This events calendar includes Earl’s upcoming performances, compositional debuts, recordings and educational activities. On mobile devices this calendar is best viewed horizontally.
2019
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Sat27Jul2019
New London Big Band
6:30 - 8:30 PMMystic Seaport Museum, 75 Greenmanville Ave., Mystic, CT
"Arts on the Quad"
Led by trombonist and composer Sean Nelson, the New London Big Band is a 17-piece jazz orchestra which won “Best Jazz Band” for CTNOW’s Best of Hartford.
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Tue06Aug2019
Northampton Jazz Workshop
7:30 - 10:30 PMSpare Time Northampton, 525 Pleasant St., Northampton, MA
[map]
Grant Stewart – tenor sax, George Kaye – string bass, Jon Fisher – drums.
Earl is subbing on piano for Paul Arslanian, who is taking the night off. -
Sat10Aug2019
UConn Jazz Showcase
5:00 PMvon der Mehden Recital Hall, 875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT
[directions and parking]
Gregg August, Earl MacDonald, Doug Maher and John Mastroianni, directors
Try a little of this and a little of that at our jazz buffet. Experience a true cross-sampling of jazz styles and eras at a concert incorporating both big bands and combos. This premier performance of the 2019-20 season will feature all of the student jazz groups performing one or two selections. Bon appétit!
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Wed11Sep2019
w/ Doug Maher and Logan MacDonald
7:00 PMCafémantic, 948 Main St, Willimantic, CT 06226, USA (map)
Sunset Summer Series on the patio
Doug Maher – guitar, tenor sax
Logan MacDonald – trumpet
Earl MacDonald – keyboard, trumpetCome support Earl’s son Logan in his gigging debut.
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Sun29Sep2019
UConn Jazz Showcase
5:00 PMvon der Mehden Recital Hall, 875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT
[directions and parking]Earl MacDonald, Doug Maher, John Mastroianni, Cedric Mayfield directors
Try a little of this and a little of that at our jazz buffet. Experience a true cross-sampling of jazz styles and eras at a concert incorporating both big bands and combos. This premier performance of the 2019-20 season will feature all of the student jazz groups performing one or two selections. Bon appétit!
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Sun29Sep2019
Messenger Pigeons - jazz combo performance
2:00 PMMansfield Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation. 100 Warren Circle, Storrs, CT.
The Messenger Pigeons is a jazz combo comprised of middle school and high school-aged students. Most of the band members met while participating in the Eastern Region Middle School Jazz Ensemble in 2018. The group is co-led by two of the band members’ fathers, Earl MacDonald and Louis Hanzlik. The band rehearses together twice per month at UConn.
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Sat26Oct2019
UConn Piano Day
9 AM - 5 PMvon der Mehren recital hall
UConn Piano Day includes performances and workshops designed to benefit local piano teachers & students. https://music.uconn.edu/community/uconn-piano-day/
Earl will give a performance/presentation entitled, “Demystifying Jazz,” where he will perform with a student rhythm section, and then take questions from the audience. He will also play a jazz standard in solo and trio contexts, to demonstrate the different approaches.
Schedule of Events
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Sun27Oct2019
UConn Jazz Combos: Miles' Styles
5:00 PMvon der Mehden Recital Hall, 875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT
[directions and parking]Doug Maher and Cedric Mayfield, directors
Miles Davis left an awe-inspiring legacy of innovation in American music history, having contributed to the development of bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, the modal sound, and jazz fusion. Join us as we pay tribute to this influential, boundary stretching musical legend.
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Sat02Nov2019
New London Big Band
9PMUConn Student Union, room 304
Storrs, CT
Led by trombonist and composer Sean Nelson, the New London Big Band is a 17-piece jazz orchestra made up of the finest musicians in New England. The band plays a mix of classic jazz standards, upbeat dance tunes, and original music by band members, and regularly features instrumental and vocal soloists. Formed in 2016, they play monthly to sold out crowds at the Social Bar + Kitchen in New London. -
Sun10Nov2019
UConn Jazz Ensemble
5:00 PMvon der Mehden Recital Hall, 875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT
[directions and parking]The 17-piece UConn Jazz Ensemble, joined by guest multi-instrumentalist Erica von Kleist, will celebrate and bring into focus the contributions women have made to the jazz idiom. The performance will showcase compositions by prominent contemporary jazz composers (who happen to be women) including Maria Schneider, Erica Seguine, Sherrie Maricle, Christine Jensen, Sara Jacovino, Miho Hazama, and Jen Allen.
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Sun17Nov2019
UConn Jazz Lab Band: Open Borders
5:00 PMvon der Mehden Recital Hall, 875 Coventry Rd, Storrs, CT
[directions and parking]Open Borders: selections from Prof. Earl MacDonald’s award-winning album
The 10-piece Jazz Lab Band performs selections from the award-winning album, “Open Borders,” recorded by their director, Professor Earl MacDonald. The album earned MacDonald the distinction of Jazz Music Producer of the Year at the 2019 Independent Music Awards in New York City.
The music is orchestrated for 2 trumpets, French Horn, trombones, 3 saxophones, piano, bass and drums. The ensemble will be joined by student vocalist, Jocelyn Hoagland for a performance of “East of the Sun,” arranged by MacDonald.
Described as “a wild set that doesn’t believe in boundaries even if it does believe in structure” (Midwest Record), you can preview the music at https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/earlmacdonald5/
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Sun24Nov2019
Ben Bilello Trio
6 - 8 p.m.Ayuthai Restaurant
2279 Boston Post Rd,
Guilford, CT 06437
Telephone: (203) 453 2988
E-mail: info@ayuthaict.comBen Bilello – drums
Matt Dwonzyk – string bass
Earl MacDonald – piano -
Wed04Dec2019
USO Galla
7PMMarriott Marquis Times Square,
Broadway Ballroom
New York City
Earl will perform with David Wright’s musical ensemble for the gala and dinner of the USO of Metropolitan New York, Inc., at Marriott Marquis Times Square, Broadway Ballroom on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.
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Wed18Dec2019
New London Big Band
7:30 - 10:00 PMThe Social Bar + Kitchen208 Bank St, New London, CT 06320Join us for an electrifying evening of jazz at the hottest spot in New London! THE PLACE SELLS OUT QUICK! Admission is free, but book your reservation now by calling (860) 442-6900 -- only $5 a seat. If you don't arrive for your reservation by 7:30pm, your seat will be given to the another guest.Led by trombonist and composer Sean Nelson, the New London Big Band is a 17-piece jazz orchestra made up of the finest musicians in New England. The band plays a mix of classic jazz standards, upbeat dance tunes, and original music by band members, and regularly features instrumental and vocal soloists. -
Mon23Dec2019
Chris Beaudry 4tet @ Black-eyed Sally's
8:00 PMBlack-eyed Sally's
350 Asylum St.,
Hartford, CT. 06103
(860) 278-7427
Chris Beaudry – tenor sax
Earl MacDonald – piano
Tim Norton – string bass
Ben Bilello – drum set
