Kirk MacDonald Quartet
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CA Toronto – Jazz
Kirk MacDonald Quartet

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Releases
Label / Release Type Year
Addo Records
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Vista Obscura Album 2014
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Symmetry Album 2013
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Family Suite for Large Ensemble Album 2012
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Deep Shadows Album 2011
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Songbook Vol. 2 Album 2010
Ab67616d0000b273b5d89f469a98720a340ea902 Songbook Vol. 1 Album 2009
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Songbool Vol. 1 Album 2009
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Family Suite Album 2008
Justin Time Records
Ab67616d0000b273b74811baab5d2dc439232f32 Pure and Simple Album 2001
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Pure and Simple Album 2001
Kirk MacDonald
Ab67616d0000b273130d6033b5725b94784a81c6 Songbook, Vol. 2 Album 2011
Ab67616d0000b2735625e2e7f0ff0044261350fc Songbook, Vol. 1 Album 2009
Counterpoint Records
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder Reminiscence Album 1994
Unity
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder The Revellers Album 1990
KOCH
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder The Atlantic Sessions Album 1997
Radioland
Edit-artist-releases-release-placeholder New Beginnings Album 1999
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With an established reputation as one of Canada’s leading saxophonists, Kirk MacDonald cut his first record at the age of thir-teen.

Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, and has worked with many leading musicians in a variety of musical genres. He has performed on over fifty CDs as both leader and sideman, and has participated in numerous national broadcast recordings for CBC Radio. In addition to performing extensively throughout Canada, he has also performed in the USA, Spain, France, Italy, Holland, Monaco, Australia, Korea, Bermuda, and the Bahamas.

For over thirty years Kirk has worked and recorded with many leading Canadian, U.S. and International jazz musicians including Claude Ranger, Dave Young, Sam Noto, Sonny Greenwich, Kenny Wheeler, Eddie Henderson, Harold Mabern, Walter Bishop Jr., Tom Harrell, Lorne Lofsky, Bob Mover, Pat LaBarbera, John Taylor, Ron McClure, Jack DeJohnette, Mike Stern, Jim McNeely, Bob Mintzer, Vince Mendoza, John Clayton, Chris Potter, Glenn Ferris, Maria Schneider, Dave Grusin, Danilo Perez, Adam Rogers, Dennis Mackrel, Nancy Walker, Barry Romberg, Andre White, Rob Smith, Brian Dickinson, Denny Christianson, Bernie Senensky, Phil Nimmons, James Moody, Rosemary Clooney, Humber College Faculty Ensemble.
Over 100 performances of his compositions appear on 24 CDs, both as leader on his own recordings as well as on recordings by other artists. Kirk’s most recent activities include the release of Family Suite (2008), an 11 part suite for jazz quartet on Romhog Records, and Songbook Vol. I (2009) – a collection of his compositions for jazz quartet, on ADDO Jazz Records, with Songbook Vol. II (2010). Kirk also leads the Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra (KMJO), a 19-piece all-star ensemble dedicated to performing his original compositions and featuring arrangements by leading Canadian and U.S. Writers. The KMJO released its debut record-ing Deep Shadows in March 2011, and in May of 2012 released a re-working of Family Suite for Large Ensemble. In the fall of 2013 Kirk’s eleventh recording Symmetry was released, featuring jazz great Tom Harrell. His latest recording Vista Obscura was released in 2014 and features jazz legend Harold Mabern and special guest saxophonist Pat LaBarbera.

Kirk has been active as an educator for 27 years at leading jazz studies programs such as at the University of Toronto and McGill University. Kirk is presently a full time professor at Humber College in Toronto, where he holds a cross appointment in the Music Degree Program and the Community Music School. Kirk also acts as the Artistic Director for the “Youth Jazz Canada” project and directs the “National Youth Jazz Combo”. This project also hosts a 2 week workshop in the summer for high school and post-secondary students.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS

As Leader or Soloist

2015 Juno Award Winner – Best Jazz Recording Solo Artist (Vista Obscura)
2015 East Coast Music Award – Best Jazz Recording (Symmetry)
2015 Toronto Musicians’ Association – Lifetime Achievement Award
2012 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Traditional Jazz Album (Deep Shadows)
2011 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Traditional Jazz Album (Songbook Vol. II)
2010 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Contemporary Jazz Album (Songbook Vol. 1)
2009 – the Canada Council’s “Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Award”
2007 – Now Magazine –Saxophonist of the Year
2005 – National Jazz Awards Nomination – Saxophonist of the Year
2004 – National Jazz Awards Nomination – Saxophonist of the Year
2003 – National Jazz Awards Nomination – Saxophonist of the Year
2002 – Winner – 4th Concours International de Soliste de Jazz – Monaco
2001 – Juno Award Nomination – Best Mainstream Jazz Album (New Beginnings)
2001 – Canadian Indie Music Award Nomination – Best Jazz Recording (New Beginnings)
1999 – Juno Award – Best Mainstream Jazz Album (The Atlantic Sessions)
1999 – Jazz Report Awards – Album of the Year (The Atlantic Sessions)
1999 – Jazz Report Awards – Tenor Saxophonist of the Year
1996 – Nomination for East Coast Music Award – Jazz Artist of the Year (Reminiscence)

With Other Artists

2009 – Juno Award Nominee – Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year (Existential Detective) (Random Access Large Ensemble)
2003 – Montreal Jazz Festival Prix de Jazz (Nancy Walker Quartet)
2001 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Vocal Jazz (This Is How Men Cry) (Marc Jordan) Blue Note Records
2000 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Mainstream Jazz Album (New Horizons) (Bernie Senensky) Timeless
1999 – Juno Award Nominee – Best Mainstream Jazz Album (Siren’s Song) (Maritime Jazz Orchestra) Justin Time
1999 – Montreal Jazz Festival Prix de Jazz (Chris Mitchell Quintet)

EDUCATIONAL AWARDS

2011 Humber College – Distinguished Faculty Award
2009 Humber College – College Innovation of the Year Award (Music Department)
2008 Humber College – Teaching Excellence Certificate
2004/05 Humber College – Award of Excellence for Outstanding Academic Contribution