The Cadillac Hotel is also home to the Patricia Walkup Memorial Piano, a meticulously restored 1884 Steinway Model D concert grand piano. The case is of Indian Rosewood and the old growth spruce soundboard is the piano’s original. The piano spent its first 70 years or so in a castle in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was shipped from New Haven, Connecticut, to the Cadillac Hotel in June, 2007. This beautiful instrument is maintained on a regular basis by Shawn Skylark (Registered Piano Technician, Piano Technicians Guild).
McQuarry grew up in a home filled with his Mom’s piano playing, in Denver Colorado. He studied at the Eastman School of Music, University of Colorado at Denver, Berklee School Of Music, University Of California San Diego and Alexander University. He is an active member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), the performance rights organization, Broadcast Musicians, Inc. (BMI), the Electronic Music Foundation (EMF), the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers (ASMAC), the Society For Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) and Chamber Music America (CMA).
McQuarry has performed with distinguished artists such as the late Dizzy Gillespie, Clare Fischer, Louie Bellson, Red Rodney (Charlie Parker), Tom Scott, the late John Cage, Laurie Anderson, Vinnie Colaiuta (Sting, Herbie Hancock, Frank Zappa), Nathan East (Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock, Bob James), Bill Rich (Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, Taj Mahal), the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and Billy Cobham.
McQuarry and Kleinman met a dozen years ago, during their days of playing clubs in and around San Diego. After both relocated to the Bay Area, they reunited and sought out a project that would allow each to explore McQuarry’s electric jazz keyboard wizardry, as well as the fusion music of Miles Davis, Jan Hammer, Weather Report’s Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius and Billy Cobham. McQuarry recommended Smith, a like-minded soul from his work with bassist Edo Castro, and after a few sessions, the McQuarry, Kleinman & Smith trio was born.
In addition to this recent project, McQuarry leads several ensembles, including his critically acclaimed Resonance Jazz Octet, (which will make it SF Jazz Center debut on October 18th); the Stephen McQuarry Trio with Resonance alum Ted Burik and Greg German; an all-horn and woodwind ensemble; an electric quartet with Resonance’s Michele Walther on electric violin, Burik and Smith; and is composing and recording on his indie label, Mandala Records as well as working on orchestration projects in the film community. McQuarry explained that someday you might even find him “on a pink sand beach with Sherre eating a conch salad…”
Here's a brief video clip of McQuarry, Kleinman & Smith Trio, featuring Steve McQuarry (keyboards), Craig Kleinman (bass) & E. Doctor Smith (drums) performing an excerpt from the Miles Davis/Marcus Miller tune "Tutu" and Billy Cobham's "Red Baron" at the Cadillac Hotel in San Francisco.
Excerpt from Tutu & Red Baron - McQuarry, Kleinman & Smith Trio from E. Doctor Smith on Vimeo.
