Chicago pianist's lyrical yet hard-swinging debut showcases original compositions as performed by Chicago's most in-demand rhythm section - Dennis Carroll, bass & George Fludas, drums.

9 MP3 Songs in this album (58:13) !
Related styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz, Folk: Folk-Jazz, Instrumental

People who are interested in Brad Mehldau Herbie Hancock Keith Jarrett should consider this download.


Details:
THE BEGINNING, the debut release of SEÁN MCCLUSKEY, marks the maturation of a jazz pianist whose playing âbubble(s) with originalityâ (Neil Tesser, Chicago Reader). A precocious student of music who played at the Kennedy Center at age 9, studied at the Brubeck Institute at 16, cracked the Chicago jazz scene with his first steady gig at 18, and has already appeared as a sideman on five releases, McCluskey isnât used to taking things slow. So why wait until age 26 to release his first date as a leader?

âI wanted to make sure I had something to say,â McCluskey offers. âRecent jazz history is littered with musicians who recorded too young and too often.â THE BEGINNING would suggest that heâs got plenty to say musically, as it features seven original compositions of eclectic influence. âFranceâ was inspired by that nationâs accordion music; âFrida agus Diegoâ is dedicated to Mexicoâs two most famous artists of the 20th century; âNorth & Wellsâ refers to an intersection in Chicagoâs Old Town neighborhood. This from a pianist who also manages to âevok[e] the likes of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Bob James and Uri Caine without directly imitating any of them.â (Dean Minderman, St. Louis Jazz Notes)

While attending Northwestern University, McCluskey's first steady engagement was at age 18 at Chicagoâs Old Town staple OâBrienâs with BluJazz recording artist JEFF HEDBERG ("The Summer Knows", "Too Darn Hot"). After a run of 18 months at OâBrienâs, Seán was discovered by Chicago guitar titan BOBBY BROOM (Deep Blue Organ Trio, Sonny Rollins), who often invited him to sit in at his steady Wednesday night gig at Pete Millerâs Steakhouse in Evanston. It was at Millerâs that he also first heard Chicago A-list musicians DENNIS CARROLL (bass) and GEORGE FLUDAS (drums) - who, seven years later, would fill the remaining slots in the Seán McCluskey Trio.

After years of working on the Chicago jazz scene and lending his talents in a supportive role on five releases, McCluskey is happy to mark his place on the jazz map with THE BEGINNING. As Neil Tesser noted in the Chicago Reader, â...for all [McCluskeyâs] inventiveness, his playing consistently reaffirms core jazz values like ear-catching technique and narrative propulsion." The Beginning is a welcome addition to the modern jazz canon from this âinventiveâ pianist.