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Larry Goldings

With his signature Hammond organ style and versatility on many keyboards, Boston native Larry Goldings has traversed not only the wide spectrum of jazz where he is perhaps best known, but also the worlds of funk, pop, and electronic/alternative music. High in demand as a sideman, Goldings' sound can be heard on scores of albums by artists in virtually every musical genre. Some of his more notable collaborations include tours and recordings with Carla Bley, Michael Brecker, Jack DeJohnette, Jim Hall, Jon Hendricks, Pat Metheny, Maceo Parker, Madeleine Peyroux, John Pizzarelli, John Scofield, Curtis Stigers, and James Taylor.

Under his own name, Goldings has made ten critically- acclaimed albums, many of them featuring his well-known organ trio with Peter Bernstein on guitar and Bill Stewart on drums. Goldings' most recent project, "Trio Beyond" (ECM), earned him, John Scofield, and Jack DeJohnette a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album (2006).

Larry Goldings' musical compositions have been recorded by such artists as Michael Brecker, Jim Hall, Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Toots Thielemans, Curtis Stigers, Till Brönner, and Sia. His songs and arrangements have appeared in several motion pictures including Clint Eastwood's "Space Cowboys" and John Madden's "Proof."

"Quartet" (2006) is his newest recording for Palmetto Records. It features Goldings on piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, organ, harmonium, and accordion. The band is John Sneider (trumpet), Ben Allison (bass), Matt Wilson (drums), and guest vocalist Madeleine Peyroux. Of the seemingly disparate nature of the album, Goldings comments:

In the past few years I have delved into such a wide variety of music that denying those influences in the making of this record would have been dishonest. In fact, what interests me most these days is the challenge of melding my disparate influences into a cohesive and personal sound.

I am excited by the idea of having a Björk song alongside Gabriel Fauré, next to Chico Buarque, next to an American folk song. And then in my own writing, I like the freedom of going anywhere I want. Eclecticism is really "in" now, and I love it, but only when it's not forced....only when it sounds honest. The idea is to show the connections in music, how different genres across the centuries are all so beautifully related.

Larry Goldings: I Will

by Joshua Weiner
March 13, 2025

Larry Goldings is best known as an organist with a particular gift for bass lines, as exhibited on high-profile releases such as the Grammy-winning Trio Beyond--Saudades with Jack DeJohnette and John Scofield (ECM, 2007). Nevertheless, he trained as a classical pianist and has stuck to the 88's for several recordings, including well-regarded work with Jim Hall and 1997's Awareness (Warner Brothers), with bassist Larry Grenadier and Paul Motian on drums. Arriving nearly three decades later, Golding's piano trio album I ...

Album Review

Coleman Mellett: Sing You a Brand New Song

by Fran Kursztejn
February 19, 2025

If guitarist & singer-songwriter Coleman Mellett was “known" at all, it's for his brief yet exciting contributions to Chuck Mangione's ensemble. He played in Mangione's band between 1999 and the eve of his shocking death in 2009, along with 49 other passengers and crew members on the Colgan Flight 3047. His sensitive, versatile strumming challenged bandmates with a unique blend of jazz, folk and blues styles. The small catalogue of his officially released work reveals an inventive voice both inside ...

Liner Notes

Larry Goldings and Melinda Sullivan choose to groove on Big Foot

by Leo Sidran
August 21, 2024

Sometimes what seems at first to be a departure can turn out to be a new arrival. When Larry Goldings and Melinda Sullivan met shortly before the COVID pandemic, they had no way of knowing just how impactful it would become for both of them. By 2021, they had begun meeting in Goldings' backyard to play together and they posted videos of their jam sessions to social media. The project was immediately recognized by musicians and journalists who ...

Album Review

Larry Goldings & John Sneider: Chinwag

Read "Chinwag" reviewed by Glenn Astarita

by Glenn Astarita
May 23, 2024

Titled Chinwag (a long and pleasant conversation between friends), this album is more than just a musical tête-à-tête; it is a melodic rendezvous between two old pals, keyboardist Larry Goldings and trumpeter John Sneider. These guys go way back--think of the '90s New York music scene, club-hopping at Augie's and the Village Gate, soaking up bebop and electronic vibes like seasoned connoisseurs. Goldings, the keyboard maestro now stationed in sunny LA, brings a kaleidoscope of styles to the ...

Liner Notes

Larry Goldings & John Sneider: Chinwag

by Leo Sidran
January 9, 2024

A 30 year long friendship between musicians is not necessary to make intimate, creative music together, but it certainly doesn't hurt. Chinwag, the first duo record by pianist Larry Goldings and trumpeter John Sneider, is just such a project; a debut three decades in the making. It might seem like a simple undertaking--a small format album of piano and trumpet--but under the hood there is a lot more going on than meets the eyes (or ears). Chinwag, which ...

Radio & Podcasts

Pete Min's Colorfield Records And Sculpted Chaos

by Leo Sidran
December 9, 2023

Pete Min is a recording engineer, producer and label owner based in Eagle Rock, Los Angeles. His label Colorfield Records features artful collaborative explorations with musicians in unlikely configurations. Pete's studio Lucy's Meat Market has become one of the most in demand spots for recording among a subset of musical artists with LA ties ranging from Ben Wendel and Larry Goldings to Andrew Bird and Feist. Min started Colorfield Records to pursue a less traditional approach ...

Liner Notes

Dewa Budjana: Joged Kahyangan

by John Kelman
May 12, 2023

Dewa Budjana may not be a household name outside of his native country, Indonesia, but with MoonJune Records picking up this exciting guitarist and composer, all that could be about to change. He's already garnered some serious attention with his first recording for the label, Dawai in Paradise, released earlier this year (2013), but at home, he's nothing short of a pop star. Lead guitarist and songwriter for the multi-platinum, million-selling Indonesian pop/rock group Gigi, the fifty year-old Budjana has ...

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