New
Orleans is a city with a rich musical heritage, and Tom McDermott is a
pianist who has mastered many of its styles.
Born in St. Louis in 1957, McDermott began piano lessons at age six. After
eight years of lessons, he got caught up in the Scott Joplin revival and
began playing and composing rags and early jazz pieces. This eventually
led, in 1981, to an album of original ragtime music on the Stomp Off label,
New Rags.
McDermott received a scholarship to St. Louis University and graduated
in December 1978 with a B.A. in Art. Shortly after that he began his career
as a free-lance journalist, writing mainly about music for a number of
St. Louis newspapers. He was the jazz and rock critic for the morning
paper, the Globe-Democrat, from 1980 through 1983. In 1982 he earned his
master of music degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
In 1984, McDermott moved to New Orleans, lured there by a job at the World's
Fair as well as a passionate interest in the music of Crescent City pianists
like James Booker, Professor Longhair and Dr. John. He quickly found steady
work, first as a solo pianist and later with jazz bands. From 1990 through
1995 he played with the Dukes of Dixieland, a period which many observers
feel was the group's peak since the death in the '70s of the founding
Assunto brothers. During this time the band recorded three albums (including
one with jazz legend Danny Barker), toured Germany and South America,
and played Carnegie Hall.
In
April 2005, McDermott released a Brazilian-music masterpiece, Choro
do Norte, his most ambitious work to date, the album was
recorded in Rio de Janeiro in August 2004 and New Orleans in 2004-05.
In Brazil, McDermott recorded with three members of one of Rio's hottest
choro groups, Tira Poeira. Returning
to New Orleans he added two fantastic players: clarinetist Evan Christopher
and trombonist Rick Trolsen. Read more about Choro
do Norte in the press
release.
 |
Check out New York Times and Gambit Weekly reviews of Choro do Norte
McDermott left the Dukes of Dixieland in May 1995 to join the American Queen riverboat for four months of its opening season. During this time he composed and recorded All the Keys and Then Some, a 24-piece suite for the piano which was released in the Spring of 1996. He also co-founded the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, a sensational new brass band.
In
1998, McDermott followed the success of All
the Keys with a recording that truly explored the roots of New
Orleans and Louisiana's music. Louisianthology
incorporated the talents of many of New Orleans' finest musicians, including
the Nightcrawlers. The recording showcases McDermott's imaginative composition
and arranging skills and has been received with critical acclaim.
In
2000, McDermott returned to the solo piano format, but kept his focus
on the significant influences on the New Orleans "piano sound."
The Crave has received rave
reviews and firmly places McDermott at the forefront of a long legacy
of New orleans piano giants.
McDermott's
2002 release, Danza, featuring clarinet
virtuoso Evan Christopher, continues his explorations into early music
and the Latin influences that worked their way into the culture of New
Orleans. Read more about Danza in
the press release.
He continues to write (mostly for New Orleans' The Times-Picayune) and
to travel (he's visited Asia, Australia, South America, and has made eleven
trips to Europe) whenever possible.