Donald Malloy’s eclectic approach to music is one best described as unique. As one who was raised in an environment where music was as much apart of life as breathing, he was developing his musical identity like a child goes through his adolescent years.
Growing up in the Ifa religion, Donald’s first musical experience was with traditional “African Praise Music” playing the drums and singing. Later he learned to play the trumpet through the Cleveland Hts. School system and quickly gravitated toward jazz. By the age of 18 Donald had performed with Terence Blanchard, John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, Bobby Watson, and Winard Harper. After graduating Cleveland Hts. High and Cuyahoga Community College at the same time he began a scholarship at the esteemed Oberlin Conservatory. Here he study with jazz greats like Marcus Belgrave, Billy Hart, and Gary Bartz.
While studying Donald continued to demonstrate his musical gift performing with Gerald Wilson, Billy Hart, Marcus Belgrave, Jimmy Heath, Eric Lewis, Frank Foster, Roscoe Mitchell, Donald Byrd and the Jazz Heritage Orchestra to name a few. He also became aware of his gift for composition. During this time he was commissioned to compose the piece “Stark Winters” for the independent film “Man Cry” which was played by Two of a Kind, a two trumpets quintet co-lead by Donald and trumpeter Curtis Taylor. Also he composed a four movement suite for the Jazz Heritage Orchestra entitled “Spirit of New Orleans.”
Upon graduating from Oberlin at the age of 21 Donald is now residing in New Jersey and continuing his studies as a graduate student at Rutgers. Here he is studying with the great William Fielder. Since he moved to the east coast he performed with Eddie Palmieri, Ed Simon, Conrad Herwig, Johnathon Blake, and Frank Sinatra Jr.
Through all of his experiences thus far Donald his now working two projects. In his quintet he is going back to his spiritual roots, combining the music for the African deities of the Yoruba tribe (Orisha) and jazz. Music in this band is both spiritual and intellectual at the same time. The second project is “The Return of Badzilla.” In this band which is co-lead by Donald and visionary Chuck Tailor the music here is meant to be fun. Here we are combining jazz, rock, blues and electronica.
Donald continues to push forward. He is always being inspired and is determined to transcend past boundaries of what has come before him and find new ways to express experiences of life, because that’s what music is. LIFE. A person can never lay stagnant. You either move onward and upward or downward and backward.
waz good . . . just stopin by to show u and ya page sum luv ... stop by to comment the pics/ send luv 2 the page/ maybe even a lil voice comment iight ~3~
I finished writing my first song all by myself, including the changes... I'm going to give it to you to grade it...LOL! I still have a couple more to do... And by the way, that trumpet solo on Lovely Addiction is really great!
hey sweetie first let me apologize for not hittin u up on ur b-day got busy and forgot...so happy be-lated birthday u know i love u...now u could holla at yo girl every now and then so i know u still alive...
