There are some musicians who earn the label “a players player”. Individuals who possess a quality and integrity that peers look up to, not for mere bursts of blazing notes or chops, but for the perfection of their performances and the joy they bring. Such a musician is West coast based Jazz journeyman guitarist Doug MacDonald.

“I’ve simply never lost my love affair for warm notes, a good standard and striving for the best performance”, states the guitarist. In that regard, MacDonald’s musicianship evokes thoughts of such artists as Chet Baker and Sinatra, to name a few, who performed and excelled in a particular style their entire careers while keeping it fresh for their audiences time after time.

Originally from Philadelphia, he began his career in Hawaii, where he played with Trummy Young and Gabe Balthazar, and with Del Courtney at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Relocating to Las Vegas, Doug found himself immersed in a vibrant music scene, and began playing in lounges and showrooms with jazz greats, including Joe Williams, Carl Fontana, Jack Montrose, and Carson Smith.

On to Los Angeles, Doug played in the bands of Bill Holman, Ray Anthony, and John Clayton, and performed and recorded with Jake Hanna, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon, Bob Cooper, Ross Tompkins, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, and Ray Charles. Doug also began recording and performing with his own trio and quartet, as well as his 13 piece ensemble, The Jazz Coalition.

His brand new album, Serenade to Highland Park (out November 16th, 2021) features MacDonald at the head of a trio with bassist Mike Flick and drummer Paul Kreibich.

Designed as a tribute to an area of Los Angeles that has been undergoing a renaissance, the music consists mostly of classic standards plus two of the guitarist’s originals.

1. Days of Wine and Roses
2. Manhã de Carnaval
3. Next Time You See Me
4. Hortense
5. Dearly Beloved
6. More Than You Know
7. Shadow Waltz
8. They Say It’s Wonderful Wonderful
9. Brazil
10. Serenade to Highland Park
11. Frenesi
12. You Stepped Out of a Dream

This lusciously tantalizing new album opens on the playfully joyful treatment of Days of Wine and Roses and the famous bossa nova (by Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfá and lyricist Antônio Maria) Manhã de Carnaval and follows those up with the infectious blues melodies within Next Time You See Me, MacDonald’s own jazz waltz Hortense, the gently frenetic Dearly Beloved, and then we get both the melodious More Than You Know and the spirited Shadow Waltz (taken in 4/4 time).

Up next are the finger-snapping delights of They Say It’s Wonderful Wonderful and their catchy rendition of Brazil, which are in turn backed by the thoughtfully heartfelt title track Serenade to Highland Park, the album rounding out on a rather swingin’ rendition of Frenesi, closing in the percussion-led, orchestrational wonderment of You Stepped Out of a Dream.

Most impressive here is the interplay between the three musicians. They listen closely to each other, immediately react, and play with creative intuition.

While MacDonald is in the lead, each of the musicians makes important contributions to the music, accompanying each other’s individual statements and thus forming a very attractive ensemble sound.