picture of Mike LeDonne
photo by Gene Martin
Mike LeDonne
Mike LeDonne was born in Bridgeport Connecticut in 1956. He was raised in his parent's music store and by the age of 10 his father, a jazz guitarist, began booking him on gigs. At age 21, Mike graduated from New England Conservatory and moved to New York City with the Widespread Jazz Orchestra. In 1981, he left Widespread to travel to the UK with Panama Francis and the Savoy Sultans. On returning, he began a two-year stint as the house pianist at Jimmy Ryan's, then one of New York¹s oldest jazz clubs. It was there that he came under the influence of and played with many old masters such as Roy Eldridge, Papa Jo Jones and Vic Dickenson. He spent 1982-1983 with the Benny Goodman sextet and went on to play with Buddy Tate, Al Grey, Ruby Braff and many others. Later he worked with the Art Farmer-Clifford Jordan Quintet, went to Paris with Grady Tate, and played with James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Charles McPherson and Sonny Rollins. He also spent time as accompanist to singers Ernestine Anderson, Annie Ross and Etta Jones. In 1988 he started playing with the Milt Jackson Quartet (along with Mickey Roker and Bob Cranshaw).
 
Mr. Jackson recorded Mike's compositions and arrangements. Mike also became the band's musical director. In the fall of 1992, Mike was chosen to be part of a group of top young musicians for the Phillip Morris Superband World Tour. Mike served as musical director for that group, which featured Ryan Kisor on trumpet, Joshua Redman on tenor saxophone, Jesse Davis on alto saxophone, Christian McBride on bass and Lewis Nash at the drums. Around this time, Mike toured with the Newport All-Stars in lineups that also featured Harry 'Sweets' Edison and Clark Terry. Mike has been playing and recording with Benny Golson since 1997. He has alsobeen leading trios which have included Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Billy Hart, Pete LaRoca and Louis Hayes. Most recently, he has worked with Bobby Hutcherson.
 
Mike has played concerts and clubs around the world since 1981. Along with his many recordings as a sideman, he has five CDs on Criss Cross Jazz and three on Doubletime Records. One of them was selected as 'Record Of The Year' in the 1989 Jazz Journal Critics Poll. His long awaited first CD as a leader on Hammond organ, "Smokin' Out Loud" made it to #1 in national airplay. It features his regularly working band which includes Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein and Joe Farnsworth.
 
Mike is the co-author of Jim Snidero's Jazz Conceptions for Piano and Piano comping books, on Advance Music. In 2001 he was asked to join the faculty of the Juilliard School as part of it's Jazz Studies Division. His Hammond organ playing got him selected as Talent Deserving Wider Recognition in the 2002 Downbeat Critics poll and Oscar Peterson picked him as one of his favorite pianists of today.
contact: mledonne@earthlink.net
homepage: www.mikeledonne.net
on tour Click on the logo to see Mike's tour dates.

 

Discography [28]
Organic Duke
Concord Jazz CCD-4623
recorded May 1994 in New York, NY/USA
Scott Hamilton, tenor sax
Mike LeDonne, organ
Dennis Irwin, bass
Chuck Riggs, drums
Word On The Street
Double-Time Records DTRCD-119
recorded September 1996 in New York/USA
Chris Flory, guitar
Mike LeDonne, organ
Mark Taylor, drums
Birdland Birthday
Enja Records ENJ-9321 2
recorded live at Birdland in New York City/USA
Benny Waters, alto sax, vocals
Steve Blailock, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond organ
Earl May, bass
Ed Locke, drums
The Mellow Side Of Clifford Jordan
Mapleshade Records 05032
recorded 1987 through 1991
Clifford Jordan, soprano sax, tenor sax
Carter Jefferson, tenor sax
Fred Cook, baritone sax
Julian Priester, trombone
Kenny Reed, trumpet
Ruby Turner, guitar
Chris Anderson, piano
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Larry Willis, piano
Edison Machado, drums
Nasser Abadey, percussion
Goat Hill Junket
Mama MMF1022
recorded April 1998 in New York/USA
Anthony Wilson, guitar
John d'Earth, trumpet
Art Baron, trombone
Jerry Dodgion, reeds
Ted Nash, reeds
Joe Temperley, reeds
Mike LeDonne, piano, B3 organ
Danton Boller, bass
Jeff Ballard, drums
Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell
Arkadia Jazz 71011

David Lahm, piano
Roger Rosenberg, soprano sax, bass clarinet
Thomas Chapin, alto sax, flute
Vincent Herring, alto sax
Richard Centalonza, tenor sax, clarinet
Lew Tabackin, tenor sax
Ed Neumeister, trombone
Jack Schatz, bass trombone
Jim O'Connor, trumpet
Randy Brecker, trumpet, flugelhorn
James Chirillo, guitar
Mike LeDonne, organ
Mark Feldman, violin
William Galison, harmonica
Ratzo Harris, bass
Peter Herbert, bass
Peter Washington, bass
Ron Vincent, drums
Kenny Washington, drums
Bags Groove
Double-Time Records DTRCD 182
recorded February 2001 in Brooklyn, NY/USA
Mike LeDonne, piano, organ
Jim Snidero, alto sax, flute
Steve Wilson, alto sax
Steve Davis, trombone
Jim Rotondi, trumpet
Steve Nelson, vibes
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Mickey Roker, drums
Ellington Boulevard
Zoho ZM 200411
recorded January 2003 in Paramus, NJ/USA
Greg Skaff, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Smokin' Out Loud
Savant SCD 2055
recorded November 2003 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
On Fire
Savant SCD 2080
recorded May 2006 live at Smoke in New York City/USA
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Big Weeds
Cellar Live Records CL011308
recorded live January 2008 at The Cellar in Vancouver/Canada
Cory Weeds, alto sax, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Blues for Brother Ray
Posi Tone 8045
Jim Rotondi, trumpet
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Mighty Long Way
Enja ENJ 95222
recorded March 2008 in Dobbs Ferry, NY/USA
Alvin Queen, drums
Jesse Davis, alto sax
Terell Stafford, trumpet, flugelhorn
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Elias Bailey, bass
Neil Clarke, percussion, congas
The Groover
Savant SCD 2100
recorded October 2009 in River Edge, NJ/USA
Mike LeDonne, organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Keep The Face
Savant SCD 2114
recorded April 2011 in USA
Mike LeDonne, organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Smul's Paradise
Capri Records 74113-2
recorded April 2011 in River Edge, NJ/USA
Gary Smulyan, baritone sax
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Kenny Washington, drums
Up A Step
Cellar Live Records CL102811
recorded October 2011
Cory Weeds, tenor sax
Oliver Gannon, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Jesse Cahill, drums
I Love Music
Savant SCD 2135
recorded July 2013 in USA
Mike LeDonne, organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Condition Blue
Cellar Live Records CL111214
recorded November 2014 in Paramus, NJ/USA
Cory Weeds, alto sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Joe Farnsworth, drums
AwwlRIGHT!
Savant SCD 2148
recorded 2015
Mike LeDonne, organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Jeremy Pelt, trumpet
That Feelin'
Savant SCD 2159
recorded 2016
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Vincent Herring, alto sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Let's Groove
Cellar Live Records CL041017
Cory Weeds, alto sax
Steve Kaldestad, tenor sax
Dave Sikula, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Jason Tiemann, drums
Liam MacDonald, percussion
From The Heart
Savant SCD 2168
recorded 2018 (?) in USA
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Mike Clark, drums
Cobb's Pocket
Scholz Productions
recorded in New York City/USA
Hendrik Meurkens, harmonica
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Mike LeDonne, organ
Jimmy Cobb, drums
Live At "De Witte"
OAP Records OAPR1901
recorded live 08 April At "De Witte" in Den Haag/The Netherlands
Vincent Herring, alto sax
Martien Oster, guitar
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Hans Braber, drums
O Sole Mio!
Cellar Live CM100619
recorded October 2019 in Vancouver/Canada
Spotify Bandcamp
Cory Weeds, alto sax
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
It's All Your Fault
Savant SCD2183
recorded February 2020 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Spotify
Mike LeDonne's Big Band (Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6):
Mike LeDonne, organ
Steve Wilson, alto sax
Jim Snidero, alto sax
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Scott Robinson, tenor sax
Jason Marshall, baritone sax
Mark Patterson, trombone
Steve Davis, trombone
Dion Tucker, trombone
Doug Purviance, trombone
Jon Faddis, trumpet
Frank Greene, trumpet
Joe Magnarelli, trumpet
Joshua Bruneau, trumpet
Peter Bernstein, guitar
John Webber, bass
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Mike LeDonne's Groover Quartet (Tracks: 4, 7, 8):
Mike LeDonne, organ
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Wonderful
Cellar Live CM 032323
recorded in Englewood Cliffs, NJ/USA
Spotify Bandcamp
Mike LeDonne, Hammond organ
Vincent Herring, alto sax
Eric Alexander, tenor sax
Peter Bernstein, guitar
Joe Farnsworth, drums
Daniel Sadownik, percussion
Gospel Choir

 
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