Eric Doney, Vicki Doney & Will Lee , Live @ the Deer Head Inn
Courtesy of Will Lee's Web Site
Sixty miles outside of New York, nestled at the mountain crossroads of Route 80 and the Appallacian trail, lies a special place.
The Deehead Inn, located in the town of Delaware Water Gap, has been home to the sounds of jazz amongst the Pocono Mountains for almost 60 years.
To say its vibe is a perfect blend of small town beauty meets big city jazz doesnt say enough.
On March 16th, the venue's lights shined down upon the trio of Eric Doney, Will Lee and Vicki Doney.
On this night, Eric, a native of the area, having performed and toured around the world with Jazz Legend Phil Woods, Jon Hendrix, Engelbert Humperdink and Rocker David Johansen, with whom he opened for The Who, R.E.O. Speedwagon, Blondie and Duran Duran, performed his arrangements of original songs as well as favorites including the late Don Grolnick, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.
The context of just piano and electric bass, along with several vocal pieces by Doney's wife Vicki, throughout, resulted in a tight interplay that was far from just "filling up the space" for musics sake.
Every measure was filled with improvisation and feeling that touched a wide span of the audience's emotions.
Doney and Lee are suberb tour guides, skippin', swingin' and funking their way through a forest of music, always safely leading us back home, time after time.
The perfomance was this writer's first exposure to Doney. I don't have to know anything else after seeing the underrated side he brings out of bassist Will Lee. I have seen and heard enough of Lee's playing to know only a special soul can evoke this.
The duets effectiveness, reminiscent of Shelia Jordan's infamous voice and upright bass duos with Harvey Swartz, null and voids any references to lack of other players on stage. Doney, on what I am sure is a well kept but well played Steinway, not only knows when to play, but in the minimal setting of two instruments, more importantly when not to play. And within this precise and quick process is still able to surprise. This is pure, this IS music...plain and simple. His experinced touch made the piano sing throughout the night. He can swing too! If this wasnt enough, Eric holds his own aside bassist Will Lee, enough said. Its a special pleasure and rare to see Lee in such a minimal setting...minimal in terms of performing and gear...no effects, one bass and one amp.
Any practicing or aspiring bass player within a hundred miles, who didnt attend, is highly guilty of missing a lesson on how to use "the bassist standard issue utility belt". A classroom audio and visual discussion in real time in one night on fretting hand techniques, mutting, slapping, bending, and the tasteful and correct usage/placement of harmonics, double stops (...tenths, thirds and octaves) to accentutate. And that's nowhere near all you could have witnessed.
Dont even get me started on Lee's doublestops. No one plays them as tasteful and powerful as he. NO ONE.
Vicki Doney, a veteran of the West Coast, also has an extensive careeer resume, and completes the trio. Her voice was distantive and soulful, even more so as the evening progressed. Watching her work a tune in close accompaniment with her husband was both intimate as it was just plain fun!
Highlights of the evening included versions of "Little Wing", Mercy, Mercy, Mercy and several beautiful ballads and upbeat blues numbers just to name a few.
With three sets of music, it was by far a full night to say the least... under the warm and rustic roof of a local tradition.
I highly recommend seeking out this trio. Checkout the Deerhead Inn too. You will be surprised how many jazz cats perform there on a regualr basis. Oh, and their California burger rocks!
Wasabi
Doney Quartet, One Flight Up sew up Jazzfest
by Andrew Scott
Pocono Record (Monday September 11, 2000)
DELAWARE WATER GAP – Vocalist Vicki Doney, in a sleeveless black dress, sang Aretha Franklin and Nancy Wilson as twilight progressed.
Her smooth voice, backed up by a soulful, jazzy, bluesy piano, bass guitar, horn section and drums, echoed off the hill, were several hundred people sat grooving along Delaware Avenue while, below the lit stage, couples, parents and children danced along.
For the Eric Doney Quartet and The One Flight Horns, it was another successful, enjoyable annual Celebration of the Arts (COTA) jazz festival.
The event was just as enjoyable for more than 1000 music lovers of all ages who visited the Poconos from around the country as well as the world to listen to the Doney's band and others perform.
The jazzfest celebrates the talents of local musicians who perform all "flavors" of jazz, from traditional to progressive and fusion.
This year's lineup, which featured a church Jazz Mass, also included the David Leonhardt Group, Funk Ed, Janet Lawson and the Roberta Piket Trio, Bill Mays Trio, COTA Festival Orchestra, Pocono Jazz Quintet, Active Ingredients, and 2000 COTA Cats Regional High School Jazz Band.
The Doneys and their band are no strangers to jazzfest or the music it celebrates. Along with Eric Doney on piano and Vicki Doney on vocals, the quartet features Eric's nephew Allen Carrescia on bass guitar and Fred Domulot on drums. The One Flight Up Horns section consists of founder Rick Chamberlain on trombone, Ken Brader on trumpet, and Tom Hamilton and Jim Buckley on saxophones.
The band, which released its fourth CD "And Why Not" this year is on the Pacific Street Records label, which Doney formed after moving back to Pen Argyl in 1994. The latest CD features mellow instrumentals like "Minsi Ridge" as well as other works.
"I can almost walk to the gig here, as opposed to having to drive/fly, as I do for most of my gigs", Eric Doney said when asked what he enjoys most about performing at jazzfest.
The Doney's both come from music-loving families. Eric's father, clarinetist and artist Bob Doney, whose artwork was displayed at jazzfest, bought him music and started teaching him how to play the piano by ear, beginning with classical, when Eric was 5.
Eric grew up listening to his mentor, pianist John Coates, who has played at the Deer Head for over 50 years.
Vicki Doney grew up listening to her parents records, among them Nancy Wilson and other favorites, and recalls singing three-part harmony with her brothers in the back seat of the car, "driving my parents crazy".
In 1977, Eric Doney played in the Scott Jarrett Band formed by Keith Jarrett's younger brother. The band traveled around the country and once played in New Mexico, where Doney first met drummer Fred Domulot of Orlando Florida.
The following year, Doney was back in Delaware Water Gap where he first met Rick Chamberlain, whose band practiced one flight up from the leather store and hence got its name.
Eric Doney summed up the Jazzfest experience: "The public enjoying your performance is validation of all the work you put in, alone in your room. I've heard other artists say that's justification, to continue".
Two jazz pianists put on a grand show at Mayfair
by Jerry Duckett
Special to the Morning Call (Allentown, PA - May 2000)
Jazz pianists Eric Doney and John Coates Jr., two old friends with different styles gave outstanding performances at Mayfair Saturday playing without gimmicks or electronics, just pure solo grand piano.
Though both are considered jazz artists, Doney seems to lean toward original compositions injected with almost classical sounding famous, while Coates seems to prefer playing standards full of improvisation.
Doney, who grew up in Pen Argyl, warmed up the sparse audience at Mayfair’s Lakeside stage with the dazzling array of original compositions from his CDs, quote the piano and "And Why Not", beginning with "Lauren" a very bluesy and melodic piece.
He performed quote Allen's town, dedicated to his nephew, who attends the Berklee college of music; "As If By Magic", with many key changes and tempos; and "Minsi Ridge", a funky and bluesy number that opens with the Pen Argyl Area High School alma mater.
A standout selection was "Little Wing" by the late rocker Jimmy Hendrix, during which Doney introduce the use of harmonics, creating an unusual sound by standing up, playing the keyboard with one hand and reaching inside the piano to pluck the strings.
Doney introduced his wife, Vicki, who has a strong voice and great stage presence and substituted for Diana Ross at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. She sang several tunes, including "Never Never" and "Natural Woman".
The arrival of John Coates Jr. on stage prompted a large round of applause.
The pianist, arranger and composer experienced bad times following many successful years in playing at the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, but he was playing like his old self.
Coates’ improvisations were uncanny as he sometimes sang and rocked back and forth on his stool, seeming to be in a trance and not realizing the audience was their except to offer an occasional nod.
"AND WHY NOT?"
Eric Doney Trio
Pianist Eric Doney deserves much wider recognition, perhaps he will get it with this excellent effort. A novel take of "My Favorite Things" is unusually blusey, kicked off with a modal introduction incorporating "All Blues." Doney's title track has a contemporary gospel flavor, while 'La Paz" was written with bassist Will Lee in mind, who handles this chorale-like piece with sensitivity. Dave Brubeck considers Doney one of his favorite players; he wrote the liner notes for this highly recommended CD.
Ken Dryden Chattanooga Free Press 5/10/98
The Deehead Inn, located in the town of Delaware Water Gap, has been home to the sounds of jazz amongst the Pocono Mountains for almost 60 years.
Vicki Doney, a veteran of the West Coast, also has an extensive careeer resume, and completes the trio. Her voice was distantive and soulful, even more so as the evening progressed. Watching her work a tune in close accompaniment with her husband was both intimate as it was just plain fun!
The Doney's both come from music-loving families. Eric's father, clarinetist and artist Bob Doney, whose artwork was displayed at jazzfest, bought him music and started teaching him how to play the piano by ear, beginning with classical, when Eric was 5.