Don Perry – Bio

Virtually unknown, Don Perry’s debut as a solo artist took place at a small winery in May 2002, playing strictly original compositions. 2 ½ years earlier, Perry decided that the time had come, after more than a decade away from music, to reacquaint himself with the saxophone. He made a purchase that was very difficult to justify at the time, a Selmer, Paris model Tenor Sax, the horn he had wanted for nearly 20 years. He began the long process of rebuilding his chops by playing some of the music he remembered from his earlier endeavors. Almost immediately, he discovered that he needed to do much more than revisit the past, so he began to explore his own ideas with the sax. For over 2 years he worked for 3 to 4 hours, nearly every night, and often 8 hours or more on Sundays, creating rhythm and melody lines that felt interesting enough to build into songs.

It was at this very first gig, that Don was introduced to John Luttrelle, an audio engineer/ musician, who has worked closely with Perry ever since, co-producing each of the 3 CD releases that he currently has to his credit; “Standing in the Shadows” in 2005, “Slide Over” in 2006 and “Just Like That” in 2009. Perry recognizes Luttrelle’s support as the guiding force behind the transformation of his original ideas into complete songs. He readily credits John’s influence as a major factor in his career. “ John continually pushes me, to push myself. If not for his friendship and guidance, I seriously doubt that I would even be playing, let alone recording”.

Since that first show, where he was equipped with his Selmer and a stool, Perry has continually honed his craft and carved a niche into the local music scene that did not previously exist. For several years now, he has been a solo performer, playing melodies on the Tenor, as well as his vintage 1927 Buescher Alto sax, that he rebuilt himself. Since 2003 he has also performed vocal numbers as well, singing only the lyrics that he has penned. All of this, while being backed by the prerecorded tracks that he has created. He states emphatically, “All of the backing tracks are completely original, there are no downloads, or anything of that nature. I’ve either created each part myself, or have brought in musicians whom I trust, such as my “brother in arms”, drummer Pete LeMay, to take my ideas to the next level.” Don Perry is one of a very few artists who have been able to find success, at the regional level, playing exclusively original compositions, a fact that has gained the respect of his listeners as well as fellow musicians.

Don’s dedication to his art can be witnessed both in his live performances and his recordings, be it a soft silky ballad such as “Teardrops” or a gutsy, groove driven piece like “Slide Over”. He states, “Each song on each CD is born from an emotion that I was experiencing at that moment, and every time that I play one of my songs, I hope to convey that emotion to the audience”. By performing solo he can recreate the music from each of his CDs almost seamlessly, but admits that he has known for quite some time, that he both wanted and needed to perform his music with a full ensemble.

In early 2010, Perry teamed up with guitarist Armand Cadieux to form the “Don Perry Duo”, an idea that was originally intended to fill one time slot, at one event, but the duo was so well received that the two performed quite regularly for the next year and a half. “This is the first time that I had played “covers” in nearly 20 years,” says Don.
By playing as a member of a team, Don had to become reacquainted, not only to working, rehearsing and performing with others, but also with the process of recreating music. He says, “Instead of trying to capture my own emotions in music, I have to adjust my style and my technique, (or lack thereof), to try and recreate what someone else done. This is a totally different process”. Yet the duo project simply strengthened his desire to play his original material live, with a full group of musicians.

Creation of this group began in late 2010, however, this process is not all that different from creating a fine wine; one must choose just the right grapes, then very patiently allow the natural processes to take place, until the desired results are obtained. After several months of shall we say, “fermentation”, the vintage seems to be developing quite nicely

Introducing “Face Value.” The foursome has been working diligently since early 2011, to combine their individual strengths to form an enjoyable and professional combination. The setlist consists mostly of easily recognizable rock and Motown favorites, but the band is continually adding Perry’s original compositions to the mix, thereby introducing these songs to a larger audience, in a live format.

The line-up consists of bassist Greg Pudder, who bumped into Perry at 24-hour gas station, when his search for musicians first began. It had been half of a lifetime since the two had worked together on stage and this meeting was more than just coincidence. “Greg’s desire to expand and hone his abilities is incredible. He’s a workhorse”, says Perry

Guitarist Rich Branham first sat in with the group in July of 2011. Perry had met Rich and heard him play briefly a few years earlier, but did not have true appreciation for his talent until this quick, yet convincing session. Perry says, “Rich doesn’t just play, he listens and thinks about what every song needs, so that it can sound as complete and full as a foursome can make it sound”

Perry’s aforementioned “Brother in Arms” drummer, Pete LeMay has been the most recent addition to the group. Don states: “ Pete is rock solid, not only as a drummer, but as a co-writer and a friend as well. His contribution and dedication to my music over the years has been huge. I’m thrilled that he is now here with us”.

Don Perry continues his career as a soloist, with appearances at special events in many parts of Ohio. New to his repertoire this year, are the warm sounds of his newly acquired 1926 Conn Soprano saxophone.
Please visit www.DonPerrySaxMan.com for song samples, CD sales and schedule information
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And, as always, “Thanks for listening!”
Don