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Mike
LeDonne
To Each
His Own
(Double Time Records) DTRCD-135
Encounter, To
Each His Own, Movin' Along, The Pharaoh, Star-Crossed Lovers, My
Romance, Pretty Little One, Bleeker Street Theme
Mike LeDonne - Piano,
Peter Washington - Bass,
Mickey Roker - Drums
Oscar Peterson
"One of the most promising and talented pianists of this era...He is
incredible!"
Pianist Mike LeDonne
switches labels — from Criss Cross to Double-Time — and issues this
strong trio recording, joined by bassist Peter Washington and
veteran drummer Mickey Roker. LeDonne's lyrical, bop-oriented
expertise comes through on three originals, a vibrant "My Romance,"
two Strayhorn items (including a rhythmically spiced-up
"Star-Crossed Lovers"), and blues themes by Wes Montgomery ("Movin'
Along") and Cedar Walton ("Bleecker Street Theme"). The opening
"Encounter," based on "Love for Sale" changes, finds LeDonne
sounding quite a bit like Inception-era McCoy Tyner. — David R.
Adler
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Mike
LeDonne
Then & Now
(Double Time Records) DTRCD-153
Then and Now, The
Sorcerer, Trane Song, Schism, Round Midnight, Seeds, Continuum,
Insight, Little Millie’s Hat
Mike LeDonne - Piano,
Eric Alexander - Tenor Sax,
Jim Rotondi - Trumpet,
Peter Washington - Bass,
Joe Farnsworth - Drums
Downbeat -
Ted Panken
The pianists own statements could be called spontaneous
compositions...he spins out solos that unfold with a logic that
veils the formidable technique at their core."
Pianist Mike LeDonne
expands to a quintet and features mostly original material on his
second Double-Time release. The players represent the cream of New
York's neo-bop rat pack: tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trumpeter
Jim Rotondi, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth.
LeDonne's compositions generally draw upon sounds from decades past.
"Trane Song," for instance, is loosely based on Coltrane's
"Crescent"; "Insight" is strongly reminiscent of "Seven Steps to
Heaven"; "Seeds" and the title track feature the kind of charging,
hard bop frontline that Freddie Hubbard used to favor on his '60s
Blue Note albums. Interestingly, LeDonne's most original move is his
mid-tempo 6/4 arrangement of Herbie Hancock's "Sorcerer," a tune
usually played in a blistering four. More straightforward but
equally virtuosic is LeDonne's trio rendition of "'Round Midnight."
— David R. Adler
Throughout the history
of jazz there have been a sizable number of minor poets who have
contributed greatly to the richness of the music in all its styles
and genres. Such pianistic talents as Herbie Nichols and Elmo Hope,
to name just two, added much to the jazz legacy without gaining much
popular appeal in the process. This neglect of talent is still a
very viable reality today, with so many well-schooled players
fighting for what is and has always been a rather limited market. A
bit older than such name players as Mulgrew Miller and Geoff Keezer,
but younger than such legends as Tommy Flanagan and Hank Jones,
pianist Mike LeDonne has been a reliable commodity on the New York
scene for many years now without gathering much fame. His most
visible role has been as a member of Milt Jackson's band, but with
the new release of his seventh album as a leader (five for Criss
Cross and two for Double-Time) his own time in the spotlight has
clearly come.
It in no way takes anything from his past recordings to suggest that
Then & Now is LeDonne's masterwork. After just one hearing, it's
easy to infer that a deep and swinging experience was had by all and
that LeDonne plays a hell of a lot of piano. This set is also proof
that a musician doesn't need to fall into the display of avant garde
screams and hollers to be progressive and forward- thinking for, as
LeDonne and company prove, it is possible to advance the music while
still working within the tradition.
LeDonne has chosen his company well too, and this also accounts for
the splendid payoff. Tenor man Eric Alexander and trumpeter Jim
Rotondi have been in-sync front line partners for many years now, as
have been bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth. These
men eat up all of the creative twists and turns like a tasty
breakfast cereal and the program is composed entirely of LeDonne
originals save for substantial re-workings of Hancock's "The
Sorcerer" and Monk's "Round Midnight."
Duke Ellington always said that he tailored his writing to the
individual talents of his ensemble members and surely there must
have been something in that approach based on the evidence of his
recorded legacy. LeDonne too knows the benefits of such a strategy.
For instance, his "Trane Song" takes perfect advantage of the
yearning cry and manual dexterity that is at the heart of tenor
saxophonist Alexander's style and which certainly has its origins in
the work of John Coltrane. "Continuum" also makes a strong statement
over its 10- minute duration while never wearing out its welcome,
with Farnsworth providing a poly-rhythmic groove akin to Art Blakey
and Rotondi hitting the high notes with the clarity of a Freddie
Hubbard.
This is the second Double-Time release to appear from LeDonne in
just over an 18-month period, leading one to suspect that producer
Jamey Aebersold knows a good thing when he hears it. And as an added
footnote of interest for those with more of an inside knowledge of
the current scene, please notice that accomplished drummer and jazz
historian Kenny Washington takes on the role of assistant engineer
here alongside expert A.T. Michael McDonald (no wonder Farnsworth's
drums sound so good!) In addition, the insightful liner notes are
provided by Bill Charlap, an extraordinary and underappreciated jazz
pianist in his own right!
~ Chris Hovan
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Mike
LeDonne
Bags Groove
(Double Time Records) DTRCD-182
The Prophet,
Compassion, Reunion, Namesake, The Harem, Little Girl Blue, Sava
Bella, Bags Groove
Mike LeDonne - Piano, Jim Snidero -
Flute/Alto Sax, Steve Wilson -
Alto Sax,
Jim Rotondi - Trumpet,
Steve Davis - Trombone,
Steve Nelson - Vibes,
Bob Cranshaw - Bass,
Mickey Roker - Drums
Milt Jackson
"Playing with Mike LeDonne was a startling revelation. I was knocked
out."
On his third Double-Time
release, Mike LeDonne assembles an illustrious octet in honor of one
of his mentors, the late vibraphonist Milt Jackson. While the
arrangements and the band are polished, there's an inspired
simplicity and looseness to this date, making it one of LeDonne's
best. The pianist plays brilliantly, as usual, although this album
doesn't necessarily stress the piano, but rather the band texture as
a whole. Enlisting two guys named Jim (Jim Snidero, alto and flute;
Jim Rotondi, trumpet) and three named Steve (Steve Wilson, alto and
soprano; Steve Davis, trombone; Steve Nelson, vibes), LeDonne gives
these tunes a thickly and poetically harmonized treatment. (Veterans
Bob Cranshaw and Mickey Roker, on bass and drums respectively,
complete the lineup.) Highlights include Davis' dissonant
counter-line on the hip, Latin groove "Reunion," LeDonne's cunning
quote of the "Love Story" theme on "Sava Bella," and the remarkable
ensemble shadings heard on the standard "Little Girl Blue." In a
departure, LeDonne plays Hammond organ on the swinging "Namesake,"
which is a bit cluttered but quite energetic. Steve Nelson plays the
melody and solos first on the closing "Bags' Groove," as is fitting
on a record dedicated to bop's most influential vibraphonist. —
David R. Adler
Bags...in all his
glory...
Intermediate-sized jazz bands have always been interesting. Miles
Davis' 1949 Birth of the Cool Nonette set the stage for all
"little-big" bands. Pianist Mike LeDonne's tribute to Milt Jackson,
Bags Groove, is performed in this same vein. Ledonne assembles a
swinging little octet that effectively takes Jackson's better known
compositions and pieces associated with him on a little highway
driving. Everything is urbane and intelligent here, much in the same
spirit of the great vibraphonist himself. These are well-behaved
performances that do not dramatically re-harmonize anything. The
songs are rendered lovingly and with great respect while still
swinging so hard it will cause your eyes to cross.
It is interesting to hear these Jackson songs against a larger
backdrop than a quartet. Horns really expand the sonic topography of
the pieces that many listeners will be used to hearing the Modern
Jazz Quartet play. The added complexity in no way clouds the
original issues of blues, ballads, and soul. The use of organ and
trombone, particularly on "Namesake," very effectively telegraphs
the soulfulness of Bags' composing skills. While this is pianist
LeDonne's date, vibist Steve Nelson more than carries his weight on
the disc. "The Prophet," "Reunion," and "Bags Groove" all bear his
light touch and sensitive ear. This is another strong release from
Double-Time Jazz.
~ C. Michael Bailey
The survival of jazz as
a living art form depends on the transmission of essential
performance elements from one generation to the next, with the
proviso that youth eventually contribute something new to the
tradition rather than simply stay in place. Heeding all aspects of
this process, Bags Groove, Mike LeDonne’s homage to the late Milt
Jackson, is not your run-of-the-mill tribute record. A youthful
veteran conversant in a number of jazz styles, LeDonne spent several
years in the last of Jackson’s working bands. Utilizing seven of his
former employer’s compositions and one standard, the pianist’s
arrangements for an octet honor the master’s preoccupation with
adroit swing and blues feeling, while, at the same time,
establishing a separate, more personal identity.
Throughout the record LeDonne achieves an overall unified sound.
It’s a neat package with no rough edges, yet devoid of
predictability. On top there’s an airy, precise mélange which favors
the flute of Jim Snidero and Steve Wilson’s alto flute, as well as
trombonist Steve Davis, Jim Rotondi’s trumpet and flugelhorn, vibist
Steve Nelson, and Wilson’s soprano sax. Riffs and background themes
by various combinations of instruments enhance their solos, but are
seldom repeated as the soloists switch, giving the impression of
constant progress. Bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Mickey Roker,
both longtime associates of Jackson, nimbly move things along
without any commotion or excess. They generate a buoyant swing that
is rapidly becoming extinct, as the rhythmic emphasis of jazz
evolves into something harder, jarring, and more variegated.
Within self-imposed parameters consisting of short tracks and
limited blowing room for the band, LeDonne creates music that never
stands still. On tracks such as “The Prophet” and “Compassion,” his
comping invigorates the soloists, particularly Davis and Nelson.
LeDonne’s own turns frequently consist of long, sweeping arabesques
that evolve into funkier, more grounded lines. During “Reunion” he
effectively mixes Horace Silver-like patterns, rapid runs, and
Latin-motifs, and by altering his touch produces different textures.
His Hammond organ (keyboard only—no bass pedals) adds a jolt of
electricity to “Namesake” without muddying the ensemble’s refined
balance.
~ David A. Orthmann
"Mike LeDonne's talent
comes two fold on this excellent tribute to the unparalleled 20th
century master of the vibraphone. Ballads and Blues, Milt Jackson's
unchallenged forte, was shared with this youthful pianist from the
most insightful perspective: the bandstand. I can personally vouch
for this as Mike's predecessor in this special capacity as a former
member of many of the groups Milt lead over the years, excluding his
charter membership in MJQ, jazz's premier leaderless configuration."
"Mike exudes allegiance to the great master, providing special
treatments of many of Milt's best known works while effortlessly
exhibiting his own definitive style in the process. As a musician
who shared many great musical moments with the master I'm actually
blushing with pride and admiration."
Cedar Walton
DownBeat
LeDonne arranged seven Jackson originals and a favorite standard for
octet, which gets its propulsion from no-frills Jackson intimates
bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Mickey Roker, its tone color from a
horn and woodwinds section of four young vets with ensemble skills
to match their soloistic acumen, and much improvisational derring-do
from vibist Steve Nelson and the pianist. LeDonne’s riffs and
backgrounds make particularly effective use of flute and trombone, a
sound not unlike that achieved on Jackson's '50s Savoy dates with
Frank Wess and his '70s CTI collaboration with Hubert Laws.
Ted Panken
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