The latest album from guitarist Doug MacDonald is of duets with bassist Harvey Newmark. Now located on the West Coast, MacDonald is a Philadelphia native who was inspired by such guitarists as Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, Howard Roberts, and Wes Montgomery while forging a personal style. About his playing, I remarked, "He impresses with his clean, fleet and imaginative attack and thoughtfully constructed solos." Bassist Newmark was born in Hollywood, California, who took up the bass in middle school. His experiences include working with the Buddy Rich Big Band, Lew Tabackin, Carmen McRae, Joe Henderson, and many others. He also has played with various classical orchestras as well.
The intimacy provided by a guitar-bass duet allows MacDonald's beautiful tone to shine as much as his creative mix of single-note runs and chords, while Newmark provides a rhythmic anchor with his fat lines. The recording starts with a delightful rendition of "Flamingo," a song associated with the one-time Ellingtonian Herb Jeffries with whom MacDonald worked. The pair take listeners to Brazil for a lovely samba, The Little Boat," as MacDonald chording while Newmark solos. Among other charming performances are the beauty of "These Foolish Things" and "Easy Living," which showcases bassist Newmark.
MacDonald says he wrote the title track for a big band. I have not heard the big band rendition, but the performance here suggests this song is a contrafact of "Cherokee." "Is This It" is a solo guitar featured based on the chord changes of "What Is This Thing Called Love." "De-Ha," with its boogaloo rhythm, is an interesting original that is structured differently for the melody and the solos. Then there is an intriguing interpretation of Coltrane's "Village Blues."
A lively original, "New World" serves to close out a most delightful recording.
I received my review copy from a publicist.
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