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Ian McDonald (musician)

 
Ian McDonald (musician)

 
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Ian McDonald (musician)
 
 
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Ian McDonald (born 25 June 1946, in Osterley
Osterley

Osterley is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow in West London. It is a suburban development situated west south-west of Charing Cross....
, Middlesex
Middlesex

Middlesex , from the Old English Middelseaxe , is one of the 39 Historic counties of England of England and the List of counties of England by area in 1831....
) is an English multi-instrumental
Multi-instrumentalist

A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different musical instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists....
 musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock
Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", but while there are crossovers between the two genres, they are not identical....
 group King Crimson
King Crimson

King Crimson are an English progressive rock band founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1969.They have typically been categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, although they incorporate diverse influences ranging from jazz, European classical music and experimental music to psychedelic music, New Wave mu...
, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)

Foreigner is a Rock music band formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald , along with then-unknown vocalist Lou Gramm ....
 in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician
Session musician

Session musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders....
, predominantly as a saxophonist. He also plays flute, vibraphone
Vibraphone

The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the mallet subfamily of the percussion instrument family....
, keyboards and guitar.

in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, McDonald served five years in the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 as a bandsman. His music talent ranged from classical orchestra
Orchestra

An orchestra is an Musical ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an theatre of ancient Greece reserved for the Greek chorus....
 to dance bands to rock
Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a form of music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its roots lay mainly in rhythm and blues, Country music, folk music, gospel music, and jazz....
.






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Encyclopedia


Ian McDonald (born 25 June 1946, in Osterley
Osterley

Osterley is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow in West London. It is a suburban development situated west south-west of Charing Cross....
, Middlesex
Middlesex

Middlesex , from the Old English Middelseaxe , is one of the 39 Historic counties of England of England and the List of counties of England by area in 1831....
) is an English multi-instrumental
Multi-instrumentalist

A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different musical instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists....
 musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock
Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a form of rock music that evolved in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." The term "art rock" is often used interchangeably with "progressive rock", but while there are crossovers between the two genres, they are not identical....
 group King Crimson
King Crimson

King Crimson are an English progressive rock band founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1969.They have typically been categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, although they incorporate diverse influences ranging from jazz, European classical music and experimental music to psychedelic music, New Wave mu...
, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock
Hard rock

Hard rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music....
 band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)

Foreigner is a Rock music band formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald , along with then-unknown vocalist Lou Gramm ....
 in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician
Session musician

Session musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders....
, predominantly as a saxophonist. He also plays flute, vibraphone
Vibraphone

The vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the mallet subfamily of the percussion instrument family....
, keyboards and guitar.

Biography

Born in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, McDonald served five years in the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
 as a bandsman. His music talent ranged from classical orchestra
Orchestra

An orchestra is an Musical ensemble, usually fairly large with string, brass, woodwind sections, and possibly a percussion section as well. The term orchestra derives from the name for the area in front of an theatre of ancient Greece reserved for the Greek chorus....
 to dance bands to rock
Rock and roll

Rock and roll is a form of music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its roots lay mainly in rhythm and blues, Country music, folk music, gospel music, and jazz....
. In 1969, he was in King Crimson
King Crimson

King Crimson are an English progressive rock band founded by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Michael Giles in 1969.They have typically been categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, although they incorporate diverse influences ranging from jazz, European classical music and experimental music to psychedelic music, New Wave mu...
's initial line up, which recorded their first album In the Court of the Crimson King
In the Court of the Crimson King

In the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the United Kingdom progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached #3 on the British charts....
. McDonald and drummer Michael Giles
Michael Giles

Michael Rex Giles is an English drummer, best known as a co-founder of King Crimson in 1969. Prior to the formation of Crimson, he also co-founded the short-lived Giles, Giles & Fripp with his brother, Peter Giles, and Robert Fripp the previous year....
 departed and formed a spin-off group that released one album titled McDonald and Giles
McDonald and Giles

McDonald and Giles is an album of music released by Great Britain musicians Ian McDonald and Michael Giles in 1971. The album was first issued on Island Records in the U.K....
. He re-appeared in King Crimson in 1974 and intended to rejoin the band as a full member but did not get the opportunity to do so given Fripp's decision to split the group.

He became a founding member of the band Foreigner
Foreigner (band)

Foreigner is a Rock music band formed in New York City in 1976 by veteran musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald , along with then-unknown vocalist Lou Gramm ....
 in 1976, for whom he played guitar as well as his trademark woodwinds and keyboards. He has been a session musician and appeared in the recording of the hit single "Get It On (Bang a Gong)" by T. Rex, and recordings by Linda Lewis, Christine Harwood amongst others. He also has some production credits to his name, including albums by Fruupp, Darryll Way's Wolf and Fireballet. In 1999, he released a solo album, Drivers Eyes.

In 1997, the release of the King Crimson 4-CD set Epitaph
Epitaph (album)

Epitaph is a live 4CD set of concert performances and radio sessions by the band King Crimson, released in 1997....
, consisting of rare live recordings of the 1969 version of King Crimson, renewed interest in the early Crimson material. Out of that interest, the 21st Century Schizoid Band
21st Century Schizoid Band

21st Century Schizoid Band are a King Crimson alumnus group formed in 2002.The name derives from the famous song "21st Century Schizoid Man" from the first King Crimson album, In the Court of the Crimson King....
 was formed in 2002 and several tours and live albums have followed. The band includes former King Crimson members Michael Giles (drums & percussion), Peter Giles
Peter Giles

Peter A. Giles is a bass player and vocalist....
 (bass), Ian McDonald (sax, flute, keyboards), Mel Collins
Mel Collins

Mel Collins is a United Kingdom saxophonist and flautist and prominent session musician.He has worked with an extensive number of musicians, including Alexis Korner, Clannad, Eric Clapton, Bad Company, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Roger Chapman, Marianne Faithfull, The Rolling Stones, Tears For Fears and many others, but his most important w...
 (alto/tenor sax, flute, keyboards) and also Jakko Jakszyk
Jakko Jakszyk

Jakko M. Jakszyk is a guitarist and vocalist who has played with a number of British groups as well as releasing his own albums.His mother was Irish singer Peggy Curran and his father an unknown US airman....
 from Level 42
Level 42

Level 42 is an England pop rock and jazz-funk music band who had a number of worldwide and UK hits during the 1980s and 1990s. The band gained fame for its high-calibre musicianship - especially that of Mark King , whose percussive Slapping guitar technique provided the driving groove of many of the band's hits....
 on guitar and lead vocals. After the first tour Michael Giles was replaced with another former King Crimson drummer Ian Wallace
Ian Wallace (drummer)

Ian Russell Wallace was a rock music and jazz music drummer, best known as a member of progressive rock band , King Crimson from 1971-1972.Wallace formed his first band, The Jaguars, at school, before going on to join The Warriors with Jon Anderson in his pre-Yes days....
, who has since died.

Discography


With King Crimson

  • In the Court of the Crimson King
    In the Court of the Crimson King

    In the Court of the Crimson King is the 1969 debut album by the United Kingdom progressive rock group King Crimson. The album reached #3 on the British charts....
     (1969)
  • Epitaph
    Epitaph (album)

    Epitaph is a live 4CD set of concert performances and radio sessions by the band King Crimson, released in 1997....
     (1969 live recordings, released 1997)
  • Red
    Red (album)

    Red is a 1974 album by progressive rock group King Crimson. It was their last recording of the 1970s and the last before the lead member Robert Fripp temporarily disbanded the group....
     (1974)(played alto saxophone, but as a session musician
    Session musician

    Session musicians are instrumental performers or vocalists who are available for hire for live performances or recording sessions, as opposed to musicians who are either permanent members of a musical ensemble or who have acquired fame in their own right as bandleaders....
    )


With McDonald and Giles

  • McDonald and Giles
    McDonald and Giles

    McDonald and Giles is an album of music released by Great Britain musicians Ian McDonald and Michael Giles in 1971. The album was first issued on Island Records in the U.K....
     (1971)


With Foreigner

  • Foreigner
    Foreigner (album)

    Foreigner is the self-titled debut studio album by rock and roll band Foreigner , released in 1977....
     (1977)
  • Double Vision
    Double Vision (album)

    Double Vision is the second studio album by United States rock and roll band Foreigner , released in 1978.This album features the band's signature song "Hot Blooded", which peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100....
     (1978)
  • Head Games
    Head Games

    Head Games is the third studio album by United States rock and roll band Foreigner , released in 1979. The album charted at #5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and has sold over five million copies in the US alone....
     (1979)


With Steve Hackett

  • Genesis Revisited (1997)
  • The Tokyo Tapes
    The Tokyo Tapes

    The Tokyo Tapes is a live Steve Hackett album featuring a progressive rock Supergroup lineup of John Wetton from King Crimson, UK and Asia ; Chester Thompson from Weather Report, Frank Zappa and Genesis live; Ian McDonald, also from Crimson, and Foreigner ; and rounded out by keyboards man Julian Colbeck ....
     (1998)


Solo album

  • Driver's Eyes (1999)


With 21st Century Schizoid Band

  • Official Bootleg V.1
    Official Bootleg V.1

    Official Bootleg V.1 is the first CD release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It features the band playing in the studio songs they had previously performed in King Crimson....
     (2002)
  • Live in Japan
    Live in Japan (21st Century Schizoid Band album)

    Live in Japan is the second "Official Bootleg" release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It was released on CD and DVD, the DVD containing the extra tracks "Tomorrow's People" and "If I Was", as well as bonus features....
     (2003)
  • Live in Japan
    Live in Japan (21st Century Schizoid Band album)

    Live in Japan is the second "Official Bootleg" release by the 21st Century Schizoid Band. It was released on CD and DVD, the DVD containing the extra tracks "Tomorrow's People" and "If I Was", as well as bonus features....
     (2003) (DVD)
  • Live in Italy (2003)
  • Pictures Of A City — Live in New York (2006)


With Waking in the Blue

  • Isn't It Pretty to Think So (2003)


With Keith Tippett's Centipede

  • Septober Energy
    Septober Energy

    Septober Energy is the only album of the jazz/progressive rock big band Centipede , organized and led by the United Kingdom free jazz pianist Keith Tippett, that brought together much of a generation of young British jazz and rock musicians in its more than 50 members, e.g....
     (1971)


As producer (& guest instrumentalist)

  • Linda Lewis
    Linda Lewis

    Linda Lewis is an England Singer, a songwriter and Guitarist, renowned for her human voice. Linda is the older sister of Shirley Lewis , and Dee Lewis ....
     Say No More (1971)
  • Darryl Way's Wolf Canis Lupus (1973)
  • Fruupp
    Fruupp

    Fruupp were an early 1970s progressive rock band, which originated in Northern Ireland, but developed a fan base in the UK. They released several albums, including Future Legends , Seven Secrets , The Prince of Heaven's Eyes , and Modern Masquerades , were relatively popular, particularly on the student scene, and as a support...
     Modern Masquerades (1974)
  • Keith Christmas
    Keith Christmas

    Keith Christmas is an English people singer and songwriter. In 1969 his first album Stimulus was released. Christmas played acoustic guitar on David Bowie's Space Oddity album, and appeared at the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970....
     Brighter Day (1974)
  • Fireballet Night on Bald Mountain (1975)
  • Ian Lloyd Ian Lloyd (1976)
  • Steve Taylor
    Steve Taylor

    Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and film director....
     On the Fritz (1985)
  • Park Stickney Action Harp Play Set (2000)


External links