Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Earl MacDonald: Open Borders

4

Earl MacDonald: Open Borders

By

Sign in to view read count
Earl MacDonald: Open Borders
Not many piano led ensembles finds the pianist laying as far back in the musical dialogue as Earl MacDonald, who doesn't come anywhere near an extended solo until "Miles Apart" and Percy Mayfield's Ray Charles blow- out "Hit The Road Jack" (tracks five and six respectively). But that's just fine given that MacDonald has charted the conversations and man oh man, do these arrangements crackle with spirit.

From the high-flying "Dig In Buddy" to the exhilarating Latin flavors "Dolphy Dance," MacDonald's prodigious gifts as an arranger shine as the horns sway and dance to such a degree that, if you close your eyes and listen, you can envision a whole dance floor of zoot suits and high skirts. And there's a full bandstand of seven horns powering Open Borders irrepressible groove.

With all his players coming from different influences, styles, and walks of life, the communal swing they find and thrive mightily on makes the notion of open borders even more commanding. They push, pull and celebrate loud on Jackie McLean's "Appointment in Ghana," evidence more so of MacDonald's musical sense of control and candor. Open your mind and cross the borders.

Track Listing

Dig In Buddy; Sordid Sort Of Fellow; Mirror Mind; Appointment In Ghana; Miles Apart; Hit The Road Jack; Smoke And Mirrors; Catch Of The Day; Blame It On My Youth; Dolphy Dance; East Of The Sun.

Personnel

Kris Allen
saxophone, alto
Wayne Escoffery
saxophone, tenor
Lauren Sevian
saxophone, baritone
Jeff Holmes
trumpet
Josh Evans
trumpet
Sara Jacovino
trombone
Alex Gertner
french horn
Henry Lugo
bass, acoustic
Ricardo Monzon
percussion

Album information

Title: Open Borders | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Death Defying Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.