Kirk MacDonald (musician)

Kirk MacDonald (born 1959) is a Canadian jazz musician and composer. He has been nominated for four Juno Awards, with his album The Atlantic Sessions winning the 1999 Juno Award for Best Mainstream Jazz Album.

He has performed on over forty albums as leader and sideman and has participated in national broadcast recordings for CBC Radio. In addition to performing extensively throughout Canada, he has performed in the U.S., France, Spain, Italy, Holland, Monaco, Australia, Korea, Bermuda, and the Bahamas.

He has worked with Walter Bishop Jr., John Clayton, Rosemary Clooney, Brian Dickinson, Glenn Ferris, Sonny Greenwich, Eddie Henderson, Pat LaBarbera, Lorne Lofsky, Harold Mabern, Ron McClure, Jim McNeely, Vince Mendoza, James Moody, Bob Mover, Phil Nimmons, Sam Noto, Chris Potter, Bernie Senensky, Mike Stern, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, André White, and the Humber College Faculty Ensemble.

As a composer, he has recorded over fifty of his own compositions. His compositions have been arranged for large ensembles by Canadian and American arrangers. He has been active as an educator for almost 25 years at the college and university levels.

Awards and nominations[]

As leader or soloist[]

• Juno Award, Best Mainstream Jazz Album, The Atlantic Sessions, 1999
• Juno Award nomination, Best Mainstream Jazz Album, New Beginnings, 2001
• Album of the Year, Jazz Report Awards, The Atlantic Sessions, 1999
• Tenor Saxophonist of the Year, Jazz Report Awards, 1999
• National Jazz Awards nomination, Saxophonist of the Year, 2005–2007
• Saxophonist of the Year, Now magazine, 2007
• Martyn Lynch–Staunton Award, Canada Council, 2009
• Winner, Concours International de Soliste de Jazz, Monaco, 2002

With others[]

• Montreal Jazz Festival Prix de Jazz, Chris Mitchell Quintet, 1999
• Montreal Jazz Festival Prix de Jazz, Nancy Walker Quartet, 2003
• Juno Award nomination, Best Mainstream Jazz Album, Siren's Song, Maritime Jazz Orchestra, 1999
• Juno Award nomination, Best Mainstream Jazz Album, New Horizons, Bernie Senensky, 2000
• Juno Award nomination, Best Vocal Jazz, This Is How Men Cry, Marc Jordan, 2001
• Juno Award nomination, Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year, Existential Detective, Random Access Large Ensemble, 2009

Discography[]

As leader[]

• Vista Obscura (ADDO) – Recorded July 27 and 28, 2014 in Toronto, Ontario
• Symmetry (ADDO) – Recorded June 8 and 9, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario
• Family Suite for Large Ensemble (ADDO) – Recorded January 7 and 8, 2012 at Humber Recording Studios in Toronto, Ontario
• Deep Shadows (ADDO) – Recorded May 2, 2010 in Toronto Released April 2011
• Songbook Vol 2 (ADDO) – Recorded June 18 – 21, 2009 at Humber Recording Studios in Toronto, Ontario
• Songbook Vol 1 (ADDO) – Recorded June 18 – 21, 2009 at Humber Recording Studios in Toronto, Ontario
• Family Suite (Romhog) – Recorded at Humber Recording Studios, Toronto, Ontario, August 11 – 13, 2008
• Pure and Simple (Justin Time) – Recorded April 2 & 3, 2001 at AKW Studios, Montreal
• New Beginnings (Radioland) – Recorded at: Reaction Studio, Toronto, Ontario
• The Atlantic Sessions (Koch) – Recorded July 19 & 20,1997 at Atlantimix Studios Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Reminiscence (Cornerstone) – Recorded at: Glenn Gould Studio,Toronto, July 15–17, 1994
• The Revellers (Unity) – Recorded: March 18 & 19, 1990 at Jazz Partners Studios, Toronto

As sideman[]

Compositions[]

Original compositions recorded[]

As leader[]

SONGBOOK VOL. I (ADDO Jazz Recordings) New Piece Manhattan Getaway Moulage Calendula By Invitation Only Fleeting Goodbye Glenn

FAMILY SUITE (Romhog Records) Movement I Movement II Movement III Movement IV Movement V Movement VI Movement VII Movement VIII Movement IX Movement X Movement XI

PURE AND SIMPLE (Justin Time) New Piece Alicante Opal Essence Five By Five

NEW BEGINNINGS (Radioland) On The Sierra Nevada Starlight Lament For A Better Tomorrow Sideways Kirk's Blues Calendula New Beginnings

THE ATLANTIC SESSIONS (KOCH Jazz) The Mill Dam Kirk's Blues Monkie's Uncle 1000 West Two Night Stand

REMINISCENCE (Counterpoint) Reminiscence Advance Notice Moulage Deep Shadows Manhattan Getaway For Melvin Moon In Pisces Portrait Of Lucie

THE REVELLERS (Unity-Page) 224 Blues Forward Motion The Revellers Carnival

THE POWER OF BEAUTY (A Tribute To Stan Getz) (Various Artists) (Radioland) 517

Original compositions recorded by other artists[]

SIGNAL Andre White (Cornerstone) By Invitation Only Goodbye Glen

SHAPESHIFT Keiran Overs (Unity-Page) Moon In Pisces

THE WITCHES OF RED BEARD Chris Mitchell (KOCH-Jazz) The Buddy System You See But You Don't Hear

SPECTRUM Chris Mitchell (Justin Time) Vanda Justina Fleeting The Torch Bearers

LA DOLCE VITA New Berlin Chamber Ensemble (NBCE) Moulage

SECOND DEBUT Joe Coughlin (Innovation) Spring Lyric Waltz For A Libra Lady Seascape

UNDER A TREE Toronto Jazz Orchestra (TJO Records) Alicante (arranged by Mike Smith)

AWAKENING University of Toronto 10 O'Clock Jazz Orchestra (UTJ) Calendula (arranged by Terry Promane)

References[]

• JUNO Awards Database: Artist Summary

External links[]

• Official website
• http://addorecords.com/

Kirk MacDonald at AllMusic