Mike LeDonne

Michael LeDonne (born 1956 in Bridgeport, Connecticut) is a jazz pianist and organist known for post-bop and hard bop.

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His parents ran a music store and his father was a jazz guitarist. He played with his father at gigs from the age of ten. At 21 he graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music and moved to New York City, playing with the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra. In 1988 he had his recording debut and joined Milt Jackson's Quartet. He performed with the band for 11 years and eventually became the Quartet's musical director. He has also worked with many of the masters of jazz history - Benny Goodman, Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. He currently works with Benny Golson (since 1996) and performs under his own name all over the world.

LeDonne is also known as one of the leading players of the Hammond B3 organ. He has made 4 recordings as a leader on organ, was nominated for Best Keyboards 2012 but the Jazz Journalists Association and won the Downbeat critic's poll for "Rising Star" on organ. - Since 2001 he's performed every Tuesday evening at Smoke Jazz Club in New York City.

Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson has described LeDonne as "one of the most promising and talented pianists of this era."

As a leader

 * Bout Time (1988) Criss Cross
 * The Feeling of Jazz (1990) Criss Cross
 * Common Ground (1990) Criss Cross
 * Soulmates (1993) Criss Cross
 * Waltz for an Urbanite (1996) Cross Cross
 * To Each His Own (1998) Doubletime
 * Then and Now (2000) Doubletime
 * Bags Groove: A Tribute to Milt Jackson (2001) Doubletime
 * Smokin' Out Loud (2004) Savant
 * Night Song (2005) Savant
 * On Fire (2006) Savant
 * Fivelive (2008) Savant
 * The Groover (2010) Savant
 * Keep the Faith (2011) Savant
 * Speak (2013) Cellar Live

As a sideman
With Eric Alexander '''With Chris Flory With Benny Golson '''With Wycliffe Gordon With Scott Hamilton With Michael Hashim With Milt Jackson With Alvin Queen '''With Duke Robillard With Scott Robinson '''With Jim Rotondi With Tad Shull With Gary Smulyan With Jim Snidero With Benny Waters With Cory Weeds With Laura Welland With Saori Yano
 * The Battle: Live at Smoke (2005) HighNote
 * Gentle Ballads (2005) Venus
 * Gentle Ballads II (2008) Venus
 * Gentle Ballads III (2008) Venus
 * Revival of the Fittest (2009) HighNote
 * Lazy Afternoons - Gentle Ballads IV (2010) Venus
 * Friendly Fire: Live at Smoke (2012) HighNote
 * For All We Know (1990) Concord
 * Word on the Street (1996) Doubletime
 * For You (2008) Arbors
 * Remembering Clifford (1998) Milestone
 * Brown Immortal (2000) Keystone
 * Terminal 1 (2004) Concord
 * New Time, New 'Tet (2009) Concord
 * Boss Bones (2008) Criss Cross
 * Cone and T-Staff (2010) Criss Cross
 * Organic Duke (1994) Concord
 * A Blue Streak (1991) Stash
 * Guys and Dolls (1992) Stash
 * Multicolored Blue (1999) Hep
 * Sa Va Bella (For Lady Legends) (1997) Qwest
 * I Ain't Lookin' at You (2006) Enja
 * Mighty Long Way (2009) Enja
 * Swing (1988) Rounder
 * Jazz Ambassador: Scott Robinson Plays the Compositions of Louis Armstrong (2004) Arbors
 * Plays the Compositions of Thad Jones: Forever Lasting (2007) Arbors
 * Blues for Brother Ray (2009) Posi-Tone
 * Deep Passion (1990) Criss Cross
 * In the Land of the Tenor (1991) Criss Cross
 * Saxophone Mosaic (1993) Criss Cross
 * With Strings (1996) Criss Cross
 * The Real Deal (2003) Reservoir
 * More Treasures (2007) Reservoir
 * Smul's Paradise (2012) Capri
 * Standards Plus (1997) Doubletime
 * Tippin' (2007) Savant
 * Birdland Birthday - Live at 95 (1997) Enja
 * Big Weeds (2008) Cellar Live
 * Up a Step (2012) Cellar Live
 * Dissertations on the State of Bliss (2005) OA2
 * Sakura Stamp (2005) Columbia