Doug MacDonald Quartet Organism

Doug MacDonald Quartet
Organism
Self-Produced

"Organism" is the thirteenth album (and 3rd organ project) by guitarist MacDonald who leads an organ quartet including organist Carey Frank, tenor saxophonist Bob Sheppard, and drummer Ben Scholz. MacDonald is a Philadelphia native who was inspired by Inspired by such guitarists as Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, Howard Roberts, and Wes Montgomery while forging a personal style. He first played jazz in Hawaii working at a hotel followed by a period in Las Vegas where he played in lounges and showrooms with such greats as Joe Williams, trombonist Carl Fontana, and tenor-saxophonist Jack Montrose. MacDonald has become a fixture in Los Angeles playing with the big bands of Bill Holman, Ray Anthony, and John Clayton as well as such performers as Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, pianist Hank Jones, and bassist Ray Brown. He also leads his own combos and his 13-piece ensemble The Jazz Coalition.

He impresses with his clean, fleet and imaginative attack and thoughtfully constructed solos. While much of this recording is straight-ahead organ quartet performance such as the opening rendition of "It's You or No One" where he opens unaccompanied and then dazzles with his driving solo solidly backed by Frank and Scholz before Sheppard impresses with the warmth and controlled heat of his tenor sax here and Frank takes off on the Hammond B-3. MacDonald's original "Jazz for All Occasions" opens with some fine tenor sax from Sheppard with MacDonald chording under him, followed by "L&T" starting in an atmospheric vein before becoming a heated swinger with more strong guitar.

Also, especially worthy of note is the imaginative interpretation of Sweets Edison's, "Centerpiece" with some sinewy, bluesy tenor sax with Frank supplying some cooking grease, while the lovely ballad performance, "Too Late Now," opens with some exquisite unaccompanied guitar before Sheppard plays with considerable warmth in his lyrical solo. A medley of "Nina Never Knew" with "Indian Summer" is the first of three solo guitar performances where MacDonald fully exhibits his clean, fleet attack and marvelous tone on a precious performance. "Poor Butterfly" is a solid, swinging solo performance, while MacDonald's original "Hortense," has a sparkly tone to it.

"Organism" is a recording with considerable charm. The Doug MacDonald Quartet has a clean ensemble sound as well as with controlled heat, providing a firm foundation for the imaginative, well-shaped solos heard on this very engaging recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the May-June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384) although there may some minor changes from the review that appeared thre. Here is a video of Doug talking about this recording with drummer and producer Ben Scholz.