L.A. Guitarist Doug MacDonald Releases Santa Monica Sessions

JGT contributor Joe Barth talks to L.A. guitarist Doug MacDonald about his new album, Santa Monica Sessions

One of the prolific guitarists in the Los Angeles area is Doug MacDonald.  His newest, Santa Monica Sessions,is a quartet record featuring piano/keyboards with a rhythm section.

JB:  The album opens with an upbeat rendition of Tadd Dameron’s “Lady Bird.”  Why start the album with it?

DM:  Great question! I always start a live gig with something upbeat. If you don’t start strong, it never seems to come together. It is as if the band needs to tune up rhythmically. The rest of the night never really feels right if you don’t put an energetic foot forward. This tune is a
perfect candidate!

JB:  Of course, “Prisoner of Love” was a big hit for Billy Eckstine, then Perry Como, and then in the 1960s for James Brown.  What draws you to the song?

DM:  Mostly because it is always quoted over the changes of “Body and Soul.” Also, it is a very neglected tune in the jazz repertoire. So many of these songs are rarely heard, which is a shame because they are so well-written with great melodies and chord changes!

JB:  What motivated you to call the album Santa Monica Sessions?

DM:  My sextet CD is entitled Sextet Session, and I started mentioning this one as my Santa Monica session.  It just seemed to be a natural follow-up.

JB:  “Walkin’” is a great tune with different stories on its composition.  What draws you to it?

DM:  This one, I reharmonized the chords on the melody. Then, I kept the standard changes for the solos. Then I used a “boogaloo type” feel that adds to framing the melody in a fresh new
way. It helps to come up with something different on tunes that are played a lot!

JB:  The organ is a refreshing contrast to Sonny Rollins’ “Pent Up House.”

DM:  Yes, I always appreciated the organ sound having performed once with organists  Jimmy Smith, Groove Holmes, and later with Brother Jack McDuff. The B-3 organ sound has such rich colors and adds so much flavor!

JB:  Bassist Hussain Jiffry, and drummer Kevin Winard play superbly.  What do you appreciate most about these two musicians as a rhythm section?

DM:  They are both so flexible and versatile. It really helps when the bass and drums are on the same musical page. It makes it so easy for me as a guitarist to float on top of this
foundation.

JB: I love pianist Bill Cantos’ solo on “Perdido.”  What do you appreciate most about what he brings to your combo here?

DM:  Bill is a great accompanist.  He really listens to your musical phrasing and inflections. That is an art in and of itself. His solos are so creative and always musically interesting!

JB:  With these songs you selected, why the overarching Latin feel to the album?

DM:  It was time for something different and a new direction. I spent so many years in the “jazz swing bag,” I was ready to branch out and reach for another thing. A change-up in the rhythmic texture sheds a whole new light on the musical concepts!

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