Skip McDonald (born Bernard Alexander, September 1949)[3][4] is an American musician who also performs under the stage name Little Axe.
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Little Axe | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bernard Alexander |
| Also known as | Skip McDonald |
| Born | September 1949 (age 75) Dayton, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician Songwriter Record producer Musical string arranger |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Labels | Sugar Hill, Wired, Real World, Fat Possum, Okeh |
Career
Early career
Grounded in blues music learned from his father, a steel worker who played blues guitar at weekends,[4] McDonald spent his early days playing jazz, doo-wop, and gospel, and eventually relocated to New York City as a teenager with his band of friends, called The Entertainers.[2][3]
McDonald formed the group Wood Brass & Steel in 1973 with bass guitarist Doug Wimbish and drummer Harold Sargent. The group recorded two albums before their 1979 breakup.[3] He then became part of the house band for Sugarhill Records and appeared as a session player on many early rap recordings, including "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.
Post-Sugarhill
After leaving Sugarhill, McDonald, Wimbish, and drummer Keith LeBlanc began working with Adrian Sherwood, and eventually formed the trio into the industrial/dub group Tackhead, initially fronted by Gary Clail and later Bernard Fowler.[3] McDonald also collaborated with Sherwood on other projects, including albums by African Head Charge and Mark Stewart.[2]
In the 1990s, McDonald assumed the moniker "Little Axe" and began moving from hip hop to a form of blues that drew from an array of musical influences, including dub, R&B, gospel, and jazz.[2] He has been working steadily as a studio musician, recording both his own blues albums, and continuing to appear as a guest act on other artists' albums. His most recent albums have been released on Real World Records. Alan Glen is often featured on harmonica on these albums.[3]
In 2009, he collaborated with Mauritanian musician Daby Touré to produce an album, Call My Name.
As of 2016, he still tours and gigs regularly, has a loyal following and is in regular demand for session work as a guitarist.
Discography
- Never Turn Back (1993, Spin)
- The Wolf that House Built (1994, Okeh/Wired)
- Slow Fuse (1996, Wired)
- Hard Grind (2002, On-U Sound)
- Champagne & Grits (2004, Real World/Virgin)
- Stone Cold Ohio (2006, Real World/Virgin)
- Bought for a Dollar, Sold for a Dime (2010, Real World)
- If You Want Loyalty Buy a Dog (2011, On-U Sound)
- Wanted - Live 1996 (2012, Little Axe Recordings)
- Return (2013, Echo Beach)
- One Man - One Night (2016, 12:10 Records)
- London Blues (2017, Echo Beach)
With Will Downing
- Will Downing (Island Records, 1988)
- Come Together as One (Island Records, 1989)
- A Dream Fulfilled (Island Records, 1991)
With Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
- Talk It Up (Tell Everybody) (Philly World, 1984)
With Melba Moore
- I'm in Love (Capitol Records, 1988)
- Soul Exposed (Orpheus, 1990)
With Sinéad O'Connor
- Faith and Courage (Atlantic Records, 2000)
- Sean-Nós Nua (Vanguard Records, 2002)
With The O'Jays
- Love And More (Philadelphia Records, 1984)
With Brenda K. Starr
- I Want Your Love (Mirage, 1985)
With Candi Staton
- Nightlites (Sugar Hill Records, 1982)
With Donna Summer
- Mistaken Identity (Atlantic Records, 1991)
References
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