A gifted jazz pianist and Hammond B-3 specialist, Mike LeDonne has
earned praise for his deeply swinging work with jazz greats, as well as
with his own trio and Groover Quartet. Arriving in New York in the early
'80s, LeDonne distinguished himself as a regular member of the Milt
Jackson Quartet, the Widespread Depression Orchestra, and as a sideman
with such legends as Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and Benny Golson.
Along with sessions for Joshua Redman, Jim Snidero, and Eric Alexander,
LeDonne has led his own highly regarded straight-ahead dates including
1988's Bout Time, 1993's Soulmates, and 2005's Night Song. He also leads
his own funky Hammond organ group the Groover Quartet with saxophonist
Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Joe Farnsworth,
issuing albums like 2010's The Groover and 2016's That Feelin'.
Born in 1956 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, LeDonne became fascinated by
music at a young age while listening to albums at his parent's music
store. His father, a guitarist, introduced him to jazz and got him
started on piano lessons at age five. By the age of ten, LeDonne was
already good enough to begin playing on his father's gigs. After high
school, he further honed his skills studying at Boston's New England
Conservatory of Music. Graduating in 1979, he moved to New York where he
played with the Widespread Depression Orchestra and toured the U.K.
with Panama Francis and the Savoy Sultans. Returning to New York in the
early '80s, he gained visibility as the house pianist at the noted jazz
club Jimmy Ryan's. There, he met and played with a bevy of jazz greats,
including Roy Eldridge, Papa Jo Jones, and Vic Dickenson, among others,
and toured as a member of the Benny Goodman sextet; he worked with such
luminaries as Buddy Tate, Ruby Braff, Art Farmer, James Moody, Dizzy
Gillespie, and Sonny Rollins, as well as singers like Annie Ross and
Etta Jones. In 1988, LeDonne joined the Milt Jackson Quartet and became
the band's musical director after Jackson's death in 1999.
As a leader, LeDonne began recording in 1988, debuting with the post-bop
album Bout Time on the Criss Cross label. It featured contributions by
trumpeter and flugelhornist Tom Harrell, baritone saxophonist Gary
Smulyan, bassist Dennis Erwin, and drummer Kenny Washington. Several
more albums followed on Criss Cross throughout the early and mid-'90s,
peaking with the sextet album Soulmates, a straight-ahead recording
which featured soloists such as alto saxophonist Jon Gordon, tenor
saxophonist Joshua Redman, and trumpeter Ryan Kisor. Also during this
period, there were sessions with Chris Flory, Duke Robillard, and
others.
LeDonne switched to the Double Time label in 1998, issuing To Each His
Own, a trio effort with bassist Peter Washington and veteran drummer
Mickey Roker. He then paid homage to his former boss, vibraphonist
Jackson, on 2001's Bags Groove: A Tribute to Milt Jackson, with
saxophonist Jim Snidero, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, altoist Steve Wilson,
vibraphonist Steve Nelson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Roker. With
2004's Smokin' Out Loud, LeDonne moved to Savant Records showcasing his
Hammond B-3 organ chops alongside tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander,
guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Sticking with
Savant, he returned a year later with Night Song, a trio date with
bassist Ron Carter and drummer Farnsworth. On Fire arrived in 2006 and
again showcased LeDonne's organ work with Alexander, Bernstein, and
Farnsworth. FiveLive followed in 2008 and featured the pianist in
concert at New York's club Smoke with Alexander, Farnsworth, bassist
John Webber, and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt.
In 2010, LeDonne continued exploring his love of organ jazz with The
Groover, featuring his long-running ensemble dubbed here as the Groover
Quartet with saxophonist Alexander, guitarist Bernstein, and drummer
Farnsworth. The same group was on board for 2011's Keep the Faith,
2014's I Love Music, and 2015's AwwlRIGHT!, the latter of which also
featured Bob Cranshaw and Jeremy Pelt. LeDonne then augmented his
Groover Quartet with saxophonist Vincent Herring for 2016's That
Feelin', and returned two years later with From the Heart. In 2019, he
paired with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash for the
trio date Partners in Time.
////////////
Un talentoso pianista de jazz y especialista en Hammond B-3, Mike
LeDonne ha ganado elogios por su trabajo de profundo swing con los
grandes del jazz, así como con su propio trío y Groover Quartet. Al
llegar a Nueva York a principios de los 80, LeDonne se distinguió como
miembro regular del Milt Jackson Quartet, la Widespread Depression
Orchestra, y como acompañante de leyendas como Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny
Rollins y Benny Golson. Además de las sesiones para Joshua Redman, Jim
Snidero y Eric Alexander, LeDonne ha dirigido sus propias y muy
apreciadas fechas de concierto, entre las que se incluyen Bout Time de
1988, Soulmates de 1993 y Night Song de 2005. También dirige su propio
grupo de órgano funky Hammond, el Groover Quartet, con el saxofonista
Alexander, el guitarrista Peter Bernstein y el baterista Joe Farnsworth,
publicando álbumes como The Groover de 2010 y That Feelin' de 2016.
Nacido en 1956 en Bridgeport, Connecticut, LeDonne quedó fascinado por
la música a una edad temprana mientras escuchaba los álbumes en la
tienda de música de sus padres. Su padre, un guitarrista, le introdujo
en el jazz y le hizo empezar a tomar clases de piano a los cinco años. A
los diez años, LeDonne ya era lo suficientemente bueno como para
empezar a tocar en los conciertos de su padre. Después de la escuela
secundaria, perfeccionó sus habilidades estudiando en el Conservatorio
de Música de Nueva Inglaterra en Boston. Tras graduarse en 1979, se
trasladó a Nueva York, donde tocó con la Widespread Depression Orchestra
y realizó una gira por el Reino Unido con Panama Francis y los Sultanes
de Saboya. Al regresar a Nueva York a principios de los años 80, se
hizo famoso como pianista invitado en el famoso club de jazz Jimmy
Ryan's. Allí conoció y tocó con un grupo de grandes del jazz, como Roy
Eldridge, Papa Jo Jones y Vic Dickenson, entre otros, y realizó una gira
como miembro del sexteto de Benny Goodman; trabajó con luminarias como
Buddy Tate, Ruby Braff, Art Farmer, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie y Sonny
Rollins, así como con cantantes como Annie Ross y Etta Jones. En 1988,
LeDonne se unió al Milt Jackson Quartet y se convirtió en el director
musical de la banda tras la muerte de Jackson en 1999.
Como líder, LeDonne comenzó a grabar en 1988, debutando con el álbum
post-bop Bout Time en el sello Criss Cross. En él participaron el
trompetista y fliscornista Tom Harrell, el saxofonista barítono Gary
Smulyan, el bajista Dennis Erwin y el baterista Kenny Washington. Varios
álbumes más siguieron en Criss Cross a principios y mediados de los 90,
alcanzando su punto máximo con el álbum del sexteto Soulmates, una
grabación directa que incluía solistas como el saxofonista alto Jon
Gordon, el saxofonista tenor Joshua Redman y el trompetista Ryan Kisor.
También durante este período, hubo sesiones con Chris Flory, Duke
Robillard, y otros.
LeDonne cambió al sello Double Time en 1998, publicando To Each His Own,
un esfuerzo en trío con el bajista Peter Washington y el veterano
baterista Mickey Roker. Luego rindió homenaje a su antiguo jefe, el
vibrafonista Jackson, en el Bags Groove de 2001: A Tribute to Milt
Jackson, con el saxofonista Jim Snidero, el trompetista Jim Rotondi, el
altoista Steve Wilson, el vibrafonista Steve Nelson, el bajista Bob
Cranshaw y el baterista Roker. Con Smokin' Out Loud de 2004, LeDonne se
trasladó a Savant Records mostrando sus chuletas de órgano Hammond B-3
junto con el saxofonista tenor Eric Alexander, el guitarrista Peter
Bernstein y el baterista Joe Farnsworth. Siguiendo con Savant, volvió un
año después con Night Song, una cita en trío con el bajista Ron Carter y
el batería Farnsworth. On Fire llegó en 2006 y volvió a mostrar el
trabajo de LeDonne en el órgano con Alexander, Bernstein y Farnsworth.
FiveLive le siguió en 2008 y presentó al pianista en un concierto en el
club Smoke de Nueva York con Alexander, Farnsworth, el bajista John
Webber y el trompetista Jeremy Pelt.
En 2010, LeDonne continuó explorando su amor por el organo jazz con The
Groover, presentando su larga trayectoria como cuarteto Groover con el
saxofonista Alexander, el guitarrista Bernstein y el baterista
Farnsworth. El mismo grupo estuvo a bordo de Keep the Faith de 2011, I
Love Music de 2014 y AwwlRIGHT! de 2015, este último también con Bob
Cranshaw y Jeremy Pelt. LeDonne aumentó su Groover Quartet con el
saxofonista Vincent Herring para That Feelin' de 2016, y volvió dos años
después con From the Heart. En 2019, se emparejó con el bajista
Christian McBride y el baterista Lewis Nash para la cita del trío
Partners in Time.
Tracklist
1 - One For Don -
2 - Delilah -
3 - After The Love Has Gone -
4 - You'll See -
5 - Superstar -
6 - Silverdust -
7 - French Spice -
8 - They Long To Be Close To You -
9 - Pisces Soul -
Credits:
Drums – Joe Farnsworth
Engineer, Mastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar – Peter Bernstein
Organ [Hammond B-3], Producer – Mike LeDonne
Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander
Label: Savant – SCD 2055
Released: 2004
Genre: Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/Mike-LeDonne-Smokin-Out-Loud/release/5331450
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