Megon McDonough - Fred Simon $35

You know Megon McDonough from the hilarious vocal quartet The Four Bitchin Babes that’s been immensely popular on the performing arts circuit for a number of years. You are probably familiar with pianist Fred Simon from his critically acclaimed recordings with Paul McCandless: soprano saxophone, oboe, English horn, bass clarinet, duduk; Steve Rodby: acoustic bass; Mark Walker: drums, percussion as well as his recordings with Larry Coryell. Megon McDonough is a Chicago Legend, by any measure. By age 17, she opened for such folk acts as John Denver, Steve Martin and Harry Chapin; and performed on stages as diverse as Carnegie Hall and the Cellar Door. Today Megon is best known for her work as a founding member of the folk group The Four Bitchin’ Babes, which allows her wit and folk sensibilities to comment on the ups and downs of everyday life. To date, Megon has almost 20 solo albums to her credit and received rave reviews for her inspiring song “Amazing Things”, which has become her platform for moving, inspirational musical keynotes. When not on tour, she is a faculty member at The Music Institute of Chicago, teaching songwriting, and performing at Performing Arts Centers and clubs around the Midwest. She lives in Huntley, IL – Not the end of the world, but you can see it from there, and hopes to get a dog in the Spring! Fred Simon is a Chicago keyboardist, and has collaborated with heavies like Larry Coryell, and has recorded as a leader with support from the likes of Oregon reedman Paul McCandless as well as Pat Metheny Group bassist Steve Rodby and drummer Paul Wertico. Simon's own ensembles in the fusion arena take an interesting approach to this style of music, where many others fall into clichéd traps. At the turn of the millennium and beyond Simon has led several dates for the prestigious Naim label. Megon McDonough “...offers a mellifluous, consistently and technically fine vocal instrument without making the evening about that. More importantly, she is a grand storyteller: - Cabaret Scene Fred Simon is; " A pianist of rare compositional lyricism …. ( on the recording Since Forever) Simon delivers a profoundly resonant duet with McCandless, he's equally evocative, and just as inspired. - All About Jazz