Doug MacDonald (guitar); Kim Richmond (alto sax/soprano sax/flute); Harvey Newmark (bass); Paul Kreibich (drums).
(Review by Lance).
Isn't it wonderful, or is it sad? There are such a lot of great jazz combos around that, in many ways, it makes the albums you've treasured over the years become suddenly obsolete! Perhaps an overstatement as few of the musicians playing today would have even got their foot in the door had it not been for the likes of everyone from Jelly Roll to Trane contributing to the melting pot.
Richmond finds his direction via Bird and Cannonball, MacDonald, courtesy of Barney and Wes - both have found their own voice from those rich seams and, unlike their spiritual mentors, today's recording techniques show their sounds off to greater advantage.
This is perhaps the perfect example of yesterday's jazz today - looking back but with their eyes on the future. The swing is in but so is the groove and the bossa and the jazz-rock - not to mention the kitchen sink - ah that my humble abode had such an amenity!
Listen to If You Could See Me Now - if the goosebumps don't show then listen to MacDonald's solo rendition of The Things We Did Last Summer. Nobody ever had a summer to remember like this one. Even without words, it edges Sinatra's classic version!
MacDonald brings Tenderly in with some luscious out of tempo chords before Richmond ups the pace with some fine alto playing, MacDonald carries the baton before handing it to Kreibich who does what drummers do!
On I Want It, Richmond switches to flute, bass and drums do their thing, MacDonald, has no problems - why should he? He wrote the tune as, indeed, he also penned five of the others.
As the band name implies the quartet is based in Los Angeles and, although this is their debut album, all four have an impressive pedigree having been involved with a whole lot of big names from New York to L.A. and back again.
Lance.
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