Mac Chrupcala

Mac Chrupcala was born July 15, 1941 in Fall River, MA., to William Chrupcala and Ruth Olive (Brereton) Ratcliffe. He graduated from Durfee High School. He graduated from UMass Lowell with a B.S. in Music Education as a trombone and classical organ major while continuing to play piano professionally .He received his MA in Music History from the University of Rhode Island and did Advanced Graduate Studies in Afro American Music (Jazz) at the New England Conservatory of Music with Jaki Byard as his major professor.

Mac had a career as a music educator as the Supervisor of MusicK-12 for the Newport RI public Schools for 25 years before his retirement from that position. He also taught at the University of Rhode Island and was on the faculty of the RI School of Music in Providence, RI. He was a consultant for the Wurlitzer Piano Company as a Piano Lab specialist.

In the past 25 years Mac has been commissioned to write many compositions. Among them are:”Celebration 1” for Choir and Jazz Tri forTrinity Church in Newport, RI, “Celebration II” for Orchestral Strings and Jazz trio which was commissioned for and performed by, the URI String Orchestra.He also wrote “The Search” a children’s musical and the music for “Bakers Dozen” an award winning Mac has recorded his own CD’s on the Seaside Label.’’Blue Moon”and “ In Newport” are 2 of his trio CD’s He has also recorded with Ray Alexander, “Vigorous Vibes.” Steve Marvin, “Live at Scullers” and with Greg Abate,”My Buddy” and” Broken Dreams”. These are available from CD Baby and Gats Productions in Tokyo, Japan.

About his playing it has been said:”Mac Chrupcala brings an uncommon sort of graceful pleasure to his piano playing,his notes tumbling forth or inching along in a most intelligent and interesting manner.

Mac performed with jazz noteables: Irene Reed, Dick Johnson, Herb Pomeroy, Greg Hopkins, Giacomo Gates, Slide Hampton, George Coleman, Greg Abate, Marlene VerPlank and many others.

For 16 years Mac produced an ongoing jazz series in Newport on Sunday.

Mac spent winters on the Gulf Coast of Florida performing with the many world class musicians who reside there all winter long.

Malcolm Warner “Mac” Chrupcala, 75, of Portsmouth died Saturday, November 26, 2016 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA.

Awards

Mac was inducted into the Newport Jazz Hall of Fame.

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