Guitarist Doug MacDonald Releases New Project “Tribute to South Central” | LISTEN!
DOUG MACDONALD
“TRIBUTE TO SOUTH CENTRAL”
Doug MacDonald’s newest recording, Tribute to South Central, features the prolific jazz guitarist at the head of a new quintet/sextet that includes trumpet, keyboards, bass, drums, and percussion.
The colorful group performs three standards and five of MacDonald’s inventive originals which contain plenty of subtle surprises.
Throughout his career, guitarist Doug MacDonald has led at least 30 albums yet he never seems to repeat himself. His recordings range from unaccompanied solos to big band outings with many different settings in between and are consistently filled with unexpected moments along with solid swinging.
On Tribute to South Central, MacDonald pays tribute to the legendary area in Los Angeles where jazz clubs used to be quite numerous and where the guitarist had happy experiences playing with Ernie Andrews, Jack McDuff and many others.
For this project, Doug MacDonald utilizes a new group of talented musicians, none of whom he had recorded with previously: Wayne Cobham on trumpet, flugelhorn and flugelbone, keyboardist Richard Turner Jr, bassist Del Atkins, drummer-percussionist Ronnie Kaufman and, on five of the eight selections, percussionist Eric McKain. His interplay with these musicians inspires fresh ideas and creative new music.
The group performs a soul jazz rendition of Wes Montgomery’s “Mr. Walker,” a ballad feature for the guitarist (Duke Ellington’s “Self Portrait Of The Bean” which was originally written to showcase tenor-saxophonist Coleman Hawkins), and an infectious version of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Captain Bacardi.” In addition, they interpret five of MacDonald’s originals, each of which have very original melodies that contain some surprising twists and turns. “Blues In the Desert” is a blues with a shuffle, “GG” is a medium-tempo romp, “Mine Or Yours” gives the group an opportunity to stretch out on a jazz waltz, “Luces Azules” is a swinging blues, and the set concludes with the lyrical “Sam-Or-Eye.” The concise solos of Cobham and Turner (on piano, organ and electric keyboards), and the driving percussion of McKain and Kaufman inspire MacDonald to play at his most inventive.
Doug MacDonald, who was raised in Philadelphia, developed early on as a jazz guitarist, gaining experience playing in a variety of settings while living in Hawaii and Las Vegas. Since moving to Southern California in the 1980s, he has always been in great demand. While he has worked with a long list of greats (including Buddy Rich, Ray Charles, Bill Holman, Jack Sheldon, and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra), most significant have been his own projects which include duos, sextets, octets, a chamber ensemble, and his Jazz Coalition Big Band. Among the many albums that he has led since 1979 are such rewarding projects as Live In Beverly Hills, Live At The Rancho Mirage, The Sextet Session, Serenade To Highland Park, Overtones, and the Santa Monica Sessions.
Now one can add Tribute To South Central to Doug MacDonald’s long list of very enjoyable and creative recordings.
Doug MacDonald – Guitar
Wayne Cobham – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Flugelbone
Richard Turner, Jr. – EP, Piano, Organ,
Strings, Percussion
Del Atkins – Bass
Ronnie Kaufman – Drums, Percussion (4, 6, 8)
Eric McKain – Percussion (1, 2, 3, 5, 7)
Available From All Major Streaming Services
June Live Appearances
This Wednesday and every Wednesday 6/3/26
please join us
6-8 PM
We are at the Birdie Bar in the back room Shadow Mountain Golf Course
73-800 Ironwood St. 760-346-8242
Palm Desert, CA 92260 in Palm Desert
#jazz #jazzguitar #jazzmusic
Thursday 6/4/26 and every Thursday
6:30-10:00 trio
Edwin Mills 22 Mills Pl
Pasadena Ca 91105
(626) 564-8656
Edwin mills.com
#jazztrio #greatjazz #mainstreamjazz
#swingjazz
#bebopjazz
jazzguitar
Mike Flick bass
Kendall Kay drums
Sherry Williams is our guest vocalist
on Friday 6/5/26
6/12 is Paul MacKey
5-7 PM
at Vicky’s of Santa Fe, 45100 Club Dr, Indian Wells, CA 92210-8806, (760) 345-9770 with the trio.
#jazz #jazzband #jazz vocal jazzguitar
Larry Holloway bass
Tim Pleasant drums
Saturday 6/6/26 and every Saturday
solo guitar performance at Palmina by Puglia 6-9 PM
2500 N Palm Canyon Dr D2, Palm Springs, CA 92262
(760) 898-9255 #jazzguitar #sologuitar palmspringsjazz
Sunday 6/7/29 5-9
Cipolline Osteria
1260 S Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264
TRACK LISTING
1. Blues in the Desert 6:07 Composer – Doug MacDonald
2. Mr. Walker 5:05 Composer – Doug MacDonald
3. Captain Bacardi 4:25 Composer – Antonio Carlos Jobim
4. Self Portrait 5:35 Doug MacDonald
5. GG 4:29 Composer – Doug MacDonald
6. Mine or Yours 4:58 Composer – Doug MacDonald
7. Luces Azules 4:16 Composer – Doug MacDonald
8. Sam-or-Eye 4:45 Composer – Doug MacDonald
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