Throughout his career, guitarist Doug MacDonald has recorded as a leader in settings ranging from a duo, trios, quartets, quintets, an octet, and a ten-piece with six brass players, to the 13-piece Jazz Winds/Brass Coalition which on one project also included strings. But he had never before been at the head of a big band, something he determined to resolve. Here we have the first recording by the Doug MacDonald Big Band, an ensemble the guitarist formed in Feb. 2020. While Doug of course provides electric guitar he is joined by 5 saxophonists, 4 trombonists, 4 trumpeters, a bassist, drummer, and two pianists (one on each day of the two-day session).
The result is an album which hearkens back to the Golden Age, and I can certainly imagine listening to this with my dad in the car, which is where I first gained my taste for the genre (on eight-track, of course). Unlike much of the jazz I listen to these days, the only room for improvisation is within the solos as this is heavily constructed and scored, allowing for the full impact of a big band to really shine through. There are times when this really swings, and one can tell that this is not a group of session musicians who have been brought together for a one-off set, but rather that they know each other and have already played this music. There are times when this really lifts, soaring to the heavens, and one of the delights is the way that Doug often pushes himself right to the back, and if one was to guess what instrument the band leader played it is unlikely someone would guess guitar. Sumptuous and inviting, this takes us back in time, relaxing and enjoyable.
Rating: 7/10
