top of page
john_donaldson_on_piano.png

John Donaldson

Piano PlayeR Composer Producer

With remarkably little publicity or fuss John Donaldson has emerged as one of Britains most exciting jazz pianists. 

Dave Gelly, The Observer

Music

Music

Music
Hexagonal - Angola

Hexagonal - Angola

12:41
Play Video
'What's New' - John Donaldson Trio

'What's New' - John Donaldson Trio

08:49
Play Video
Themen, Weller and Barnes at Appleby Jazz Festival 2002

Themen, Weller and Barnes at Appleby Jazz Festival 2002

13:58
Play Video
Three Friends - School Days

Three Friends - School Days

08:22
Play Video

A patient, absorbing player.

Chris Parker - VortexJazz.co.uk

John Donaldson

Piano Player, Composer, Producer

San Sebastian Festival and British Jazz Awards winner, John Donaldson has played with the many of the greats: Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Art Farmer, John Handy, Don Weller, Norma Winstone, Steve Grossman, Eric Alexander and Art Themen.   He worked with a reformed Gentle Giant which included original members Kerry Minnear and Gary Green, touring as 'Three Friends' in North America, Japan and Europe.

 

John began playing jazz while attending Cambridge Art College, as part of the Cambridge Modern Jazz Club’s house rhythm section in the 1970’s, alongside Chucho Merchan, Nic France, Before that he'd with played with the art rock band Armada, Arthur Brown, Lenny Zakatek and Viv Stanshall's backing band Big Grunt. He's also worked as accompanist for a wide range of artists from Larry Adler to Nigel Kennedy

Since 2016, he has been Pete Brown's writing partner and musical director, collaborating as producer, co-writer and musical director on Pete's last album 'The Shadow Club' which features Eric Clapton, Joe Bonomassa, Arthur Brown, Bobby Rush, Bernie Marsden, Carla Olson, Matt Schofield and many more. He also wrote string arrangements and appeared with Pete on 'Heavenly Cream '. 

As an improvisor, he is best known for his work as a piano player influenced by McCoy Tyner and others from the 60's - Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, as well as so many musicians before and since. 

John's work in other genres bring different harmonic influences that derive as much from folk and classical traditions as they do from jazz. 

His compositions have been widely used in films and TV including 'Stranger Things',  'Gone Girl', ‘The Marvellous Mrs Maisal’, ‘Grey's Anatomy’ and BBC TV’s 'The Fall' to name a few.

He currently leads the band Hexagonal, described by London Jazz News as “impressively hip, with the collective chops to glide through complex rhythms”.

'Donaldson's solos and embellishments are nothing short of a masterclass'

https://hexagonal.org.uk/

Pianist John Donaldson is excellent. 

A distinctive take on contemporary jazz piano.

John Fordham, The Guardian

Selected discography

As a leader

'Music Box' with Asaf Sirkis and Olie Hayhurst. 

'The album is simply superb, fluent, flowing pianistics set against a busy, energetic polyrhythmic drum and bass support. Altogether a magnificent piano album'.

Chris Yates - Jazz Rag

 

'Meeting in Brooklyn' with Iain Ballamy, Ray Drummond and Victor Lewis

 

'Sing the Line' with Andrew Cleyndert and Dave Mattacks

 

'Parousia' with Paul Contos, Chucho Merchan and Nic France

with Don Weller/Alan Barnes

'Cannonball'

with Art Themen/Alan Barnes

'Swinging the Samba'

with Greg Abate/Alan Barnes

'Birds of a feather'

with Greg Abate

'Carmel Live'

with the Clark Tracey Sextet

'Full Speed sideways'

with Pete Brown

'The Shadow Club' with Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Arthur Brown, Bobby Rush,  Clem Clempson, Carla Olson and many more

 

Heavenly Cream'' with Ginger Baker, Paul Rogers and many more.

with Tim Delux 

'The Radicle' with Jim Mullen, Jay Phelps, Rod Youngs Pete Wareham

with Alan Barnes

'Yeah!'

'The Marbella Suite'

'Blessing in disguise'

John Donaldson/Mark Edwards

'Live at Appleby festival'

with Hexagonal

'McCoy and Mseleku'

with Mark Cherry

'Joining the dots'

​'Any anxious colour

  • YouTube

©2024 by John Donaldson.

bottom of page