Stan McDonald
Encyclopedia
Stanley Montrose "Stan" McDonald (born August 28, 1935) is a traditional jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophone
player.
McDonald was one of the founding members of the New Black Eagle Jazz Band in 1971. Ten years later, in 1981, he founded the Blue Horizon Jazz Band. He is considered one of the best players in the Sidney Bechet
tradition.
He made numerous recordings with the New Black Eagles. In 1973 the recording "On the River," was nominated for an Emmy Award.
McDonald was listed as one of the top five soprano saxophone players in the world in a 1985 Mississippi Rag poll. He has played with the likes of Ralph Sutton
, Tommy Benford
, Buzzy Drootin
, Ross Petot
, Sammy Price
, Benny Waters
, Doc Cheatham, Dick Wetmore
, Marty Grosz
and Scott Hamilton
.
In 2010, McDonald was the subject of a three part series entitled "Visiting Stan McDonald on Dave Radlauer's
award winning Jazz Rhythm radio series.
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
player.
McDonald was one of the founding members of the New Black Eagle Jazz Band in 1971. Ten years later, in 1981, he founded the Blue Horizon Jazz Band. He is considered one of the best players in the Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
tradition.
He made numerous recordings with the New Black Eagles. In 1973 the recording "On the River," was nominated for an Emmy Award.
McDonald was listed as one of the top five soprano saxophone players in the world in a 1985 Mississippi Rag poll. He has played with the likes of Ralph Sutton
Ralph Sutton
Ralph Earl Sutton was an American jazz pianist born in Hamburg, Missouri. He was a stride pianist in the tradition of James P. Johnson and Fats Waller....
, Tommy Benford
Tommy Benford
Thomas "Tommy" Benford was an African American jazz drummer.Tommy Benford was the younger brother of tuba player Bill Benford. He studied music at the Jenkins Orphanage located in South Carolina. He went on tour with the school band including traveling to England in 1914.In 1920, he was working...
, Buzzy Drootin
Buzzy Drootin
Benjamin "Buzzy" Drootin was a legendary jazz drummer. He played with some of the greatest leading jazz musicians for over sixty years....
, Ross Petot
Ross Petot
Ross Petot is an American ragtime, jazz and stride pianist and composer. He is considered the predominant stride piano player in all of New England....
, Sammy Price
Sammy Price
Sammy Price was an American jazz, boogie-woogie and jump blues pianist and bandleader. He was born Samuel Blythe Price, in Honey Grove, Texas, United States. Price was most noteworthy for his work on Decca Records with his own band, known as the Texas Bluesicians, that included fellow musicians...
, Benny Waters
Benny Waters
Benny Waters was a jazz saxophonist and clarinetist known, in part, for the longevity of his career....
, Doc Cheatham, Dick Wetmore
Dick Wetmore
Dick Wetmore was an American jazz and bebop violinist. He played several musical instruments including the cornet, trumpet and string bass...
, Marty Grosz
Marty Grosz
Martin Oliver "Marty" Grosz is an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, vocalist and composer born in Berlin, Germany, perhaps most notable for his work with Bob Wilber, performing with and doing arrangements for him. Grosz has also been involved in projects involving Kenny Davern, Dick Sudhalter and...
and Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton (musician)
Scott Hamilton is a jazz tenor saxophonist, born in 1954 and associated with swing and mainstream jazz.-Biography:He emerged in the 1970s and at the time he was considered to be one of the few musicians of real talent who carried the tradition of the classic jazz tenor saxophone in the style of...
.
In 2010, McDonald was the subject of a three part series entitled "Visiting Stan McDonald on Dave Radlauer's
Dave Radlauer
Dave Radlauer is the radio host of the five time award winning radio show Jazz Rhythm.Radlauer explores the works of well known and obscure musicians on his radio show Jazz Rhythm. In 2009 his show received its fifth award, that being a Gabriel Award. Radlauer plays traditional jazz music and...
award winning Jazz Rhythm radio series.
Discography
- A Real Strong Love
- I Remember When
- Inside Track
- Dawn of the Blue Horizon Jazz Band
- Banned in Boston
- Classic Jazz Variations
Sources
- The Mississippi RagThe Mississippi RagThe Mississippi Rag was an internationally influential monthly newspaper about traditional jazz and ragtime music published by Leslie Johnson since 1973....
, Playing It With Passion, by George A. Borgman, February 2003, pages 1-9.