Ian McDonald (musician)
Encyclopedia
Ian McDonald is an English
multi-instrumental
musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock
group King Crimson
, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock
band Foreigner
in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician
, predominantly as a saxophonist. He also plays flute, vibraphone
, keyboards and guitar.
, Middlesex
, McDonald served five years in the Army
as a bandsman. His music talent ranged from classical orchestra
to dance bands to rock
. In 1969, he was in King Crimson
's initial line up, which recorded their first album In the Court of the Crimson King
. McDonald and drummer Michael Giles
departed and formed a spin-off group that released one album titled McDonald and Giles
. He re-appeared in King Crimson in 1974 and intended to rejoin the band as a full member but did not get the opportunity to do so given Fripp's decision to split the group.
He became a founding member of the band Foreigner
in 1976, for whom he played guitar as well as his woodwinds and keyboards. He has been a session musician and appeared in the recording of the hit single "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" by T. Rex
, and recordings by Linda Lewis, Christine Harwood amongst others. He also has some production credits to his name, including albums by Fruupp, Darryl Way's Wolf and Fireballet. In 1999, he released a solo album, Drivers Eyes.
In 1997, the release of the King Crimson four CD
set Epitaph, consisting of rare live recordings of the 1969 version of King Crimson, renewed interest in the early Crimson material. Out of that interest, the 21st Century Schizoid Band
was formed in 2002 and several tours and live albums have followed. The band includes former King Crimson members Michael Giles (drums and percussion), Peter Giles (bass), McDonald (sax, flute, keyboards), Mel Collins
(alto/tenor sax, flute, keyboards) and also Jakko Jakszyk
from Level 42
on guitar and lead vocals. After the first tour Michael Giles was replaced with another former King Crimson drummer Ian Wallace
, who has since died.
McDonald has contributed saxophone and flute to several tracks on Judy Dyble
's 2009 release, Talking With Strangers
. The album sees McDonald reunited with former King Crimson
bandmate Robert Fripp
on the 20 minute Harpsong.
On 28 July 2009, McDonald made a guest appearance with Asia
during their opening set for Yes
at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Philadelphia. McDonald played flute, clarinet, saxophone and sang backing vocals for "In the Court of the Crimson King" and also returned for the encore to sing backing vocals for "Heat of the Moment."
On May 14, 2010 (Sherman Theatre, Stroudsburg, PA) and May 15, 2010 (Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, Atlantic City, NJ), Ian made guest appearances during "An Intimate Evening With Keith Emerson and Greg Lake." Played flute and shared lead vocals/vocal harmonies with Greg Lake on "I Talk To The Wind" while playing solo flute on "Lucky Man". For these two songs, it was essentially "Emerson, Lake & McDonald."
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
multi-instrumental
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, predominantly as a saxophonist. He also plays flute, vibraphone
Vibraphone
The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, keyboards and guitar.
Biography
Born in OsterleyOsterley
Osterley is a district in the London Borough of Hounslow in west London. It is situated approximately west south-west of Charing Cross.Osterley lies north of the A4 and extends further northwards beyond the M4 Motorway...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, McDonald served five years in the Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a bandsman. His music talent ranged from classical orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
to dance bands to rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. In 1969, he was in King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
's initial line up, which recorded their first album In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the British progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached No. 5 on the British charts, and is certified gold in the United States....
. McDonald and drummer Michael Giles
Michael Giles
Michael Giles is an English drummer, best known as a co-founder of King Crimson in 1969...
departed and formed a spin-off group that released one album titled McDonald and Giles
McDonald and Giles
McDonald and Giles is an album of music released by British musicians Ian McDonald and Michael Giles in 1971. The album was first issued on Island Records in the U.K. and in the U.S. as Cotillion Records , a division of Atlantic Records. The album was recorded at Island Studios between May and...
. He re-appeared in King Crimson in 1974 and intended to rejoin the band as a full member but did not get the opportunity to do so given Fripp's decision to split the group.
He became a founding member of the band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
in 1976, for whom he played guitar as well as his woodwinds and keyboards. He has been a session musician and appeared in the recording of the hit single "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" by T. Rex
T. Rex (band)
T. Rex were a British rock band, formed in 1967 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan. The band formed as Tyrannosaurus Rex, releasing four folk albums under the name...
, and recordings by Linda Lewis, Christine Harwood amongst others. He also has some production credits to his name, including albums by Fruupp, Darryl Way's Wolf and Fireballet. In 1999, he released a solo album, Drivers Eyes.
In 1997, the release of the King Crimson four CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
set Epitaph, consisting of rare live recordings of the 1969 version of King Crimson, renewed interest in the early Crimson material. Out of that interest, the 21st Century Schizoid Band
21st Century Schizoid Band
21st Century Schizoid Band are a King Crimson alumnus group formed in 2002.The name derives from the famous song "21st Century Schizoid Man" from the first King Crimson album, In the Court of the Crimson King...
was formed in 2002 and several tours and live albums have followed. The band includes former King Crimson members Michael Giles (drums and percussion), Peter Giles (bass), McDonald (sax, flute, keyboards), Mel Collins
Mel Collins
Mel Collins is a British saxophonist and flautist and session musician.He has worked in a wide variety of contexts ranging from R&B and blues rock to jazz, but is perhaps known for his work in progressive rock, as with King Crimson, Camel and the Alan Parsons Project.-Career:Collins has worked...
(alto/tenor sax, flute, keyboards) and also Jakko Jakszyk
Jakko Jakszyk
Jakko M. Jakszyk is an English guitarist, singer-songwriter , multi-instrumentalist and producer...
from Level 42
Level 42
Level 42 are an English pop rock and jazz-funk band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s.The band gained fame for their high-calibre musicianship—in particular that of Mark King, whose percussive slap-bass guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the...
on guitar and lead vocals. After the first tour Michael Giles was replaced with another former King Crimson drummer Ian Wallace
Ian Wallace (drummer)
Ian Russell Wallace was a rock and jazz drummer, most visible as a member of progressive rock band, King Crimson from 1971 to 1972; but known best in the musical community with his contributions as a session musician on his drum kit.-Early years:Wallace formed his first band, The Jaguars, at...
, who has since died.
McDonald has contributed saxophone and flute to several tracks on Judy Dyble
Judy Dyble
Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble , is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she was very briefly with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which evolved into...
's 2009 release, Talking With Strangers
Talking with Strangers
Talking with Strangers is a 2009 album by Judy Dyble featuring Robert Fripp, Ian McDonald, Julianne Regan, Simon Nicol, Tim Bowness, Jacqui McShee, Pat Mastelotto, Alistair Murphy, Celia Humphris, Laurie A'Court, Rachel Hall, Mark Fletcher, and Harry Fletcher.The album features a near 20-minute...
. The album sees McDonald reunited with former King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
bandmate Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
on the 20 minute Harpsong.
On 28 July 2009, McDonald made a guest appearance with Asia
Asia (band)
Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a supergroup as it included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely John Wetton , Geoff Downes , Steve Howe and Carl Palmer Asia are an English rock group formed in 1981. The band was labelled a...
during their opening set for Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
at the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, Philadelphia. McDonald played flute, clarinet, saxophone and sang backing vocals for "In the Court of the Crimson King" and also returned for the encore to sing backing vocals for "Heat of the Moment."
On May 14, 2010 (Sherman Theatre, Stroudsburg, PA) and May 15, 2010 (Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, Atlantic City, NJ), Ian made guest appearances during "An Intimate Evening With Keith Emerson and Greg Lake." Played flute and shared lead vocals/vocal harmonies with Greg Lake on "I Talk To The Wind" while playing solo flute on "Lucky Man". For these two songs, it was essentially "Emerson, Lake & McDonald."
With King Crimson
- In the Court of the Crimson KingIn the Court of the Crimson KingIn the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the British progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached No. 5 on the British charts, and is certified gold in the United States....
(1969) - Epitaph (1969 live recordings, released 1997)
- RedRed (King Crimson album)Red is a 1974 album by progressive rock group King Crimson.It was their last studio recording of the 1970s and the last before the lead member Robert Fripp temporarily disbanded the group....
(1974) (played alto saxophone, but as a session musicianSession musicianSession musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
)
With Foreigner
- Foreigner (1977)
- Double Vision (1978)
- Head GamesHead GamesHead Games is the third studio album by Anglo American rock band Foreigner, released in 1979. The album charted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and has sold over five million copies in the US alone. It is perhaps as famous for its album cover, depicting a worried young woman in a men's...
(1979)
With Steve Hackett
- Genesis Revisited (1997)
- The Tokyo TapesThe Tokyo TapesThe Tokyo Tapes is a live Steve Hackett album featuring a progressive rock supergroup lineup of John Wetton from King Crimson, UK and Asia; Chester Thompson from Weather Report, Frank Zappa and Genesis live; Ian McDonald, also from King Crimson, and Foreigner; and rounded out by keyboards man...
(1998) - DarktownDark Town (album)Darktown is the 1999 album from British Musician Steve Hackett.-Track listing:#"Omega Metallicus" – 3:48#"Darktown" – 4:59#"Man Overboard" – 4:17#"The Golden Age of Steam" – 4:09...
(1999)
With 21st Century Schizoid Band
- Official Bootleg V.1Official Bootleg V.1Official Bootleg V.1 is the first CD release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It features the band playing in the studio songs they had previously performed in King Crimson.-Track list:...
(2002) - Live in JapanLive in Japan (21st Century Schizoid Band album)Live in Japan is the second "Official Bootleg" release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It was released on CD and DVD, the DVD containing the extra tracks "Tomorrow's People" and "If I Was", as well as bonus features.-Track listing:...
(2003) - Live in JapanLive in Japan (21st Century Schizoid Band album)Live in Japan is the second "Official Bootleg" release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It was released on CD and DVD, the DVD containing the extra tracks "Tomorrow's People" and "If I Was", as well as bonus features.-Track listing:...
(2003) (DVD) - Live in Italy (2003)
- Pictures Of A City — Live in New York (2006)
As producer (and guest instrumentalist)
- Linda LewisLinda LewisLinda Lewis is an English vocalist, songwriter and Guitarist. Lewis is the oldest of six children two of whom also had singing careers...
Say No More (1971) - T Rex "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" (1972)
- Darryl Way's Wolf Canis Lupus (1973)
- FruuppFruuppFruupp, who formed in early 1971, were an early 1970s progressive rock band, which originated in Northern Ireland, but developed a fan base in Britain. They released several albums, including Future Legends , Seven Secrets , The Prince of Heaven's Eyes , and Modern Masquerades...
Modern Masquerades (1974) - Keith ChristmasKeith ChristmasKeith Christmas is an English singer and songwriter. In 1969 his first album Stimulus was released...
Brighter Day (1974) - Fireballet Night on Bald Mountain (1975)
- Ian LloydIan Lloyd (musician)Ian Lloyd is an American rock singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the band Stories, whose single "Brother Louie" was No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 chart in 1973. Lloyd attended Hartwick College during the 1960's where he performed with a band called "The Section" using the...
Ian Lloyd (1976) - Steve TaylorSteve TaylorRoland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
On the Fritz (1985) - Park Stickney Action Harp Play Set (2000)
- Judy DybleJudy DybleJudith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble , is an award winning British singer/songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she was very briefly with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which evolved into...
Talking With Strangers (2009)