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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $12 USD  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Comes in a 6-panel CD Sleeve. Includes liner notes , credits, artist photos.
    KIRK MACDONALD: tenor sax | P.J. PERRY: alto sax, flute | LUIS DENIZ: alto sax | PAT LABARBERA: tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, alto flute | PERRY WHITE: baritone sax, bass clarinet
    VIRGINIA FRIGAULT-MACDONALD: clarinet (Symmetry, Shadows, Vanda Justina)JASON LOGUE | BRIAN O’KANE | ROB SMITH | KEVIN TURCOTTE | JOE SULLIVAN: trumpet, fluglehorn
    ALASTAIR KAY | TERRY PROMANE | KELSLEY GRANT: trombone PETER HYSEN: bass trombone, tuba
    LORNE LOFSKY: guitar | NANCY WALKER: piano | NEIL SWAINSON: bass | BARRY ROMBERG: drums

    Produced by Kirk MacDonald & Steve Bellamy
    Recorded at Humber College Studio June 14, 15 2015
    Recording Engineer Kenny MacDonald
    Assistant Engineer Matt Manifould
    Mixing by André White & Kirk MacDonald
    Editing by Matt Manifould & Kirk MacDonald
    Mastering by Steve Bellamy
    Studio Session Photos & Group Photo by Alastair Kay
    Original photos of Kirk MacDonald by Gee Wong
    Layout & Design by Lucie Frigault

    Compositions by Kirk MacDonal

    Includes unlimited streaming of Common Ground via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
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1.
Labrynth 12:00
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2.
big band, contemporary, Jazz, mainstream jazz, instrumental - Common Ground 10:10
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3.
Symmetry 08:38
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4.
The Power of Four 10:36
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5.
Shadows 13:43
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6.
You See but You Don't Hear 13:40
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7.
Kirk's Blues 09:57
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8.
Vanda Justina 12:18
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about

It is always a major undertaking to produce a recording for large ensemble. Common Ground was most certainly not an exception. The third Cd by The Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra (KMJO) and my thirteenth as a leader. This Cd follows up two very successful award-winning small group CDs that I recorded for Addo records. The 2015 Juno winner “Vista Obscura” and the 2015 East Coast Music Award winner “Symmetry”.

The KMJO has been in existence for over a decade with our first performance at The Atlantic Jazz Festival in Halifax in 2004. Since that time the group has developed a book that consists of over thirty-five of my compositions arranged by a number of writers. Two of the arrangers that have contributed heavily to the band’s book and have played a large part in helping shape its sound are Terry Promane and Joe Sullivan. Terry and Joe shared the writing duties on the band’s 2012 Juno nominated debut Cd “Deep Shadows”.This was followed by “Family Suite For Large Ensemble”1 which was beautifully orchestrated in its entirety by Terry. I wanted to follow this up with a recording that would focus on Joe’s arrangements.

Joe Sullivan is one of Canada’s leading contemporary composers/arrangers and his work writing for Jazz Orchestra is a standout. Joe has successfully led his own big band in Montreal for a number of years. Joe’s writing for this band is exceptional and his work on “Common Ground” is brilliant!

Joe has never failed to capture the essence of my compositions in his arrangements and has put his personal stamp on every piece he has written for this band. Joe has consistently managed to create new directions within the existing structures and forms of my music, adding fresh elements and other dimensions to the music. Joe treats my compositions as if they were his own, taking great license at times, stretching the themes, harmony, form, instrumentation, and colours. He is never satisfied until he is able to internalize the music and find something to say that is uniquely his own with the compositions.His writing is challenging on every level …Joe is fearless, daring, playful, colorful, reverent, irreverent, and always deeply rooted. Joe is a risk-taker and writes for the band with the same kind of abandon and “why not” attitude and confidence as a great improviser would.

The KMJO is a band that is full of world-class soloists and leading professionals. I feel very fortunate to have the musicians in this group and of this caliber come together and share their talents in playing and realizing this music. The collective commitment of the group and the individual contributions of the musicians in dealing with the complexities of this music has been quite a process to see unfold. It is a great honour and very humbling to have my compositions serve as a meeting place for these great musicians.

A big thank you to Steve Bellamy for his continued support and his invaluable on-the-ground help in overseeing the sessions and for co-producing and mastering this CD. Andre White for a fantastic job on the very complex task and the seemingly unending job of mixing this CD. Matt Manifould for assisting on the sessions and great work on edits and extra tracking. Kenny MacDonald for a great capture in engineering the sessions. Lucie Frigault for the wonderful design, layout, and graphics.

Thank you to the Canada Council For The Arts and The Ontario Arts Council for helping make this project a reality.

Finally a huge debt of gratitude to all the musicians on this recording for your outstanding musical contributions and inspired playing, and to Joe Sullivan for the great writing, leadership and vision you’ve shown in putting the music for this project together.
Enjoy! Kirk MacDonald

credits

released July 1, 2016

KIRK MACDONALD: tenor sax | P.J. PERRY: alto sax, flute | LUIS DENIZ: alto sax | PAT LABARBERA: tenor sax, soprano sax, flute, alto flute | PERRY WHITE: baritone sax, bass clarinet
VIRGINIA FRIGAULT-MACDONALD: clarinet (Symmetry, Shadows, Vanda Justina)JASON LOGUE | BRIAN O’KANE | ROB SMITH | KEVIN TURCOTTE | JOE SULLIVAN: trumpet, fluglehorn
ALASTAIR KAY | TERRY PROMANE | KELSLEY GRANT: trombone PETER HYSEN: bass trombone, tuba
LORNE LOFSKY: guitar | NANCY WALKER: piano | NEIL SWAINSON: bass | BARRY ROMBERG: drums

Produced by Kirk MacDonald & Steve Bellamy
Recorded at Humber College Studio June 14, 15 2015
Recording Engineer Kenny MacDonald
Assistant Engineer Matt Manifould
Mixing by André White & Kirk MacDonald
Editing by Matt Manifould & Kirk MacDonald
Mastering by Steve Bellamy
Studio Session Photos & Group Photo by Alastair Kay
Original photos of Kirk MacDonald by Gee Wong
Layout & Design by Lucie Frigault

Compositions by Kirk MacDonald – SOCAN
Arrangements by Joe Sullivan

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Kirk MacDonald Toronto, Ontario

Celebrated Canadian saxophonist Kirk MacDonald has been awarded 2 JUNOs, 6 JUNO nominations, a SOCAN Outstanding Jazz Artist of the Year, & a TMA Lifetime Achievement Award. He has performed on over 50 CDs as leader & sideman alongside such greats as Tom Harrell, Harold Mabern, John Taylor, Pat LaBarbera, Kenny Wheeler, Sam Noto, Dennis Mackrel, & Adam Nussbaum. ... more

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