Ron McClure

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ron McClure

| image = Ron McClure.jpg

| image_size =

| landscape = yes

| caption = McClure at the Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society, Half Moon Bay, California, in 1987

| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1941|11|22}}

| birth_place = New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

| genre = Jazz, jazz rock

| occupation = Musician, composer, educator

| instrument = Bass

| years_active = 1965–present

| label = Bellaphon, Ken, Steeplechase

| associated_acts = Blood, Sweat & Tears

| website = {{URL|www.ronmcclure.com}}

}}

Ron McClure (born November 22, 1941){{cite book|title=The Guinness Who's Who of Jazz|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-580-8|page=265}} is an American jazz bassist.

Early life

McClure was born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He started on piano at age five, and later played accordion and bass. McClure studied privately with Joseph Iadone and, later, with Hall Overton and Don Sebesky. McClure attended the Hartt School of Music,{{cite web|title =Ron McClure: Lookout Farms and New Moons |publisher=All About Jazz |first=Donald|last=Efman | url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=35373 |date =2010-02-11|access-date =2010-06-26}} graduating in 1963.

Later life and career

McClure worked in the Buddy Rich Sextet in 1963. He then joined Maynard Ferguson's big band and, afterwards, Herbie Mann in 1964; and then assumed the bass chair in the Wynton Kelly Trio vacated by Paul Chambers in 1965 (playing behind guitarist Wes Montgomery).

From 1966 to 1969, he was a member of Charles Lloyd's "classic quartet" with pianist Keith Jarrett and drummer Jack DeJohnette,{{cite web|title =Dream Weaver - The Charles Lloyd Anthology - The Atlantic Years 1966-1969 |publisher=All About Jazz |first=Chris|last=May | url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30072 |date =2008-08-18|access-date =2010-06-26}} which was voted "Group of the Year" in 1967 by Downbeat magazine.

In 1970, with pianist-composer Mike Nock, drummer Eddie Marshall and violinist Michael White, he co-founded the jazz-rock group, the Fourth Way. He also participated in Carla Bley's album, Escalator over the Hill, and worked with saxophonist Joe Henderson.

In April and May 1972, while McClure was teaching at Berklee College of Music, he worked three jobs lasting a total of four weeks as the bassist in the Thelonious Monk Quartet.{{cite book |last= Kelley |first=Robin D.G. |author-link = Robin Kelley |date=2009 |title=Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original |location=New York |publisher= Free Press |page= 434 |oclc=180755951 |isbn = 9780684831909 }}

In 1974, McClure joined Blood, Sweat & Tears, staying until 1975 and performing on three albums: Mirror Image, New City and In Concert.

In the 1980s, he joined Quest, led by saxophonist Dave Liebman, which also included drummer Billy Hart and pianist Richie Beirach.{{cite web|title =Redemption - Quest Live in Europe |publisher=All About Jazz |first=John|last=Kelman | url =http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25243 |date =2007-04-13|access-date =2010-06-26}} He also recorded a duo album with pianist Michel Petrucciani. McClure's major engagements in the 1990s through the early 2000s were with Lee Konitz, and then with the reassembled Quest.

His solo output include the contributions of John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Vic Juris, Paul Bley, Michael Eckroth, Richie Beirach, and Randy Brecker.

Discography

File:McClure-Alegre-Hart.JPG (center) and drummer Billy Hart (right) in Midtown, Manhattan, at 151 West 46th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. The photo was taken in 2009, when they recorded Johnny Alegre 3 for MCA.]]

=As leader=

Home Base (Ode [New Zealand], 1979)
Descendants (Ken Music [Japan], 1980)
Yesterday's Tomorrow (EPC/European Music Productions, 1989) with John Abercrombie, Aldo Romano
McJolt (SteepleChase, 1990) with John Abercrombie
Never Forget (SteepleChase, 1990) with Eddie Henderson, Vincent Herring
Inspiration (Ken Music [Japan], 1991)
Tonite Only (SteepleChase, 1991) with John Abercrombie
Sunburst (SteepleChase, 1992)
Inner Account (SteepleChase, 1993)
Never Always (SteepleChase, 1995)
Concrete Canyon (SteepleChase, 1996)
Pink Cloud (Naxos Jazz, 1997)
Closer to Your Tears (SteepleChase, 1997)
Dream Team (SteepleChase, 1998)
Double Triangle (Naxos Jazz, 1999)
Match Point (SteepleChase, 2002)
Age of Peace (SteepleChase, 2003)
Soft Hands (SteepleChase, 2007)
Wonderland (SteepleChase, 2008) with Harold Danko
New Moon (SteepleChase, 2009)
Dedication (SteepleChase, 2011)
Crunch Time (SteepleChase, 2012)
Ready or Not (SteepleChase, 2013)
Hello Stars (McJolt Records, 2016)
Hope & Knowledge (McJolt Records, 2018)
Lucky Sunday (SteepleChase, 2019)
NightQuest (SteepleChase, 2022)