Memorial for Dave McKenna
December 7, 2008 St Ann's Cultural Center, Woonsocket, RI
Gray Sargent looks mournfully at picture of Dave
McKenna on the altar |
St. Ann Arts &
Cultural Center
100+ foot ceiling
fresco |
| What a perfect
afternoon of great jazz, in memory of Woonsocket's and New
England's piano legend, Dave McKenna. Under the initiative of Dave's
sister Jean and her husband Bill O'Donnell, many of his fans,
friends, and the musicians
who played with Dave were finally able to come together and say/play goodbye.
Dick Johnson alto sax, Marshal Wood string bass, Mike Renzi piano, George Masso trombone, Gray Sargent guitar, Red Lennox trumpet, Lou Columbo trumpet, Gary Johnson drums, Daryl Sherman, Donna Byrne and Carol Sloane vocals,
and Dr. John Worsley, MC.
"Dave would have loved it!"
Dave began his career with Milford's Boots Mussulli
Band. Being
left-handed, he
developed the powerful left-handed
rhythmic style that made him instantly recognizable. He left to
play with Charley Ventura, and eventually became known throughout the world.
But
he chose to stay and play in New England, first at the Columns in Cape Cod, where he lived with his
wife, Frankie, and their two sons Stephen and Douglas. Also,
for 30 years, he
played solo six nights a week
at the Plaza Bar of the Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston,
where he was known for his non-stop medleys, with no repeats.
|
 |
 |
| Gray Sargent began
this Memorial Tribute to Dave McKenna, essentially with
The Gray Sargent Trio plus Mike Renzi, with a rendition of Make
Someone Happy. In his own way of saying "Goodbye", Gray's guitar interpolated My Buddy into the last
few notes. Then he moved to a tune he had recorded with
McKenna, Jerome Kern's Look For The Silver Lining.
Unfortunately for us, he
had to leave immediately for a concert on the north shore with Tony Bennett.
(Note: The Gray Sargent Trio with Jim Gwin, drums, will be playing at the Sahara Club,
14 Bates St. Methuen MA on December 30th at 7:30pm) |
|
Dick Johnson took over.
He goes back many years with Dave. Dick
was 20 when he was working at a Boston night club when somebody
invited this 18-year-old kid to play piano with them, remarking "He
looks like a farmer". With Lou Colombo and George Masso,
he played S'Wonderful.
And it was! They followed with Three Little Words. |
George Masso trombone, Dick Johnson alto sax,
Lou Colombo trumpet |
| Dick recalls that
day young Dave McKenna played an 8-bar intro to September In The Rain
and the song has been his favorite ever since. They
played together for many years. One time he especially
remembers, an elderly lady
invited them to play at her home - this was over 50 years ago, and
they were paid $100 each for two hours. But the piano was 1/2
tone flat, and it was a jazz gig. Not a problem. Dave
took the piano up 1/2 tone and they played the rest of the
afternoon. |
|
Jean McKenna generally didn't sing with her brother.
But at one of his Cape engagements, he let her sing When My Ship
Comes In. She continued with a stirring, upbeat
I'm Beginning To See The Light, backed by Marshall Wood's
marvelous string bass, and the bass trading 4's with Gary Johnson
on drums. Outstanding!
|
 |
| Jean explained
that they
came from a musical family. "Mother,
Catherine Reilly McKenna,
was principal pianist
at St. John's. She knew every tune and could compose in every key,
and Father was a part-time drummer. Maybe it's genetic? When
Dave was 13, the music director at St. John's invited him to sit in,
but asked his Mother, "Please buy him a pair of long
pants, so he doesn't have to wear knickers?."" "At 15 Dave joined the
Union and started playing at the National Hotel. Dad was the
drummer. It was supposed to be a summer job, but Bebop was
becoming popular, so the job didn't last. He left to play with
Charley Ventura at the Celebrity Club in Providence. It wasn't
the best part of town, but Mother was an adventuress, so she and
Jean stayed close by in the parked car where they could hear him on
the piano."
(The Army sent him off to Korea to be a cook.) After Korea, his
Mother hoped he would go to college on the GI Bill, but Dave went
back to playing piano with Charley Ventura. He always felt that he was never
properly educated in music, that he was just a 'saloon piano player'. But recently,
Jean received a note
from someone at the London College of Music. He said that his recital theme will be "Transcending Dave McKenna".
Dave will finally make it to College. |
|
Red Maddox has known Dave McKenna since age 10.
He played a stirring, heartfelt, My Buddy. He said his
Buddy, Dave, learned stride from Preston “Sandy” Sandiford in Boston who introduced him to Teddy Wilson. He liked
that style of jazz. Dave took the music and put his own feelings and
talent completely into it. He was a wonderful friend. |
 |
| "Frankie" McKenna,
Dave's former wife, came up from North Carolina to be here for the
Memorial, and she was
re-acquainted with many old friends. |
|
Their son, Douglas McKenna, recalled how he loved
basketball, and his Dad took him to the courts to see Larry Bird.
One day he noticed K.C. Jones, a friend of his Dads, looking at him and laughing.
Douglas looked behind him to see what he was laughing at. There was his
Dad, totally absorbed, hunched over a crossword puzzle! Like
Dave, Larry Bird brought out the best in all who played with him. |
 |
| We all come to
dust, but oh what shadows we leave! Dave McKenna left a
very long shadow. Scott Hamilton sent a note saying Dave
McKenna was the best musician he ever had the pleasure to work with.
"He was all by himself!" |
 |
A famous vocalist friend from the same town,
Carol Sloane, often sang with Dave at Cape Cod. She of the
magnificent perfect pitch, sang one of the tunes she did with him,
Time After Time. |
| Donna Byrne
(Mrs. Marshall Wood) was a young vocalist that Dave McKenna
nurtured. |
Donna Byrne & hubby, Marshall Wood |
Donna said she had many musical fathers when she
started singing. But it was Dave McKenna who took her under
his wing and encouraged her. She remembers that when she first
came out here, Dave & his wife Frankie were so hospitable,
encouraging and loving to her. The only time he ever was mad
at her was when she sent him some non-sugar cookies. (Dave was
diabetic.) |
| People may not
realize that Donna has retired from singing, so hearing her at the
St. Ann's was a special treat for those of us who are regretting she
ever retired! In her own inimitable style, she sang a tune she
shared with Dave, Melancholy Baby, accompanied by Dick Renzi
piano, Dick Johnson alto sax, Lou Colombo trumpet, and George Masso
trombone, plus Marshall Wood string bass, and Gary Johnson drums.
WOW!! This was indeed heaven on
earth! |
 |
Tough act to follow, but the talented Daryl
Sherman is no slouch. She was also raised in Woonsocket, but
Dave had already left. Her musical family was nurtured by the McKenna
musical family, especially her live roll model, vocalist Jean
McKenna. |
| She finally met
Dave in New York at Michael's Pub. Marian McPartland had
interviewed Dave for her show, Piano Jazz (still ongoing at 90 years
of age on NPR.) They were reminiscing about his granddaughter,
Kaitlin, who was called "Cat". Sheryl dedicated her tune
Cat's Cradle to Kaitlin, who had been welcoming guests into the
church. Mike Renzi relieved Daryl at the piano, so she could
concentrate on vocals for When Day Is Done. Daryl said Dave
McKenna liked playing Cole Porter compositions, so she sang from one of
his recordings, Dream Dancing. His rendition was also featured on the
DVD compilation of Cole Porter tunes. |
Mike Renzi on Piano |
She was also accompanied by Dick, Lou and
George et al, and the unfortunate Mike Renzi on piano. The
only drawback to this whole afternoon was a badly tuned piano - all
afternoon Mike had to confine his playing to the middle notes of the
piano. He was superb! McKenna must have been smiling up
there! |
|
John Chan, "Mr.
Jazz" of Greater Woonsocket, was very busy taking pictures at today's
special event Memorial for Dave McKenna.
An avid jazz fan, John bought the bank next to his Chinese
restaurant and recreated it into a close, intimate, jazz venue, Chan's Egg Rolls and
Jazz that features the best jazz every week. |
John Chan taking photos |
|
Eventually, Arthritis forced Dave McKenna to retire;
he died in October 2008, one month after his friend, Leo Curran of
Boot's Mussulli's Youth Orchestra. But Dave will live on
forever in his innumerable
recordings.
All of us want to
say "Thank You so much!" to Jean McKenna and the whole McKenna
family, for this splendid afternoon that gave us a chance to say
goodbye to one of our most beloved musicians. Thank
You!
(Many
if Dave's recordings are available
by
check or money order only (no credit cards)
to: Jean McKenna O'Donnell
email: bod@ids.net.) |
by Marce - December 10, 2008
in memory of Leo Curran
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