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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDONEGAN, Dorothy(b 16 April 1922, Chicago; d 19 May 1998) Jazz pianist; she also played organ. She graduated from DuSable High School, where she was taught by Capt. Walter Dyett, who taught generations of Chicago jazz musicians. She was already becoming popular in Chicago clubs when in 1943 she became the first black musician to play a concert at Chicago's Orchestra Hall, half classical and half jazz; it was covered by Time magazine and she received a rave review on the front page of the Chicago Tribune by Claudia Cassidy, a notoriously bitchy critic. 50 years later she played in the White House for Bill Clinton. Meanwhile there was no chance of a career in classical music for a black woman, and she made it clear that she thought sexism kept her from the top of the jazz pantheon. She was a superb entertainer and could play any style of piano, and successfully led trios. She appeared in the film Sensations Of 1945. Her LPs included At The Embers on Roulette, Dorothy Donegan Live! and Donneybrook With Donegan on Capitol, The Explosive on Audiophile. Then on CD: Sophisticated Lady on CMA, Live In Copenhagen 1980 on Storyville, Live At The Widder Bar '86 on Timeless; and three volumes of Live At The Floating Jazz Festival on Chiaroscuro '90, '91 (with guest Dizzy Gillespie), '92 (with Clark Terry), all with generous playing times. |