor Craig Matarrese Craig Matarrese moved to Mankato after playing bass in Chicago and Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, over seven years. He has performed with Ron Bridgewater, Jeff Helgesen, Thomas Wirtel, Morgan Powell, Tim Green, and others, and studied with bassist Scott Mason in Chicago. He studied music and philosophy as an undergraduate at Northwestern University and went on to get his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Craig.html
Drummer Chaz Draper played his first professional gig in the sixties and has been playing ever since. Gigs have included touring and recording on four continents. He has recorded or performed with Freddie Frederick Orchestra, Joe Schultz, Mamie Van Doren, Michael Johnson, Lawrence Welk, Billy Preston, Free and Easy, Helen O'Connell, Billy Barber, Flym Johnson, Aura, Myron Florin, Rise and Shine, Uptown Jazz Quartet, Mankato Symphony Orchestra, James Darren, Smokescreen, and the Minnesota State Band, and has taught at Bethany College. Andrea Canter, Jazz Police, said of him: “propulsive percussion that suggested the drum kit had suddenly doubled in size.” http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Chaz.html
Credits:
The Larry McDonough Quartet
Larry McDonough, Piano, Voice, Compositions and Arrangements;
Richard Terrill, Tenor and Soprano Saxes;
Craig Matarrese, Bass; and Chaz Draper, Drums
Baby Blue Arts Video Team, http://www.babybluearts.com/
Laurie Patton, Bruce Lehrer and Dick Erickson
Filmed and recorded at Music Connection, Edina, MN,
Cover photo: Carol Bergquist
Duplication: Copy Cats, http://www.copycatsmedia.com/
© 2012 LM Jazz and Baby Blue Arts
Live at Minnesota Connection is available for purchase for $10, with proceeds going to Baby Blue Arts to support its work; or for free with the purchase of other Larry McDonough CDs, http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Recordings.html.
To order, go to http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Ordering.html.
Contact Larry McDonough at:
Cell: 651-398-8053
mcdon056@umn.edu
