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THE TRIO
Originally from Chicago, the Leslie Maclean Trio appeared at many of that city�s top jazz clubs including Orphan�s on Lincoln Avenue, The Bulls on Lincoln Park West, and The Back Room on Rush Street. The group now performs throughout the Midwest region where it continues to play unique, exciting and passionate renditions of jazz classics as well as Leslie�s original compositions.
The Trio has appeared at top jazz venues in Kansas City, Wichita, Little Rock, and St. Louis including Jardine's and The Blue Room (KC), The Broadview (Wichita), Acoustic Sounds Caf� (Little Rock), the Ritz-Carlton, Cafe Balaban, the Bistro, Finale and other jazz venues in the St. Louis area. No stranger to radio and TV media, the group has appeared on Ross Gentile�s �Standards in Jazz� radio show on WSIE-FM, Don Wolfe�s Saturday night Jazz Show on KMOX-AM, Groovy Grant's "The Original Traffic Jam" show and KC�s �Afternoon Jazz� show both on KKFI-FM, Ginnie Coleman�s �Just Jazz� show on KCUR, David Basse�s �The Jazz Scene� show on KANU, Barry Gaston�s �The Jazz Caf� show, Joe Boehnlein�s show on WICR, and the Morning Show on FOX 2 TV in St. Louis. The Trio's newest CD, That�s Time Enough, received national airplay and international airplay in the Netherlands, Australia, and Bogot�, Colombia.
Leslie Maclean adds a special dimension to her piano-based jazz trio with unique arrangements that create a trio-sized big band sound. The music features the sophisticated harmonies and rhythms that are the hallmarks of modern mainstream jazz. Just as in large ensemble arranging, Maclean uses each instrument to the fullest, providing all members of the group with equally important musical elements to contribute. Maclean�s arrangements also draw on her extensive classical background, exhibiting a wide range of emotion, complex thematic development, and intense musical drama. Always engaging, with warmth, humor, and delightful surprises waiting around every corner, the Leslie Maclean Trio takes each listener on an unforgettable journey through the many facets of jazz.
Appearing with Leslie Maclean and Jerry Pollock (LMT percussionist and business manager) are some of the region's finest bassists, including national icons Bob Bowman and Tom Kennedy, Willem von Hombracht, Steve Rigazzi, Jeff Harshbarger and Zeb Briskovich.
LESLIE MACLEAN
Leslie Maclean, pianist, composer, vocalist and teacher, has been a professional musician since the age of 13. While in college, Leslie worked extensively with free jazz proponent Muhul Richard Abrams. Her imaginative and artistic performance at the Midwest Intercollegiate Jazz Festival won her the esteemed American Music Foundation Award, granted to the single outstanding instrumental soloist at the event. Leslie was deemed "the best" by judging panelist Marian McPartland, who presented the award.
She has appeared as a warm-up act for jazz legend Stan Kenton, and has appeared at many top Chicago jazz clubs and on television and radio. Leslie has also performed with guitarist Mundell Lowe and drummer Roy Burns. She cites as one of her main influences the music of the Big Bands, and enjoys bringing the ensemble-style articulations of the big band sound into her playing and her arrangements.
Her piano style also owes much to her background in classical music and displays a satisfying depth of touch and sensitivity to the piano keyboard. Leslie�s original tunes reflect her wide-ranging musical interests and run the gamut from straight-ahead swing and well-crafted ballads to driving Latin rhythms and jazz fusion. She earned a Master of Music in piano performance at the Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University.
Quotes
CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR That�s Time Enough �A nice interpretation of A Night in Tunisia. Just a pleasurable sound, and a fine arranger, too. I hope we will be hearing much more from her�� Tony Mowod, WDUQ 90.5 fm, Pittsburgh, PA, Jan 2005 That's Time Enough The Leslie Maclean Trio Personnel: Leslie Maclean, piano; Bob Bowman, bass; Jerry Pollock, drums, percussion. Tracks: A Night in Tunisia; A Child Is Born; Billie's Bounce, Chichen-Itza; Somewhere Over the Rainbow; We're Off to See the Wizard; If I Only Had a Brain; Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead; Poinciana; Roll in the Hay; I Loves You, Porgy; That's Time Enough. Recorded 2004 at Soundtrek Studios, Kansas City, Mo., Ron Ubel, engineer. Pianist Leslie Maclean and her husband, drummer Jerry Pollock, have been trying to break into the KC jazz scene the past year. The St. Louis musicians have performed around Kansas City a few times and plan to do so again in November. In the meantime, they are releasing a new CD called That's Time Enough. The album opens with a strong Dizzy Gillespie number, �Night in Tunisia.� Maclean really makes this tune swing, fingers skipping nimbly over the keys. Bob Bowman also does some very innovative solo work. Chichen-Itza is a haunting, melodic number written by Maclean. It has a lot of synchopated runs up and down the keyboard, stopping at times to squeeze your heart before releasing and running merrily along. (Regardless of the confusing name, the song really communicates.) The trio does a medley of Wizard of Oz tunes, called �To Oz? To Oz!� I found this a fun interpretation of the 1939 musical. Dorothy�er, perhaps Maclean--waltzes in with �Somewhere Over the Rainbow.� �We're Off to See the Wizard� starts off with light, skipping piano work and is befriended by chords and more accompaniment as it moves along. In �If I Only Had A Brain,� Maclean and Bowman playfully �sing� the simple tune back and forth to each other before it takes on several smart variations on the theme. Finally, a sprinkling of fairy dust in the form of arpeggios opens a very somber and slow �Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead� until Pollock suddenly lets it rip and the tune is fast and joyous. Another Maclean original, �Roll in the Hay� was a toe-tapping number that truly rolls along and ultimately puts a smile on your face. �I Loves You, Porgy� takes you on an emotional ride. Perhaps due to Maclean's experience in musical theater, this version really hits the right stride and notes to tell a sad and happy story. Finally in the title cut �That's Time Enough,� Maclean's fingers and the trio seem to be doing double time. (She must have sat down and said that's time enough after penning that one.) Maclean is truly talented. I highly recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys jazz piano. Kathy Feist Vescovi, Kansas City JAM Magazine, Oct/Nov 2004 �Maclean�robust and delicate, life loving and passionate�displayed a variety of influences, and she could play jazz as if she has done it all her life yet she could display her classical side just as well. Maclean�s boasts about her husband are well-founded: He is a wonderful player. He kept right on top all night and probably through several thousand changes: This music is complicated and Pollock showed no sign of a struggle. It was a treat to witness such talent in the two-hour span of a Sunday night. The Leslie Maclean Trio is a wonderful band of talented musicians.� James Oerding, West End Word, Oct 2004 �The nostalgic surprise is a wonderful medley entitled "TO OZ? TO OZ!" over seventeen minutes in length from "The Wizard of Oz", the 1939 film classic. (That�s Time Enough) plays like fine wine and flows very easily on the ears. A Night in Tunisia, mixed with the proper ingredients you can feel the groove, leaving jazz lovers wanting more of the same. MacLean serves up twelve unforgettable performances, completely gets under your skin and you're loving every minute of it.� James Lovins, Amazon.com, Jan 2005 That�s Time Enough The Leslie Maclean Trio Leslie Maclean�s masterful pianistic dexterity and harmonic sophistication tend to rival some of jazz�s more prominent pianists on THAT�S TIME ENOUGH. Accompanied by Bob Bowman on bass and Jerry Pollock on drums and percussion, the pianist�s pursuit and approach to such songs as �A Night In Tunisia,� �A Child Is Born,� and �Poinciana,� are sure to bring much more and rightfully deserved critical acclaim to the St. Louis-based trio. Maclean�s playing is lyrical, swinging and especially tasteful. An especially inspired medley and tribute titled �To Oz, To Oz� (a reference to the motion picture titled The Wizard of Oz) shows her versatility and ability to jazz up one of America�s most recognizable scores. The trio plays with such skill and pizzazz that you�ll wonder why this particular arrangement isn�t played more often in the jazz repertoire of today�s top trios. �I Love You Porgy,� is played with great sensitivity and is one of the many great highlights on this recording. This is a great trio recording with a big band sound. Give them a listen at the SOTJ store and then Buy THAT�S TIME ENOUGH today. Paula Edelstein, Music Journalist, Sounds of Timeless Jazz, January 2005 Leslie Maclean Trio That's Time Enough (Kippie Josh Jazz) It has long been true that virtually every major city in the United States has its own local scene featuring talented performers who are obscure outside of their geographical areas. There are musicians in Los Angeles who are not unknown east of Nevada. In pianist Leslie Maclean's case, her fame is mostly in Kansas City. On the evidence of her playing on That's Time Enough, she certainly deserves to be known elsewhere. Her arrangements of a variety of standards and three of her originals are full of subtle surprises and the tightness of her trio (with the pianist joined by bassist Bob Bowman and drummer Jerry Pollock) is impressive. In addition to fresh versions of "A Night In Tunisia," "A Child Is Born," "Billie's Bounce," 'Poinciana" (which is given a different rhythm than usual) and "I Loves You, Porgy," there is a 17 1/2 minute four-song "Wizard Of Oz" medley. Whether it is "Over The Rainbow" (which is partly taken in 5/4 time), a barely recognizable "We're Off To See The Wizard" or a cooking rendition of "Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead," this medley is completely unpredictable. The music overall is modern mainstream jazz and world class. For more information on this rewarding CD, contact www.lesliemacleantrio.com. Scott Yanow, LosAngeles Jazz Scene, April 2005 Featured Artist: The Leslie Maclean Trio CD Title: That's Time Enough Year: 2004 Record Label: KippieJosh Jazz Style: Straight-Ahead / Classic Musicians: Leslie Maclean(piano), Jerry Pollock(drums and percussion), Bob Bowman(bass) Review: When one picks up a Jazz CD these days, there are many things that can happen, you can listen and say "that's cool, they do a good job covering those tunes" or you could say "Wow, I have never heard that song played like that before!" or you could do both. That is the case with this CD by The Leslie Maclean Trio, you say both! Maclean's arrangements of some of the foundation standards such as A Child Is Born and I Loves You, Porgy are uniquely treated and played by the trio. What surprised me and hooked me on this CD was Maclean's playful and creative interpretation of the medley from the Wizard of Oz. TO OZ? TO OZ! consists of four of the most remembered songs from Hollywood. But these compositions are even more memorable as Maclean adds a nuance to each that illicit memories from the movie, and at the same time, create whole new scenes in the listener's head. This part of the CD is truly fun to listen to. Maclean's talent goes beyond the creation of new interpretations of old standards and familiar songs. Her playing is solid and is the anchor that holds the trio in place at each note. Her long-time playing partner, Jerry Pollock and Bassist, Bob Bowman provide a solid rhythm section, and foundation for Maclean to build her compositions on. They are tight in all aspects of the music and treat each arrangement with the sensitivity and expression that Maclean has defined. When you hear the fun expressed in the Wizard medley, you are immediately aware of the familiarity each player has with the other and you know right away, Maclean creates with the trio in mind. Chichen-Itza and Roll In The Hay are two originals by Maclean that offer a taste of her wide range of compositional flexibility and creativity. Pollock's skill on the kit and other percussion instruments is a highlight of the CD. Whether delivering strong chops in solos, or adding the appropriate sound in just the right place with a percussion instrument, Pollock provides sensitive support for all of Maclean�s arrangements. Bowman's bass is more than just the bottom, and is the other half of a solid rhythm section. He creates his own sense of presence through notable solos, and a steady groove that both Pollock and Maclean take advantage of throughout the work. That's Time Enough is a remarkable straight-ahead jazz CD, but it is also a creative and just plain fun CD to listen to. From the first time you hear it, you will be caught up in the feel of the fun that this trio has when playing together. You won't be able get some of the tunes out of your head. Tunes you thought you knew until you heard The Leslie Maclean Trio play them!!! Tracks: A Night In Tunisia, A Child Is Born, Billie's Bounce, Chichen-Itza, TO OZ? TO OZ!(Medley), Poinciana, Roll In The Hay, I Love's You,Porgy, That's Time Enough Artist's Website: http://www.lesliemacleantrio.com Reviewed by: Charles Vecoli Copyright� 2005 JazzReview.com�. All Rights Reserved.
Contact Info
leslie@lesliemacleantrio.com |
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