Pianist-composer Armen Donelian reemerges from the COVID-inspired shutdowns with a newly refined conception on both instrument and pen on "Fresh Start," just released April 1 on Sunnyside Records. The album is the recorded premiere of Donelian’s new trio featuring bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Dennis Mackrel.
Sidelined like all musicians by the worldwide pandemic, Donelian was further removed from performing when a shoulder injury left him temporarily unable to play the piano. Ever resourceful, the 71-year-old simply wrote new music instead, giving himself something to workshop when he regained his playing ability.
In neither capacity, though, was Donelian content to rest on his laurels. “The pandemic … was an opportunity for me to reexamine my approach to the piano and composing,” he says. It was in that spirit that he created the trio with Anderson, a longtime friend, and Mackrel, a new acquaintance (but a frequent bandstand partner of Anderson’s). He broadened his new approach to incorporate his collaborators.
“I was looking to deepen how we listen and interact with each other in a responsive way,” Donelian explains, “taking every particle of time as an opportunity to connect with and support each other, contributing in some way to a more beautiful sound.”
A more beautiful sound is certainly what they achieved. From the sweet sensitivity of Donelian’s album-opening “Noviembre” to the percussive “Madagascar” (featuring a dazzling Mackrel solo) to the giddy, rattling 7/4 of “Janet Left the Planet,” the ensemble provides ample evidence of their mastery and imagination, both as individuals and collectively.
Yet Donelian’s musical reboot is hardly a rejection of his place in the jazz tradition. Indeed, "Fresh Start" also offers a unique kind of contextualization for the leader. His five original compositions are joined by two pieces from the Great American Songbook—Harry Warren’s “Never Let Me Go” and Herb Magidson & Allie Wrubel’s “I’m Stepping Out with a Memory Tonight” (which marks Donelian’s vocal debut on record). Donelian also explores works connected to his own past and present. “Gale” and “Day Break” are compositions by two of his mentors, pianist Richie Beirach and saxophonist Makanda Ken McIntyre, respectively. In addition, composer Vatan Rajan Singh (“Ferry Maiden”) and Sophia Bondi (“In the Western Night”) are both former students of Donelian’s. The album thus establishes him as one important link in a long, rich chain.
Armen Donelian was born December 1, 1950 to a family of Armenian immigrants in New York City. He began studying piano at the age of seven, enrolling at the Westchester Conservatory of Music. At 12, he discovered jazz by way of a trad band led by noted studio guitarist Arthur Ryerson; Armen’s older brother played clarinet in the band, and he himself eventually became its pianist.
He studied music theory and composition at Columbia University—then entered a different sort of finishing school via the tutelage of Richie Beirach. The celebrated pianist was the first in a long line of musical mentors: Donelian soon found himself sharing bandstands with Mongo Santamaria, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, and Billy Harper. Throughout it all (though especially while in Harper’s band), he worked to develop his own sound, beginning a solo career in earnest with his 1981 trio debut "Stargazer" with Eddie Gomez and Billy Hart.
A dozen more albums followed over the next 30-odd years, including the acclaimed releases "Secrets" (his acclaimed 1988 album for Sunnyside), "All or Nothing at All" (2006), "Leapfrog" (2011) and "Sayat-Nova: Songs of My Ancestors" (2014).
Proud as he is of his accomplishments, Donelian nonetheless takes a thoughtful and critical approach to his music, leading to the kind of reassessment that characterizes "Fresh Start." “Instead of focusing on what I was playing, I was focusing more on how I was playing it, on touch, expression, and storytelling, allowing the sound to happen in its own way,” he says. “That was the main focus of this album.”
Donelian and his new trio will be performing this Spring at the following venues: 3/18 Hudson (NY) Hall; 3/19 Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, Nyack (NY); 4/24 Claverack (NY) Public Library; 5/22 Ossining (NY) Public Library; 5/27 Soapbox Gallery, New York City (NY). In addition, Donelian will reside at the Bucharest National University of Music (Romania) as a Fulbright Specialist 5/2-19.
Supporting Musicians: Jay Anderson, bass, received a bachelor's degree from California State University, Long Beach in 1978, then worked with Woody Herman (1978-1979), Carmen McRae (1979-1981), and a quartet led by Ira Sullivan and Red Rodney (1981-1986). Anderson remained with Rodney through 1992, also working with Michael Brecker during this time, and played with Toots Thielemans and Joe Sample for much of the 1990s. As a sideman, he played with Randy Brecker, Michael Brecker, Eliane Elias, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bennie Wallace, Brian Lynch, Bob Belden, Warren Bernhardt, Joey Calderazzo, Dave Stryker, Mike Stern, Chaka Khan, Terumasa Hino, Michel Legrand, Tiger Okoshi, Lynne Arriale, Bob Mintzer, George Cables, Paul Bley, Frank Zappa, Tom Waits, Dr. John, Rich Perry, Vic Juris, and Lee Konitz. He is a professor at Manhattan School of Music.
Dennis Mackrel, drums, attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, performing in the Imperial Palace and the Tropicana. In 1981, Mackrel moved to New York City Two years later on the personal recommendation of singer Joe Williams, Mackrel joined the Count Basie Orchestra remaining until 1987, the last drummer of that orchestra to be personally hired by Count Basie himself.
Soon, Mackrel subbed in the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. Shortly before Lewis died in February 1990, he asked Mackrel to take his place as the regular drummer for the band, which changed its name to the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Mackrel later became the drummer for Hank Jones, the American Jazz Orchestra, Carla Bley, Buck Clayton, George Shearing and Dizzy Gillespie. In 2010, he returned to lead the Count Basie Orchestra after the retirement of trombonist Bill Hughes until 2013 and in 2015 was named chief conductor of the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw based in Amsterdam, Holland.
Mackrel is recipient of an NEA composition grant (1983). He has penned pieces for McCoy Tyner (on the Grammy-winning The Turning Point and Journey), the WDR Radio Big Band of Cologne, the Klüvers Big Band of Denmark, the RIAS Big Band of Berlin.[2] the United States Military Academy at West Point's Jazz Knights Big Band, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra and the Temple University Jazz Ensemble.
Mackrel is an experienced jazz educator who conducts master classes, seminars and workshops throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States, performing with jazz ensembles of Eastman School of Music, Slippery Rock University, University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh, Northern Illinois University, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, University of Minnesota, Morris, New Trier High School, Sun Prairie High School, Western Illinois University, Southern Utah University, the Royal Conservatory of Music in Aarhus, Denmark, the University of Florida, Miami, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Elmhurst College, Michigan State University and many others. He is a professor at Queens College (NY).
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArmenDonelian/
http://www.jayandersonbass.com/
https://dennismackrelmusic.com/