From the Small Steps Review Files

St. Paul jazz pianist Larry McDonough has released a fascinating solo CD, Small Steps, which is an album of unique music - three unique jazz arrangements, three unique arrangements of pop classics and two original pieces. Each track was recorded in a single take in the studio, and together they form a fascinating whole. Larry's way of playing gives the music much depth, he seemingly plays "solos" with either hand over a rull range from bass to treble, with sections where both hands play together or opposed and sometimes as if in conversation. This is a very modern jazz form, with the structural development of many themes giving the feeling of improvisation, while maintaining the player's desired focus. Though six of these tracks are covers of things you may know, don't expect them to sound anything like the originals.

The first track is a Chick Corea cover, "Crystal Silence, which opens full of rich complex rhythms only giving way to a spare theme which conjures up images of massive empty spaces interspersed with strange objects. An excellent arrangement of "Linus and Lucy" is followed by the first wholly original track, "Small Steps." Written by Larry McDonough in response to Coltrane's "Giant Steps," it is a fascinating piece full of surprising changes of pattern where each new facet of the music seems like another turn of a kaleidoscope, a related but very different pattern to the last. "Coreatown," an original composed by Mark Browning Milner, is another strong piece, full of power and finesse, giving odd glimpses of familiar Chick Corea themes. The next track, a cover of Eric Clapton's "Layla," has never sounded so different, the strong melodies can still be found, but only as part of a verdant tapestry of cross- themes and left and right hand competition. The final track is "All Blues," taken from the Miles Davis classic album Kind Of Blue. It is almost certain that Miles could never have envisaged his classic track arranged in this way. It captures the essence of the original in terms of melody and mood, before disappearing off to explore diverse sub-plots, developing tempo, melody and harmony, before returning to the general mood of Miles' music.

This is an excellent album of very modern, near avant garde jazz. It is music to listen to, it really repays repeated playing. The album is at times thoughtful, introspective and thought provoking, as well as stimulating and above all very, very good.

McDonough has style. Small Steps is all piano solos in which he interprets the likes of Chick Corea, Eric Clapton, The Beatles, and Miles Davis. McDonough may be covering these greats, but he has a flair that is all his own. He also exhibits echoes of McCoy Tyner ala My Favorite Things when Tyner was working with John Coltrane. Other times he has flashes of Ian Underwood when he was playing with Frank Zappa in the late '60's. On "Layla", the Clapton chestnut, McDonough dismantles the tune and gently sets the chunks spinning like plates on a stick. It is obviously that familiar tune, but it has golden gas threads of flats and sharps, minor sevenths all around it.

Along with this set is a tune from Kind Of Blue called "All Blues". On that album Davis rehearsed his quintet using some complicated numbers with tricky turnarounds only to scrap them for sparse, simple sketches to challenge his players to improvise on the day they were to record. McDonough achieves the feel that Bill Evans, Davis's piano player at the time, had set down. McDonough is a very strong player.

Alright, here's the question. Does being an attorney for Legal Aid and an accomplished jazz musician make you a Renaissance man? Well, I think it does. Larry McDonough certainly would qualify in my book.

[H]is warm and cozy new CD, Small Steps, ...features reworkings of such jazz standards as "All Blues", "Crystal Silence" and "Nature Boy", as well as Eric Clapton's "Layla" and a nimble, slowed-down take on Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" from A Charlie Brown Christmas.

RECOMMENDED: A thoughtful, provocative pianist who, ... like [Patricia] Barber -- turns familiar tunes inside out. Larry McDonough [plays] Chick Corea, Vince Guaraldi, Eric Clapton and Miles Davis pieces [on] his intriguing solo disc Small Steps.