By Jeremy Fraser
March 27, 2015
New Waterford musician Kirk MacDonald can add another Juno Award to his growing collection.
MacDonald, 55, was given the Juno Award this past Saturday in Hamilton, Ont., for solo Jazz Album of the Year for his album Vista Obscura, which was released Nov. 10.
The Juno Award is MacDonald's second since 1999. He was also nominated for awards in 2001, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
It's an honour to win the award, said MacDonald.
"I was very happy to receive the award. It's great to have people recognize my hard work."
Throughout his career, MacDonald has received numerous awards, and has worked with many leading musicians in a variety of musical genres. He has performed on over 45 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 25 years, MacDonald 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 and Eddie Henderson.
Other musicians who were nominated for solo Jazz Album of the Year were Jim Head, Lenny Breau, Marianne Trudel and Owen Howard.
MacDonald, the son of Jerome and the late Vanda MacDonald, said he'd like to thank everyone that helped with the production of his recording.
"I have to send a special thank you to the musicians who shared their incredible gifts including Harold Mabern, Neil Swainson, Andre White and Pat LaBarbera."
MacDonald's family is thrilled about the award win, said Kim MacDonald, Kirk's sister, who was in attendance for the award presentation.
"It is always nice to be recognized for hard work win or not.
"Kirk is an incredible musician who works very hard at playing, composing and pushing the boundaries musically, he always did."
MacDonald found his passion for music during his high school years. He attended Breton Education Centre and was part of the school's band, directed by Terry Hill, in the early 1970s. He cut his first record at 13-years-old.
"Hearing all the records, I knew music was something I wanted to pursue."
When he's not recording music, MacDonald is 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.
He also acts as the artistic director for the Youth Jazz in the City project, and directs the Greater Toronto Area Honour Combos and the National Youth Honour Combo, a project that hosts a two-week workshop in the summer for high school students ages 14-18.
The past two summers, MacDonald has participate in the Cape Breton Jazz Festival, however, to date, he hasn't booked any shows on the island for this summer.
"I have nothing booked in Cape Breton for the summer as of yet, but I am always happy to come back home to play and visit my family."
MacDonald will also look to add an ECMA Award to his collection in April. The saxophonist is nominated for the East Coast Music Awards Jazz Recording of the Year for his album Symmetry, which was released June 10.
Other musicians nominated for the award are Greg Amirault, Les Païens, Paul Tynan/Aaron Lington, and the Paul Tynan/Jake Hanlon Duo.
The nomination is great and the decision is in the hands of the judges, said MacDonald.
"I know most of the other nominees and they are all very deserving of the award."
The East Coast Music Awards will be hosted in St. John's, N.L., on April 12.
Kirk MacDonald was given the Juno Award this past Saturday in Hamilton, Ont., for solo Jazz Album of the Year. Photo by Jeremy Fraser - New Waterford Community Press.
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