Dave McKenna

David Jr. " ​​Dave" McKenna ( * May 30, 1930 in Woonsocket, Rhode Iceland, † October 18, 2008 in State College, Pennsylvania) was an American jazz pianist.

Life and work

McKenna learned already 7 years old piano. In the field of jazz, he is self-taught and gained his first experiences as a musician under Boots Must Ulli (1947 ), Charlie Ventura (1949) and Woody Herman ( 1950-51 ). After two years of military service, 1953-1954, which he spent in Korea, he was again a member Venturas strip. In the following years he worked with musicians such as Gene Krupa (1956 ), Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Eddie Condon, Bobby Hackett ( 1959 ), with the quartet he recorded critically acclaimed records like Blues With a Kick. In the 1970s, he came up with Bob Wilber and Pug Horton back to the international stage. In addition, he appeared again and again as a soloist at the piano bars of Massachusetts. In the 1980s, he toured with the supergroup, which also included Warren Vache and Scott Hamilton. October 18, 2008 McKenna died aged 78 as the result of lung cancer.

Dave McKenna played both as a leader and as a sideman on many albums and was admired as a pianist in outstanding small ensembles and as a soloist. He was one of the few major jazz musicians who were barely audible in Europe.

Character defining was his variety, the "Three -handed swing", in which he a rhythmically pronounced bass line of chords contrasting dotted with the left thumb, and the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, which was umwölbt of a melody line of the remaining fingers of the right hand.

Disco Graphical Notes

  • The Piano Scene of Dave McKenna with Johnny Drew, Osie Johnson, 1958
  • One Bass Hit ( Concord, 1979) with Scott Hamilton, Jake Hanna
  • Left Handed Compliment ( Concord, 1979)
  • Dancing in the Dark ( Concord, 1985)
  • A Handful of Stars ( Concord, 1992)
  • An Intimate Evening With Dave McKenna ( Arbors, 2002)

Lexigraphischer entry

  • Ian Carr, Digby Fairweather, Brian Priestley: Jazz Rough Guide. Stuttgart 1999
  • Richard Cook & Brian Morton: The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings, 8th Edition, London, Penguin, 2006 ISBN 0-141-02327-9
Woonsocket (Rhode Island) Rhode Island Scott Hamilton (musician) Richard Cook (journalist) Brian Morton (Scottish writer) Integrated Authority File
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