Mike LeDonne | |
|---|---|
 Le donne in Denmark, 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Arthur LeDonne |
| Born | October 26, 1956 Bridgeport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Instrument(s) |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | |
Michael Arthur LeDonne (born October 26, 1956) is a jazz pianist and organist known for post-bop and hard bop. He has worked with Benny Golson since 1996 and performs under his own name all over the world.
LeDonne was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on October 26, 1956. [1] His parents ran a music store. [2] His father was a jazz guitarist, and LeDonne started performing locally around the age of ten. [1] He also had lessons with John Mehegan for four years. [1] After graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music where he studied with Jaki Byard in 1978, he moved to New York City and joined the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra. [1]
LeDonne left the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra in 1981 and toured the UK with Panama Francis and the Savoy Sultans [1] Back in New York, LeDonne became the house pianist at Jimmy Ryan's, where he played with some big names in jazz during 1981–83. [1] [2] He was also part of Benny Goodman's Sextet in 1982–83. [1]
LeDonne joined Milt Jackson's quartet around 1987; he also composed for and recorded with the band and eventually became musical director. He stayed with this quartet until Jackson's death in 1999. [1] [2] His first recording as a leader was in 1988. [2] It was released by Criss Cross, and LeDonne went on to record several more albums for this label in the 1990s. [2] "As a sideman he played in the Art Farmer–Clifford Jordan Quintet and toured Paris with Grady Tate (both 1988), performed with Charles McPherson (1992), James Moody (1992), Sonny Rollins (1995), and Benny Golson (late 1990s to the present), and served as an accompanist to Ernestine Anderson, Annie Ross and Mary Stallings." [1] In 1998, LeDonne began recording for Double-Time Records. [2] In 2000, LeDonne started his "Groover Quartet" (organ with guitar, drums and tenor sax) band as the result of a weekly Tuesday night gig at the Smoke Jazz Club in NYC. This brought his organ playing to prominence and the band went on to record many CD's for the Savant label as well as tour the world. He continues to split his time between the organ and the piano, releasing several #1 'jazz chart' recordings as well as winning the Downbeat Rising Star Poll and being nominated for Best Keyboards by the Jazz Journalist Association in 2012. As a sideman, he played organ with Lou Donaldson, George Coleman and David "Fathead" Newman.
In 2015 LeDonne organized the inaugural disability pride march in New York City. [3]
Grove wrote: "A level of understatement in LeDonne's style reflects the playing of Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan. Predominantly a bop pianist, he introduces a strong left hand into his work and reveals an understanding of swing piano playing". [1] Major influences also include Wynton Kelly, Cedar Walton and McCoy Tyner. His Hammond Organ playing shows influences ranging from Jimmy Smith, Don Patterson and Charles Earland to Melvin Rhyne and Larry Young.
| Year recorded | Title | Label | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 'Bout Time | Criss Cross | Quintet, with Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), Dennis Irwin (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) [4] |
| 1990 | The Feeling of Jazz | Criss Cross | Quintet, with Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), Dennis Irwin (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) [5] |
| 1990 | Common Ground | Criss Cross | Trio, with Dennis Irwin (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) [6] |
| 1993 | Soulmates | Criss Cross | Sextet, with Ryan Kisor (trumpet), Joshua Redman (tenor sax), Jon Gordon (alto sax), Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) [7] |
| 1995 | Waltz for an Urbanite | Criss Cross | Quintet, with Steve Nelson (vibraphone), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) [8] |
| 1998 | To Each His Own | Double-Time | Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) [9] |
| 1998 | Then & Now | Double-Time | Quintet, with Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Washington (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums); [10] released 2000 |
| 2001 | Bags Groove: A Tribute to Milt Jackson | Double-Time | Octet, with Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), Steve Wilson (alto sax, soprano sax), Jim Snidero (alto sax, flute), Steve Nelson, vibes), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) [11] |
| 2003 | Smokin' Out Loud | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [12] |
| 2004 | You'll See! (Live at The Cellar) | Cellar Live | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) |
| 2005 | Night Song | Savant | Trio, with Ron Carter (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [13] |
| 2006 | On Fire (Live at Smoke) | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [14] |
| 2007 | Five Live (Live at Smoke) | Savant | Quintet, with Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Eric Alexander (tenor sax), John Webber (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [15] |
| 2008 | Let It Go | GoFour | Blue Duo, with John Webber; released 2013 |
| 2009 | The Groover | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [16] |
| 2011 | Keep the Faith | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [17] |
| 2012 | Speak (Live at The Cellar) | Cellar Live | Trio, with John Webber (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums) |
| 2013 | I Love Music | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums) [18] |
| 2015 | Awwl Right! | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums); 3 tracks with guest: Jeremy Pelt (trumpet) added, 2 tracks with guest: Bob Cranshaw (bass) added [19] |
| 2016 | That Feelin' | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums); 3 tracks with guest: Vincent Herring (alto sax) added [20] |
| 2018 | From the Heart | Savant | Quartet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Joe Farnsworth (drums); 2 tracks with guest: Mike Clark (drums) added [21] |
| 2019 | Partners in Time | Savant | Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) [22] |
| 2021 | It's All Your Fault | Savant | LeDonne's Groover Quartet (3 tracks), with a 17-piece big band added (5 tracks) |
| 2023 | The Heavy Hitters | Cellar Live | Sextet, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Vincent Herring (alto sax), Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums) |
| 2024 | Wonderful! | Savant | LeDonne's Groover Quartet; with guest: Vincent Herring (alto sax), plus a gospel choir |
With Eric Alexander
With Paul Brusger
With Mike DiRubbo
With Chris Flory
With Benny Golson
With Wycliffe Gordon
With Scott Hamilton
With Michael Hashim
With Milt Jackson
With Clifford Jordan
With Hendrik Meurkens
With Alvin Queen
With Duke Robillard
With Scott Robinson
With Jim Rotondi
With Tad Shull
With Greg Skaff
With Gary Smulyan
With Jim Snidero
With Benny Waters
With Cory Weeds
With Laura Welland
With Saori Yano
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