16 Facts About Dave McKenna

Dave McKenna was an American jazz pianist known primarily as a solo pianist and for his "three-handed" swing style.

Dave McKenna was a significant figure in the evolution of jazz piano.

Dave McKenna was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, United States.

At age 15, McKenna worked in big bands with Charlie Ventura and Woody Herman's Orchestra.

Dave McKenna then spent two years in the military, in the Korea War, before returning to Ventura.

Dave McKenna made several recordings for Chiaroscuro in the 1970s, including his comeback album Solo Piano.

Dave McKenna debuted with the Concord Jazz label in 1979, for whom he recorded many albums as both a soloist and group member.

Dave McKenna's last recording, An Intimate Evening with Dave McKenna was released by Arbors in 2002.

The bassline, for which Dave McKenna frequently employed the rarely used lowest regions of the piano, was often played non-legato to simulate a double bassist's phrasing.

Dave McKenna often used his left hand to emulate the sound of a rhythm jazz guitarist, playing a four-to-the-bar "strum" consisting of a bass note, third and seventh.

Dave McKenna's "broken tenth" sound was frequently mistaken for stride piano.

Dave McKenna was quite capable of playing full stride piano, and occasionally broke into stride choruses, especially on songs associated with traditional jazz or at the height of an up-tempo song's development.

The characteristic that perhaps most distinguishes Dave McKenna's playing is his sense of time.

Dave McKenna liked to create medleys around a common word or theme in song titles.

Dave McKenna often combined ballads and up-tempo songs with standards, pop tunes, blues, and TV themes and folk songs.

Dave McKenna died on October 18,2008, in State College, Pennsylvania at the age of 78 from lung cancer.