What started out as a trio of friends getting together for jazz jam sessions evolved into a group of five playing together at various venues. Chavar Dontae on guitar, Andy Boren on keys, Jay Thomas on bass, Jon Wilson on drums and Patrick McDonagh on vibraphone comprise the Lake Erie Jazz Group, which formed after meeting and playing at the now closed Brick Bar.
Although they each have preferred instruments, Patrick McDonagh notes that a strength of the group is their ability to switch things up. “For some of our shows Jay plays drums and I play Hammond organ and bass. It helps keep things fresh and exciting.”
The guy who’s always drawing
McDonagh helped establish Lake Erie Jazz Group while working as a jack of many trades. Currently working as a visual and tattoo artist at Lake Erie Studio, he can often be found sketching at The Peacock or other local music venues. “I draw everyday after work because when I was 17 or 18 a stranger at Murphy’s Place had a sketchbook and was drawing the people playing,” McDonagh said. “He said I should draw a little bit everyday to get better and I have (done that) since.”
McDonagh drawings benefit Lake Erie Jazz Group as he has designed unique merch for the group. The two shirts currently listed on their website have intricate drawings of jazz greats Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans. McDonagh saw it as a good opportunity to combine his love of jazz and drawing, with plans to continue. “We’re working on a few more greats as well as a logo for us that will feature our faces, simply drawn,” McDonagh said.
Love of death metal and jazz
If McDonagh wasn’t multifaceted enough, he is also the vocalist and guitarist of local death metal band Mutilatred. While death metal and jazz are not a typical crossover, McDonagh notes some interesting similarities between the genres. “They both have a good history of following the same tradition or order of making the songs, which I like a lot,” McDonagh said. He also noted that for both genres it is crucial to know music theory because they both rely on technical riffs.
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McDonagh credits his introduction-turned-passion of jazz to his uncle, who played Hammond organ and trombone, along with watching Damen Cook play with his father, former Toledo jazz great Leon Cook, when he was just 13. On watching Leon play, McDonagh says, “He was playing so fast and with such precision on the guitar that I realized these jazz guys really know what they’re doing and it’s not too different from how fast and intense metal guys play.”
Goals for the future
While Lake Erie Jazz Group started out as friends practicing together in 2021, McDonagh envisions a future for the group that involves touring as well as regular gigs in Toledo to support the jazz scene. His journey from appreciating jazz to actually playing in front of people was long and came with challenges and frustrations but he kept going in order to contribute to the jazz community. “I grew up seeing a lot of these guys play and it was always cool…now I just want to keep it around, so I learned and now I play,” McDonagh said.
Catch Lake Erie Jazz Group at Toledo Spirits, 1301 N Summit St., the first Sunday of every month, 6 pm to 9 pm. lakeeriejazz.com
