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| NEW RELEASE: Califournia Quartet (Doug MacDonald Music DM 15) The Califournia Quartet is an all-star, straight ahead jazz group comprised of top musicians based in the Los Angeles area. Their debut release features guitarist Doug MacDonald, Kim Richmond on reeds, bassist Harvey Newmark, and drummer Paul Kreibich performing four swinging standards and six MacDonald originals. Los Angeles is the home to many technically superb jazz musicians who work in the studios by day and play in clubs at night. Four of the finest combine their talents to form the CalifourniaQuartet. This group is about straight ahead swinging, warm solos and exciting ensembles. Guitarist Doug MacDonald, who contributed six originals, joins forces with Kim Richmond on alto, soprano and flute, bassist Harvey Newmark, and drummer Paul Kreibich to perform music that will be enjoyed by fans of bop, swing and classic mainstream jazz. "A Beautiful Friendship" opens the program with a fresh arrangement that has altoist Richmond and guitarist MacDonald sharing the melody and taking fine solos that are separated by a four-bar transition that launches each improvisation. MacDonald's medium-tempo blues "Malapropisms, " his harmonically advanced and slightly eccentric jazz waltz "San Raphael, " and "Lakeside Drive" (which has a superior chordal guitar solo and a subtle rhythm from drummer Kreibich) keep the momentum flowing. A beautifully played rendition of Tadd Dameron's classic ballad "If You Could See Me Now" precedes the mysterious-sounding scalar piece "E Spot" which features some particularly soulful alto playing from Richmond. MacDonald takes "The Things We Did Last Summer" as an unaccompanied guitar solo, impressing listeners with his integration of the melody and chords with plenty of sincere feeling. Concluding the enjoyable outing is the bossa-nova "Girasol" (which has some exuberant soprano playing by Richmond), a faster-than-usual rendition of "Tenderly, " and the boppish "I Want It." Each of the members of the Califournia Quartet has an impressive resume. Doug MacDonald, who has led more than a dozen albums, spent time playing jazz in New York, Hawaii and Las Vegas before settling in Southern California. Along the way he has worked with Joe Williams, Bill Holman, John Clayton, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon, Buddy Rich, Ray Charles and countless others in addition to his own combos and his big band The Jazz Coalition. Kim Richmond is a master of every reed instrument, although his main focus is on the alto sax. He has worked with such notables as Stan Kenton, Louis Bellson, Bill Holman and Vinny Golia. In addition to his wide-ranging playing (which ranges from swing to free form), he is an adventurous and highly individual arranger-composer who often leads the Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra. Bassist Harvey Newmark has uplifted the music of everyone from Cal Tjader, Harry "Sweets" Edison, and Anita O'Day to the Monkees, while drummer Paul Kreibich worked with Ray Charles for four years, Gene Harris for five, and has performed with nearly every top West Coast jazz artist in addition to giants who've passed through Los Angeles. Together, the four members of the Califournia Quartet have created memorable, swinging music on their debut recording. (Doug MacDonald Music DM 15) Street Date: May 3, 2019 Doug MacDonald – Guitar, Kim Richmond Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Harvey Newmark – Bass, Paul Kreibich– Drums write your comments about the article :: © 2019 Jazz News :: home page |