Ron McClure
Encyclopedia
Ron McClure a bassist
, has played in hard bop, jazz-rock, and free and bebop
sessions and bands.
He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass. McClure studied privately with Joseph Iadone and, later, with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky
.
McClure attended the Hartt School of Music, graduating in 1963 and worked in the Buddy Rich
Sextet the same year. He then joined
Maynard Ferguson
's big band and, afterwards, Herbie Mann
in 1964;
and then assumed the bass chair in the Wynton Kelly
Trio vacated by the late Paul Chambers
in 1965 (playing behind guitarist Wes Montgomery
).
From 1966 to 1969 he was a member of Charles Lloyd's "classic quartet" together with pianist Keith Jarrett
and drummer Jack DeJohnette
, which was voted "Group of the Year" in 1967 by Downbeat Magazine.
In 1970, together with pianist-composer Mike Nock
, drummer Eddie Marshall
and violinist Michael White, he co-founded the jazz-rock group "The Fourth Way". He also participated in Carla Bley
's innovative album, "Escalator Over The Hill
".
During the 1970s, McClure worked with saxophonist Joe Henderson
, with whom he joined Blood, Sweat & Tears
. Henderson left before recordings were made but McClure performed on three albums: Mirror Image, New City, Live And Improvised. Henderson and McClure recorded four joint albums.
In the 1980s, McClure joined Quest
, led by saxophonist Dave Liebman
, which also included drummer Billy Hart
and pianist Richie Beirach
. He also recorded a duo album with pianist Michel Petrucciani
. McClure's major engagements in the 1990s through the
early 2000s were with Lee Konitz
, and then with the reassembled Quest.
McClure has done sessions as a leader for Ode, Bellaphon, EPC, Steeplechase,
and Ken Music. His solo output include the contributions of John Scofield
,
John Abercrombie
, Vic Juris
, Richie Beirach and Randy Brecker
, amongst other distinguished jazz musicians.
With Charles Lloyd
With Julian Priester
With George Russell
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, has played in hard bop, jazz-rock, and free and bebop
Bebop
Bebop differed drastically from the straightforward compositions of the swing era, and was instead characterized by fast tempos, asymmetrical phrasing, intricate melodies, and rhythm sections that expanded on their role as tempo-keepers...
sessions and bands.
He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass. McClure studied privately with Joseph Iadone and, later, with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky
Don Sebesky
Don Sebesky is an American jazz trombonist and arranger.-Biography:Sebesky trained in trombone at the Manhattan School of Music; in his early career, he played with Kai Winding, Claude Thornhill, Tommy Dorsey, Warren Covington, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton...
.
McClure attended the Hartt School of Music, graduating in 1963 and worked in the Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
Sextet the same year. He then joined
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
's big band and, afterwards, Herbie Mann
Herbie Mann
Herbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
in 1964;
and then assumed the bass chair in the Wynton Kelly
Wynton Kelly
Wynton Kelly was a Jamaican-born jazz pianist, who spent his career in the United States. He is perhaps best known for working with trumpeter Miles Davis from 1959-1962.-Biography:...
Trio vacated by the late Paul Chambers
Paul Chambers
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers, Jr. was a jazz bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, his importance in the development of jazz bass can be measured not only by the length and breadth of his work in this short period but also his impeccable time, intonation, and virtuosic...
in 1965 (playing behind guitarist Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
).
From 1966 to 1969 he was a member of Charles Lloyd's "classic quartet" together with pianist Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett
Keith Jarrett is an American pianist and composer who performs both jazz and classical music.Jarrett started his career with Art Blakey, moving on to play with Charles Lloyd and Miles Davis. Since the early 1970s he has enjoyed a great deal of success in jazz, jazz fusion, and classical music; as...
and drummer Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette
Jack DeJohnette is an American jazz drummer, pianist, and composer. He is one of the most influential jazz drummers of the 20th century, due to extensive work as leader and sideman for musicians like Miles Davis, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett and Sonny...
, which was voted "Group of the Year" in 1967 by Downbeat Magazine.
In 1970, together with pianist-composer Mike Nock
Mike Nock
Mike Nock is a jazz pianist, currently based in Australia. He began studying piano at 11 and by 18 was performing in Australia. He headed a trio that toured England in 1961 and then attended Berklee College of Music...
, drummer Eddie Marshall
Eddie Marshall
Edwin "Eddie" Marshall was an American jazz drummer.-Biography:Marshall was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He played in his father's swing group and in R&B bands while in high school. He moved to New York City in 1956, developing his percussion style under the influence of Max Roach and Art...
and violinist Michael White, he co-founded the jazz-rock group "The Fourth Way". He also participated in Carla Bley
Carla Bley
Carla Bley, née Borg, is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and band leader. An important figure in the Free Jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera Escalator Over The Hill , as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other...
's innovative album, "Escalator Over The Hill
Escalator over the Hill
Escalator over the Hill is mostly referred to as a jazz opera, but it was released as a "chronotransduction" with "words by Paul Haines, adaptation and music by Carla Bley, production and coordination by Michael Mantler", performed by the Jazz Composer's Orchestra.-History:Escalator over the Hill...
".
During the 1970s, McClure worked with saxophonist Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
, with whom he joined Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears is an American music group, originally formed in 1967 in New York City. Since its beginnings in 1967, the band has gone through numerous iterations with varying personnel and has encompassed a multitude of musical styles...
. Henderson left before recordings were made but McClure performed on three albums: Mirror Image, New City, Live And Improvised. Henderson and McClure recorded four joint albums.
In the 1980s, McClure joined Quest
Quest (band)
Quest are an American jazz band, which includes saxophonist Dave Liebman, pianist Richie Beirach, drummer Billy Hart, and, at various times, bassists George Mraz and Ron McClure.-Discography:* 1981: Quest* 1987: Quest 2...
, led by saxophonist Dave Liebman
Dave Liebman
Dave Liebman is an American saxophonist and flautist. In June 2010, he received a NEA Jazz Masters lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts.-Biography:...
, which also included drummer Billy Hart
Billy Hart
William "Billy" Hart is a jazz drummer and educator who has performed with some of the most important jazz musicians in history.-Biography:Early on Hart performed in Washington, D.C...
and pianist Richie Beirach
Richie Beirach
Richard "Richie" Beirach is a jazz pianist and composer born in New York City.He initially studied both classical and jazz before entering the Berklee College of Music....
. He also recorded a duo album with pianist Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani
Michel Petrucciani was a French jazz pianist.-Biography:...
. McClure's major engagements in the 1990s through the
early 2000s were with Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz is an American jazz composer and alto saxophonist born in Chicago, Illinois.Generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings...
, and then with the reassembled Quest.
McClure has done sessions as a leader for Ode, Bellaphon, EPC, Steeplechase,
and Ken Music. His solo output include the contributions of John Scofield
John Scofield
John Scofield , often referred to as "Sco," is an American jazz guitarist and composer, who has played and collaborated with Miles Davis, Dave Liebman, Joe Henderson, Charles Mingus, Joey Defrancesco, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Pat Martino, Mavis Staples, Phil Lesh, Billy Cobham,...
,
John Abercrombie
John Abercrombie (guitarist)
John Abercrombie is an American jazz guitarist, whose work often explores jazz fusion and post bop. Abercrombie has played with Billy Cobham, Jack DeJohnette, Michael Brecker and Randy Brecker...
, Vic Juris
Vic Juris
Victor E. Jurusz, Jr., known professionally as Vic Juris is an American jazz guitarist.Juris played with Lyn Christie early in the 1970s and made his first recordings with Eric Kloss in 1975. Soon after he joined Barry Miles 's group, remaining with Miles well into the 1980s...
, Richie Beirach and Randy Brecker
Randy Brecker
Randal "Randy" Brecker is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. He is a highly sought after performer in the genres of jazz, rock, and R&B, and has performed or recorded with Stanley Turrentine, Billy Cobham, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sandip Burman, Charles Mingus, Blood, Sweat & Tears,...
, amongst other distinguished jazz musicians.
Discography
With Carla BleyCarla Bley
Carla Bley, née Borg, is an American jazz composer, pianist, organist and band leader. An important figure in the Free Jazz movement of the 1960s, she is perhaps best known for her jazz opera Escalator Over The Hill , as well as a book of compositions that have been performed by many other...
- Escalator over the HillEscalator over the HillEscalator over the Hill is mostly referred to as a jazz opera, but it was released as a "chronotransduction" with "words by Paul Haines, adaptation and music by Carla Bley, production and coordination by Michael Mantler", performed by the Jazz Composer's Orchestra.-History:Escalator over the Hill...
(JCOA, 1971)
With Charles Lloyd
- Love-InLove-In-Track listing:# "Tribal Dance" - 10:20# "Temple Bells" - 2:58# "Is It Really the Same?" - 6:04# "Here, There and Everywhere" - 3:52# "Love-In" - 4:57# "Sunday Morning" - 8:11...
(Atlantic, 1967) - Journey WithinJourney Within (Charles Lloyd album)-Track listing:# "Journey Within" - 11:29 # "Love No. 3" - 5:37 # "Memphis Green" - 9:15# "Lonesome Child: Song/Dance" - 10:36*Recorded on January 27, 1967 at the Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, California-Personnel:...
(Atlantic, 1967) - Charles Lloyd in the Soviet UnionCharles Lloyd in the Soviet Union-Track listing:*Recorded on May 14, 1967 at Kalevi Sport Hall, Tallinn, Estonia, USSR-Personnel:*Charles Lloyd - tenor saxophone, flute*Keith Jarrett - piano*Ron McClure - bass*Jack DeJohnette - drums...
(Atlantic, 1967) - SoundtrackSoundtrack (Charles Lloyd album)-Track listing:# "Sombrero Sam" - 10:26 # "Voice in the Night - 9:06# "Pre-Dawn" - 2:34 # "Forest Flower '69" - 16:51*Recorded on November 15, 1968 at the Town Hall, NYC-Personnel:*Charles Lloyd - tenor saxophone, flute*Keith Jarrett - piano...
(Atlantic, 1968)
With Julian Priester
Julian Priester
Julian Priester is an American jazz trombonist and composer.He has played with many artists including Sun Ra, Max Roach, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock.-Biography:...
- Love, LoveLove, LoveLove, Love is an album by American jazz trombonist and composer Julian Priester Pepo Mtoto recorded in 1973 and released on the ECM label.-Reception:...
(ECM, 1973)
With George Russell
- Live in an American Time SpiralLive in an American Time SpiralLive in an American Time Spiral is a live album by George Russell released on the Italian Soul Note label in 1983, featuring performances by Russell with his New York Band recorded in 1982. The Allmusic review awarded the album 3 stars....
(Soul Note, 1983)