Doug MacDonald: Presents a Salute to the Jazz Composers

This is the second “Jazz Marathon” put together by mainstream guitarist Doug MacDonald, and this two disc set of concert materials is filled with hard bopping fun. The warm toned 6 stringer teams with a pair of bands  including Lanny Morgan/as, Pete Christlieb/ts, Ricky Woodard/ts, Carl Saunders/tp, Bob Summers/tp, Linda Small/tb, John Campbell/p, Josh Nelson/p, Jim Hughart/b, John B. Williams/b, Paul Kreibich/dr and Roy McCurdy/dr. All steady swingers living in LA, and the swinging is easy on takes of standards like “Our Delight” and the hip “Daahoud.” MacDonald is deft with the notes on a cool “’Round Midnight” and delicate “Whisper Not.” The rhythm teams do a delightful Latin lilt on “Con Alma” and hit the bop groove hard on “Blue Capers” and “Confirmation” with everyone getting a chance to solo on the stretched out pieces.  This is the kind of stuff that made you fall in love with jazz; no fusion, no confusion.

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